2025 Audubon in Action and Audubon Collaborative Grant Projects

Every year the Nationwide Audubon Society gives two varieties of grants to Audubon chapters initiatives that contribute to Flight Plan, Audubon’s 2023-2028 strategic plan. Flight Plan’s Group Constructing milestone goals to drive widespread public motion by increasing the constituency of people that care about and take motion for birds. Supporting Audubon chapters—each neighborhood and campus chapters—is a crucial solution to meet this aim. By supporting their efforts, we’re impacting extra communities and constructing the subsequent conservation leaders.

Profitable grantees of the late 2024 cycle proposed initiatives that confirmed clear pathways to success in advancing a number of of Audubon’s Flight Plan milestones and centered an inclusive and community-oriented strategy to conservation. Audubon prioritized initiatives that included a various cohort of neighborhood companions and genuine accomplice engagement, advocacy, and a transparent plan on methods to construct coalitions and improve engagement with every chapter’s area people members.

This cycle, Audubon supplied $428,800 in Audubon in Motion funding to 45 totally different campus and neighborhood chapter initiatives. Of that sum, $124,750 had been awarded to 14 campus chapters, and $304,050 had been awarded to 31 neighborhood chapters. Initiatives from 21 states and two territories had been represented among the many award recipients. The awarded initiatives are summarized beneath.

Audubon in Motion Grant Initiatives

Tucson Chicken Alliance—Tucson, Arizona

In efforts to welcome a extra numerous vary of individuals into the follow of birding, Tucson Chicken Alliance will present certifications in subject management to eight youth from traditionally marginalized communities to change into birding journey leaders and pay them for his or her time. Initially of this program, youth will be part of birding journeys led by birding journey leaders from totally different organizations, together with these from Feminist Chicken Membership and Tucson Chicken Alliance, to expertise totally different types of management. After receiving further coaching, youth will lead walks for one another and independently inside their very own neighborhood. On the finish of this system, they may lead a visit for most people in Madera Canyon. By this program, they hope to share the enjoyment and well being advantages of birding with traditionally marginalized communities, elevate youth as leaders inside their communities, and diversify the present cohort of birders in Tucson.

Golden Gate Chicken Alliance—Berkeley California

Golden Gate Chicken Alliance’s Birding for Everybody Fellowship is now accepting functions for its third yr. Every year, 10 fellows are chosen to obtain free courses, mentorship, and neighborhood constructing get-togethers for one yr. The mission of the Birding for Everybody Fellowship is to develop and empower the subsequent technology of Black, Indigenous, and folks of coloration conservation leaders. They attempt to develop and elevate conservation leaders of coloration to raised serve their communities and their collective birding neighborhood. The Birding For Everybody Fellowship eliminates each the monetary and social boundaries to participation of their grownup schooling choices, together with the Grasp Birder Program, which they run in collaboration with the California Academy of Sciences. Over the course of their one-year fellowship the cohort turns into a neighborhood inside their bigger neighborhood, supporting one another as they develop into chicken and nature leaders.

San Diego Chicken Alliance—San Diego, California

Sharing Our Shores (SOS): Mission Bay is a multi-tiered program that accomplishes roughly 5 acres of habitat restoration whereas instructing third —4th grade college students about native migratory and coastal birds within the native habitat of Mission Bay in San Diego. By in-class classes, restoration occasions in coastal habitats, and creation of conservation-themed indicators which can be hung across the bay and seen by thousands and thousands of annual guests to the bay, college students will find out about and take motion to enhance nesting habitat for the endangered California Least Tern and Mild-footed Ridgway’s Rail, and can discover the historical past and ongoing connection of the Kumeyaay Indian Nation to Mission Bay’s natural world. The chapter’s targets are to encourage roughly 250 college students to hitch of their ongoing conservation and advocacy work in Mission Bay and to reconnect Indigenous voices to this coastal area.

Morro Coast Audubon Society—Morro Bay, California

Thanks partly to the funding supplied by Audubon in Motion, the chapter launched an revolutionary new outside STEM schooling program known as FEATHER (Fostering Environmental Consciousness By Excessive Faculty Schooling and Analysis). FEATHER engages highschool college students in underserved communities in neighborhood science and environmental analysis, empowering them to take part in native, regional, and world conservation initiatives. This system combines hands-on analysis with main larger schooling establishments and a college-readiness curriculum, fostering relationships with nature and the outside whereas getting ready college students for impactful futures after highschool. Along with educational preparation, FEATHER integrates conservation work with native collaborators, the place college students achieve sensible, hands-on expertise in environmental stewardship. By analyzing land relationships via a number of lenses—scientific, cultural, and sensible—college students develop a complete understanding of environmental points and the talents they should navigate their academic and profession pathways as environmentally well-informed residents.

Palos Verdes/South Bay Audubon Society—Palos Verdes, California

California’s coastal sage scrub is among the nation’s most biodiverse, but in addition most endangered, habitats. As much as 90 % of this essential habitat has been misplaced to improvement. This challenge will have interaction highschool college students to work in coastal sage scrub habitat to extend the amount and high quality for particular standing species. These species embrace the California Gnatcatcher, Palos Verdes blue butterfly, and El Segundo blue butterfly. Audubon in Motion funding will permit them to proceed their Youth Environmental Stewards (YES) program. By this program, college students may have the chance to see birds in coastal sage scrub habitat, the chapter will train them the significance of habitat connectivity for sustaining wholesome populations and amplify their delight for having restored essential habitat. By the utilized studying of planting native species, figuring out resident birds, and observing pure interactions throughout the coastal sage scrub neighborhood, they hope to instill a lifelong curiosity in conservation for his or her YES program individuals.

Plumas Audubon Society—Quincy, California

Plumas Audubon Society (PAS)’s Aechmophorus Grebe Monitoring & Advocacy challenge addresses the conservation concern of Western Grebes, an Audubon precedence species, in addition to Clark’s Grebes, and their habitat at Lake Almanor, Antelope Lake, and Lake Davis. Lake Almanor helps the second-largest colony of breeding Aechmophorus grebes in California, making it a essential breeding space for these declining species. Though smaller in measurement, Antelope Lake and Lake Davis are additionally essential breeding grounds for Western and Clark’s grebes. Between 2010 and 2019, PAS monitored grebes at Lake Almanor, Antelope Lake, Lake Davis, and Eagle Lake throughout a challenge that was funded by Audubon. This work has continued via 2024 and has allowed PAS to take care of one of the vital constant knowledge units representing the inhabitants dynamics of the 2 species of their area.

Channel Island Birders at California State College—Channel Islands—Camarillo, California

The Channel Island Birders at California State College—Channel Islands have a remedy backyard devoted to the scholars on campus. This Audubon on Campus chapter has prioritized enhancing the area for endemic birds by offering chicken housing, in addition to including a greenhouse, and bettering their current software shed. One other challenge that the Channel Island Birders have underway is creating software program to help scholar analysis initiatives to gather knowledge on chicken strikes. In alignment with our Group Constructing milestone, the Channel Island Birders will go to Rio Actual Elementary Faculty, a Title 1 college, the place they intend to ship a presentation targeted on seasonal chicken details, concluding a with dialogue encouraging environmental stewardship. To strengthen key ideas, they’ll facilitate a structured, aggressive quiz that enables individuals to display their data whereas incomes prizes. Moreover, they search to acquire funding to help art-based initiatives designed to boost environmental studying experiences for school-aged youngsters.

5C Birding Membership at Claremont Schools (Claremont McKenna School, Har Mudd School, Pitzer School, Pomona School, and Scripps School)—California

The Audubon in Motion Grant will assist the 5C Birding Membership at Claremont Schools be extra accessible to new birders, promote activism on campus, and allow college students to take part in conservation analysis. First, to permit new birders to hitch their membership and take part at no cost, they may get a set of binoculars that may be checked out by membership members and a scope and digicam that they may convey on their membership chicken walks. Subsequent, they may work in direction of lowering window collisions on campus by buying window decorations to interrupt up the reflection on the home windows of buildings that they’ve recognized as essentially the most problematic. Lastly, they may create everlasting chicken banding research on the Bernard Area Station, one of many few remaining pristine coastal sage scrub habitats. Funds may also be used to supply work-study alternatives to college students, so that every one college students can take part in conservation analysis.

Conservation Membership at Grossmont School—El Cajon, California

This challenge will create a public nature path on the Grossmont School campus. The Conservation Membership will design and set up interpretive signage on all 5 of Grossmont School’s native plant gardens that signify totally different habitats and their makes use of in essentially the most biodiverse county within the nation. A Kumeyaay Tribal consultant will present info on the names, usages, and historical past of the native crops. The indicators may have scannable QR codes that may immediately hyperlink to a web site offering a nature stroll map, all plant names (widespread identify, Latin binomial, and Kumeyaay identify) related to an image, and extra historical past/info. The Grossmont School Nature Path will present underrepresented college students and the local people with an out of doors interactive classroom to have interaction with nature whereas studying concerning the native impacts of local weather change, preserving native habitats and species, and increasing data about Kumeyaay makes use of and names.

Chicken Alliance at Metropolis School, San Diego Metropolis School—San Diego, California

Chicken Alliance at Metropolis School is doing extra schooling and work on local weather change. They wish to work with neighborhood companions to do initiatives in educating the general public on the significance of wetlands to the birds as local weather change buffer habitat. Subsequent is for Crops for Birds initiatives locally. They wish to work with different neighborhood organizations to create and fund native plant gardens for birds. Third, they may maintain city-wide coaching in advocacy, inviting the scholars from all of the campus chapters. They may invite workers from San Diego Chicken Alliance to coach college students in advocating for birds with native management and creating PROs that help birds and native habitat. They may produce a PRO in every of the communities of their campus chapters that match and produce folks collectively as a bigger county to guard birds. Lastly, they despatched college students to the Audubon Management Convention in Montréal.

DC Chicken Alliance —Washington, DC

DC Chicken Alliance will set up BIRDS CONNECT DC: A Wildlife Pictures Convention for Youth, the place eight younger artists, one from every ward of Washington, DC, can be mentored by two of the chapter’s skilled wildlife photographers. This free, multi-day convention will consist of 4 half-day periods of classroom instruction with the tools, visitor audio system highlighting academic and profession paths within the pure and environmental sciences, and subject journeys to {photograph} wildlife. DC Chicken Alliance is proud to have already secured two artwork displays and installations for his or her Alpha Class to have a good time their artwork. The chapter believes this invitation to discover nature via artwork encourages the subsequent technology of conservationists to strategy nature with the creativity that options to species and habitat preservation require. This challenge’s affect will proceed constructing bird-friendly communities in all eight wards of DC and inspire younger folks to change into leaders within the conservation efforts of their communities.

Tropical Audubon Society—Miami, Florida

Tropical Audubon Society’s award-winning Tropical Audubon Ambassador Program has educated tons of of environmental advocates, empowered voices, educated about South Florida ecosystems, and knowledgeable local weather motion steps. Whereas this program succeeds in constructing partnerships and fascinating cross-generational advocates of ages 18+, there was a obvious hole: younger advocates. Due to help from the Audubon in Motion Grant, in Summer season 2024, they bridged this hole by launching their first Excessive Faculty Ambassador Program: Bending the Curve. This system gives professional panelist Q&A periods, hands-on immersive studying, neighborhood service hours, and advocacy instruments. The chapter’s aim is to empower a caring, numerous, and efficient South Florida neighborhood to advocate for the area’s pure ecosystems and interact in local weather motion by realizing the ability of their voices.

West Volusia Audubon Society—DeLand, Florida

Stetson College’s Sandra Stetson Aquatic Middle, house to the Institute for Water and Environmental Resilience, is a two-story facility that includes expansive views via reflective glass home windows. Sadly, reported chicken strikes have been rising, and there’s a want for dot-grid patterned window movie to forestall strikes by rising visibility for birds. With its established environmental management locally, the Aquatic Middle is a perfect public demonstration web site. West Volusia Audubon Society’s proposal builds on sturdy partnerships and engages native stakeholders, together with the Spring Hill Resilience Crew—a gaggle of 30 residents inside an impacted neighborhood, devoted to bettering its resilience—in addition to Stetson’s Audubon on Campus chapter. By window movie set up, participatory workshops, academic signage, citizen science mapping, a challenge video, and a library of mannequin ordinances, West Volusia Audubon Society goals to unite numerous audiences round city conservation, local weather motion, coverage development, and neighborhood constructing efforts that profit each birds and folks.

Birds Georgia—Atlanta, Georgia

The Birds Georgia “Birds For All” (BFA) program gives inclusive birding applications to people, prioritizing areas which can be low-income, predominantly Black or folks of coloration, and have low engagement in avian neighborhood science. By providing tailor-made applications for traditionally underrepresented communities, they intention to make sure birding is an area the place everybody can belong. BFA focuses on three key teams: these with accessibility wants, youth and younger grownup age teams, and traditionally underserved communities. Every taking part accomplice should handle one (or extra) of those areas to take part in a BFA program. Birds Georgia’s outreach is intentional, creating conscious birding experiences that resonate deeply inside these communities. With a dedication to fostering a various and welcoming birding neighborhood, their aim is to interrupt down boundaries and interact new audiences in Georgia.

Marianas Audubon Society—Tamunung, Guam

Islan Dåno’ (Cocos Island) is one in all Guam’s biodiversity hotspots and acts because the final native refuge for endemic species such because the Guam Rail and the Mariana Skink. Till not too long ago, Islan Dåno’ was believed to be freed from invasive brown tree snakes, which devastated a lot of Guam’s native wildlife. In 2020, nevertheless, snakes had been discovered on Islan Dåno’, placing its distinctive species in danger. Since 2021, Marianas Audubon Society has been supporting community-led snake elimination from Islan Dåno’. The chapter goals to proceed that work and attempt for the eventual eradication of brown tree snakes from the island.

Higher Iowa Audubon Society—Fayette, Iowa

In collaboration with the Iowa Division of Pure Assets, the Higher Iowa Audubon Society, and the Audubon on Campus chapter at Higher Iowa College search to ascertain a Motus wildlife monitoring tower on the Volga River State Recreation Space in northeast Iowa. It will assist researchers from throughout the Americas observe the passage of birds as they migrate via the area alongside the Mississippi Flyway. It’s going to additionally assist talk how vital the habitat this public space gives to not solely migratory birds but in addition the breeding forest birds, grassland, and wetland birds of northeast Iowa that nest within the 6,000-acre property. Lastly, the acquisition of Motus tags and a handheld receiver will join college students and neighborhood members with the analysis course of, involving them in chicken banding and Motus tagging.

Chicago Chicken Alliance—Chicago, Illinois

Chicago Chicken Alliance, together with key companions, will prepare new subject journey leaders who signify the varied backgrounds of Chicago and help these new leaders in partaking historically underserved communities in birding actions at lakefront parks. This challenge will prepare 30 new subject journey leaders, together with at the least 25 Black and brown leaders, thereby rising the range of subject journey leaders in Chicago. It’s going to put together them to coach communities concerning the birds and habitats that share the area. The coaching may also incorporate the environmental historical past of Chicago and its waterways, and the conservation points that birds face when migrating. The lakefront, rivers, and banks in Chicago present the area’s richest useful resource for the migratory birds that go via by the thousands and thousands every spring and fall. Chicago Chicken Alliance want to make this useful resource extra out there to all the space’s residents.

Sinnissippi Audubon—Rockford, Illinois

Sinnissippi Audubon, the Metropolis of Rockford, and the Rockford Space Arts Council (RAAC) will accomplice collectively to deal with birds, local weather change, and constructing neighborhood. Every summer season, RAAC presents alternatives within the arts for youth within the Rockford area. The SPARK! Construct: Mosaic gives an intensive, hands-on, skill-building apprenticeship program to youths who display an curiosity within the arts. Youth will work intently with nationally acknowledged mosaic artist, Susan Burton, within the planning, development, and set up of a public sculpture. The scholar’s mosaic work can be acknowledged publicly by Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara. Moreover, there can be everlasting signage put in with a SPARK! Mosaic tribute. The summer season 2025 program will deal with chicken mosaics that can be put in all through the neighborhood, together with Rockford Metropolis Corridor. This challenge will spark curiosity in birds of their neighborhood. Signage will present schooling concerning the challenge, birds, and the threats of local weather change.

Pupil Sustainability Council at Indiana College Kokomo—Kokomo, Indiana

The continuing Inexperienced Horizons Initiative at Indiana College Kokomo focuses on chicken conservation and habitat restoration via sensible, community-driven efforts. This challenge goals to boost chicken monitoring capabilities by buying important banding tools, chicken meals, and feeder attachments, permitting college students to trace avian populations and their habitats extra successfully. In tandem, they may restore essential bird-friendly environments on campus by eradicating invasive species and planting native bushes and crops, creating sustainable refuges for native chicken species. Partaking college students, workers, and neighborhood members in hands-on conservation initiatives won’t solely enhance biodiversity but in addition foster environmental stewardship. By combining schooling, habitat restoration, and monitoring, the Pupil Sustainability Council goals to bolster chicken populations, improve consciousness of conservation efforts, and create lasting ecological advantages that align with Audubon’s Flight Plan and conservation targets.

XULA Geaux Inexperienced at Xavier College of Louisiana- New Orleans, Louisiana

XULA Geaux Inexperienced’s (XGG) plan for 2024-2026 is to construct a conservation neighborhood via Birding Nature Hikes. These hikes present new Xavier college students with an introduction to birding and enrich the expertise for extra seasoned birdwatchers, all whereas cultivating a rising neighborhood of chicken and nature lovers on campus. The Swamp Excursions and nature conservation excursions provide highly effective academic experiences, enabling XGG to focus on the ecological significance of wetlands, prairies, and forests for chicken populations whereas additionally demonstrating revolutionary habitat administration practices. Recycling and upcycling initiatives will assist convey collectively numerous companions, from college students to native companies, making a coalition working in direction of conservation targets. XGG will institute clothes drives to recycle, thrift days to reuse, and host workshops to show upcycling.

Mississippi Headwaters Audubon Society —Bemidji, Minnesota

“BIRDS FOR VETERANS—BLENDING NATURE AND HONOR” is an initiative to construct bridges and strengthen neighborhood partnerships via birds. Mississippi Headwaters Audubon Society and American Legion Put up #14 are collaborating to have interaction and excite residents, guests, and workers about birds on the new Bemidji Veterans Dwelling. This collaboration intends to put in chicken feeders, present binoculars, chicken guides, and birding apps, in addition to lead accessible chicken and nature applications, and share Indigenous data and tales about birds from native Ojibwe folks. Native plantings can be added across the chicken feeding stations. It will complement a major quantity of native landscaping already accomplished across the new facility. Window remedies to scale back chicken strikes may also be put in.

Birds of a Feather, Rust School—Holly Springs, Mississippi

Birds of a Feather, Rust School’s Audubon on Campus Chapter, is increasing its yearly Foxfire tenting journey by inviting college students from different HBCUs to have interaction in immersive, hands-on experiences in nature. This journey will function expert-led birdwatching, nature hikes, and conservation talks, providing a novel alternative to discover biodiversity and join with the pure world. As well as, the chapter will host a plant sale, birdhouse portray workshop, and a nature-themed film evening to boost environmental consciousness inside their neighborhood. By fostering cross-campus collaboration and increasing participation, they intention to encourage a brand new technology of conservation leaders, deepen environmental schooling, and strengthen ties between HBCUs and the Audubon mission.

Audubon Society of Omaha—Omaha, Nebraska

The Audubon Society of Omaha (ASO) plans to help Audubon’s Flight Plan via neighborhood constructing and bringing chicken lovers collectively to advance their shared imaginative and prescient. The ASO Pupil Artwork Present is an annual occasion that pulls collectively tons of of Ok-12 college students from throughout the Omaha metro space. College students submit art work in consideration for prizes. Judges select winners for 60 % or extra of the entries, and everybody leaves with some type of recognition to encourage participation and delight within the occasion. It’s each the most important and most numerous occasion undertaken by ASO. The Artwork Present and Awards Ceremony have interaction tons of of recent potential birders and conservationists—each college students and their households—in depicting and sharing the fantastic thing about birds. The Pupil Artwork Present will attain a broad viewers, and can particularly goal Boys City, an area academic group for underserved youth.

Bedford Audubon Society—Katonah, New York

Bedford Audubon (BAS) has begun a multi-faceted program technique to have interaction new numerous communities of their chapter’s territory, together with Latino communities, with the target of reaching 20,000 folks over the subsequent 12 months, greater than 75 % of them for the primary time. In the meantime, their worldwide birding journey alternatives will goal international locations and in-country companions which can be a part of the NAS Migratory Chicken Initiative and Flyway Plans, going to at the least two international locations within the first 12 months. It will create the notice and long-term monetary help for the plan throughout their membership, offering a mannequin different chapters can undertake. They may share it via chapter conferences, regional conferences, and the NAS management convention in Montréal.

Buffalo Audubon Society—North Java, New York

Buffalo Audubon Society will accomplice with 4 native organizations to scale back chicken strikes throughout western New York via schooling and advocacy. New volunteers can be recruited from 4 organizations to retrofit their nature heart home windows with efficient chicken collision discount options to coach the general public on collision prevalence and prevention. Every of the middle’s three flooring can be modified with a unique prevention possibility—movie, paracord, and tape— and signage can be displayed to tell guests methods to replicate these options at house and within the office. Three annual chicken strike applications can be provided to extend consciousness, view shows, and provide hands-on demonstrations. Chicken collision info can be built-in into all on-site teaching programs, and all individuals can be directed to FLACO Act and Darkish Skies Safety Act advocacy alerts.

Genesee Valley Audubon Society—Rochester, New York

Abatement of focused vegetation (weeds/bushes) on a barrier island situated on the entrance to Braddock Bay. The island and Braddock Bay are situated on the Atlantic Migratory Flyway. It will return the island to a seaside that migratory shore birds use to relaxation and feed. This island and the Braddock Bay space are a part of the NYSDEC Braddock Bay Wildlife Administration space, and, as such, particular permits and processes must be adopted to abate the focused vegetation. This challenge aligns itself with the NYSDEC administration of this space.

NYC Chicken Alliance—New York Metropolis, New York

NYC Chicken Alliance will proceed to construct its New York Metropolis Housing Authority (NYCHA) in Nature program, considerably advancing its targets for fairness, variety, and inclusion. Begun in 2023, this system is a collaboration with public housing tenant leaders and residents to supply free nature and conservation actions based mostly on their neighborhood’s pursuits. The NYC Housing Authority gives reasonably priced housing to greater than 500,000 folks, predominantly Black and Latinx. Many NYCHA Homes have inexperienced areas that invite nature remark, habitat enhancement, and bird-friendly upgrades. By this program, NYC Chicken Alliance is constructing its capability to have interaction all of New York Metropolis’s communities in birds and conservation and to include a variety of views of their work to guard the Metropolis’s chicken and pure surroundings, for the advantage of birds and folks.

Delaware-Otsego Audubon Society—Oneonta, New York

The NY/CT Window Collision Prevention/Lights Out Mission brings collectively as much as 30 Audubon Chapters to have interaction communities to scale back chicken deaths by stopping bird-window collisions and implementing Lights Out initiatives. Chapters implement their very own programming plans. Help supplies and sources are supplied for chapter use, based mostly on native wants. Supplies supplied to native chapters will embrace a 150-page useful resource handbook (one for each chapter in NY & CT); a 45-minute PowerPoint presentation and audio system notes; detailed details about window collision prevention merchandise (the place to buy, methods to correctly use/set up), and reference supplies; detailed details about lights out initiatives; Copies of the prevailing 4-fold Audubon brochure about window collisions; a 12×18” yard signal with a “Chicken-Pleasant Dwelling” message for native chapters to supply to houses which can be implementing window collision prevention and lights out initiatives; and stickers & desk banners for tabling and bigger initiatives.

Chicken Alliance of Oregon—Portland, Oregon

Chicken Alliance of Oregon will collaborate with at the least three totally different affinity-based organizations to create a sequence of free BIPOC-only birding outings. By these outings, they may convey collectively 100+ new and rising birders of coloration to be taught and develop in neighborhood. Collectively they may deepen consciousness of birds and their connection to the pure world and strengthen neighborhood amongst folks of coloration who’ve been traditionally marginalized within the outdoor. As well as, they may use these teaching programs as springboards to have interaction BIPOC birders in conservation management and motion via three channels. First, they may share info in any respect walks about upcoming Chicken Alliance of Oregon conservation advocacy campaigns, together with wetlands and forest protections throughout the state. Second, they may invite individuals to attend BIPOC-only Chicken Alliance of Oregon activist trainings. Third, they may collaborate with native non-profit Folks of Shade Outdoor to facilitate a BIPOC Birders Management cohort, targeted on constructing an upswell of recent leaders of their subject.

Coast to Cascades Chicken Alliance—Eugene, Oregon

The brand new Oregon Chicken Pleasant Group Certification program acknowledges the vital position that native communities play as they defend and restore habitat, work to scale back threats to birds, and supply alternatives for stewardship, schooling, and nature-focused engagement of neighborhood members. This system connects Audubon chapters throughout Oregon, permitting them to share sources and experience. Certification requires communities to fulfill significant standards, kind coalitions amongst native organizations, have interaction municipal governments, and contain neighborhood members. Designation will promote a way of neighborhood delight and partnerships that permit numerous teams to work collectively towards widespread targets. Their new program has been invited to hitch the Chicken Metropolis Community. They’ve designed their program to be each a enjoyable and substantial technique to have interaction communities in avian conservation and to construct long-term relationships that keep dedication over time. They now search to create workshops and help providers to help communities in turning into bird-friendly.

Lycoming Audubon—Williamsport, Pennsylvania

The Lycoming Audubon Society, situated in north central Pennsylvania, will collaborate with the South Aspect Leisure Authority (SSRA), a municipal authority representing South Williamsport and DuBoistown Borough, and Armstrong Township, in ongoing efforts to totally restore roughly 220 acres of wetland, grassland, and meadow habitat. This pure space, named for Robert Porter Allen, a pioneering ornithologist and the Nationwide Audubon Society’s first Director of Analysis, gives essential habitat for a number of of the Flight Plan’s Excessive Precedence species, together with Virginia Rails, American Kestrels, Grasshopper Sparrows, and Northern Harriers. With the help of an Audubon in Motion Grant, Lycoming Audubon and the SSRA will set up a various coalition to help long-term upkeep of ecological integrity, develop an invasive species administration plan, and take a community-centered strategy to plan implementation. The end result will immediately enhance roughly 120 acres of habitat, contributing on to Nationwide Audubon’s Flight Plan Habitat and Group Constructing Milestones.

Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania—Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania will enhance accessibility to environmental schooling, develop the conservation motion, and broaden the Audubon community via the event and supply of applications and supplies in Spanish for the rising Latino neighborhood within the larger Pittsburgh space. Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania proposes to develop 4 units of curricula and complementary schooling toolkits, ship 10 applications (eight for Ok-5 college students and two for households), translate eight key sources to Spanish, and plant one bird-friendly native backyard at Francis McClure Elementary for these in SOY (Supporting Our Youth) McKeesport programming. This work will construct on a latest, profitable partnership with the Latino Group Middle’s SOY (Supporting Our Youth) Pittsburgh program, which focuses on addressing the tutorial wants of the Latino neighborhood. This challenge will create a chance to supply equitable and inclusive experiences for the roughly 29,000 Spanish audio system current within the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania service space.

Chattanooga Audubon Society—Chattanooga, Tennessee

Chattanooga Audubon Society is revitalizing Maclellan Island, an 18-acre island in the midst of the city heart of Chattanooga. As a part of the group’s land administration plan, the chapter plans to plant seven acres of native crops on Maclellan Island. The crops will act as a meals supply and habitat for migratory birds in a densely populated city space the place they’re scarce. Chattanooga Audubon Society intends to accomplice with native native plant nonprofits and native authorities businesses to convey consciousness to the significance of native crops as a meals supply for migrating birds. The crops will change invasive species presently being mitigated and can mood erosion. The visibility of Maclellan Island is a key function of this challenge, as Chattanooga Audubon Society continues to advertise engagement in chicken watching. With this challenge, Chattanooga Audubon Society will strengthen its connections with companions such because the Metropolis of Chattanooga, whereas additionally creating alternatives for brand spanking new partnerships.

Therapeutic Wings Audubon at College of Texas, Medical Department—Galveston, Texas

Therapeutic Wings is a campus chapter of the Nationwide Audubon at  in Galveston, Texas. Being a well being professions college, their research deal with therapeutic sufferers and serving to them to thrive. Their challenge goals to provide folks experiences to see for themselves the therapeutic impact nature has on the soul and to assist them perceive the necessity to defend their pure sources. Their challenge entails creating 10 “birding backpacks” that can be out there for checkout at an area library. Every backpack will comprise binoculars, a subject information, and laminated sheets with QR codes linking to birding maps, ID guides, and conservation sources. Their birding backpack neighborhood ‘kickoff’ occasion will introduce the backpacks to the general public. When paired with their deliberate lineup of guided birding subject journeys and visitor lecturers, these backpacks will introduce a brand new demographic of future birders to the significance of defending and advocating for his or her pure sources.

Swan Society at Vermont Regulation and Graduate Faculty—South Royalton, Vermont

Swan Society proposes a five-part challenge, involving birding excursions, academic occasions, planting native vegetation, constructing birdhouses, and lobbying Vermont’s Normal Meeting. Swan Society will have interaction college students, workers, and school at Vermont Regulation and Graduate Faculty; members of the South Royalton neighborhood and White River watershed; and different companions, collaborators, and allies. Swan Society’s challenge proposes to fund its fledgling enterprise because the nation’s first legislation college Audubon on Campus chapter. Every a part of Swan Society’s challenge engages people in habitat conservation, local weather motion, the development of coverage, and neighborhood constructing. Birding excursions, academic occasions, planting native vegetation, constructing birdhouses, and lobbying coalesce folks in function and motion. Every of this challenge’s components corroborates the opposite, and all assist to encourage appreciation for avifauna and the habitats upon which avifauna rely—Swan Society’s function.

Spokane Audubon Society—Spokane, Washington

The Little Spokane River watershed is a wealthy and biologically numerous space that has been degraded over the past century as a result of agriculture, logging, grazing, and improvement. Greater than 180 chicken species have been documented within the watershed because the late Nineteen Nineties. To enhance habitat and water high quality of this deteriorated space, this challenge seeks to revive the realm to return it to a wholesome ecosystem that may help a variety of birds and extra sturdy populations of them. With the assistance of scholars and volunteers, Spokane Audubon Society will plant native bushes, shrubs, and perennial crops to extend usable habitat for birds, bugs, and different wildlife. The chapter will set up enhancements comparable to nest containers to supply further nesting habitat for cavity nesters. The challenge will have interaction neighborhood members by offering each classroom studying concerning the significance of birds within the surroundings and hands-on expertise creating habitat for them.

Southern Wisconsin Chicken Alliance—Madison, Wisconsin

Chicken-window collisions kill billions of birds annually in the USA. This can be a big drawback that goes comparatively unnoticed and unaddressed by the general public. With help from Audubon in Motion, Southern Wisconsin Chicken Alliance will broaden ongoing outreach efforts to householders, neighborhood members, and elected officers to boost consciousness of the issue and train them about how they will help clear up it. The chapter will take a number of outreach approaches, together with public shows, train-the-trainer workshops, useful resource kits for implementing window collision monitoring applications, video and article manufacturing, and exploration of the way to fund window remedy retrofits. Southern Wisconsin Chicken Alliance will construct on years of profitable native outreach to broaden the viewers to a regional degree, creating networks of neighborhood organizers who’re knowledgeable and outfitted to guard birds of their communities.

Chequamegon Audubon Society—Washburn, Wisconsin

Whittlesey Creek Nationwide Wildlife Refuge (WCNWR) has partnered with the Metropolis of Ashland, Wisconsin, and the St. Croix Administration District to transform and restore 10 acres of mowed metropolis property and invasive species-dominated land. Native prairie seeds, supplied, partly, by the St. Croix Administration District, can be used to advertise a more healthy and extra numerous habitat. The challenge will deal with two areas: 5 acres inside WCNWR and 5 acres within the Metropolis of Ashland. The first goal is to boost the habitat high quality for migratory birds, as Ashland and the Chequamegon Bay function an vital migratory hall for a lot of North American chicken species. By reintroducing native plant species, this restoration effort will help protected passage for migratory birds and act as a gateway alternative for first-time birdwatchers locally.

Potomac Valley Audubon Society—Shepherdstown, West Virginia

Partaking the Group in Conservation and Motion: Utilizing displays and a brand new volunteer program, this challenge goals to convey new viewers members into Potomac Valley Audubon Society’s nature heart to have interaction them in dialog about land preservation, uncommon species, vitality conservation, inexperienced infrastructure, and particular person actions guests can take. The brand new displays can be a catalyst for conversations. They may spotlight the particular options of the protected property and the energy-efficient nature heart the place the displays are displayed. The displays will present info and fascinating pictures that may allow docents to obviously and constantly talk the options of the protected marsh and the energy-efficient constructing, whereas together with methods to encourage and encourage motion of their private lives.

WEZAAM at Midwestern College, Glendale Campus—Glendale, Arizona

Habitat creation, schooling, and neighborhood engagement in Glendale, AZ, to profit resident and migratory birds. WEZAAM’s multifaceted FORBIRDS program goals to encourage a neighborhood to be advocates and stewards of the birds that share their yards. To this finish, the actions designed for ages 12 and up will train about birds, focus on the threats birds are going through, and, importantly, equip individuals with tangible options and embolden them to change into citizen scientists for birds. They may create extra chicken habitat by increasing their current Sonoran Desert and provide individuals native desert crops for his or her yards. This neighborhood program will particularly profit Lucy’s Warbler by developing nest containers and monitoring their use. A neighborhood exhibition will focus on chicken window collisions, showcase merchandise out there to mitigate this risk, and supply samples for individuals to put in at their houses. Collectively they will make Glendale a safer section on the flight path.

Bruin Birding Membership at College of California, Los Angeles—Los Angeles, California

The aim of Bruin Birding Membership at College of California, Los Angeles is to supply chicken programming to a various viewers of scholars, workers, school, and neighborhood members no matter background and expertise degree. In Summer season 2023 the Bruin Birding Membership ran its first-ever bird-themed LGBTQ+ Pleasure Pageant, which efficiently attracted tons of of people to campus to have a good time birds and variety in birding. In 2025, the Bruin Birding Membership plans to convey again this occasion, with a lot of repeated and new choices to fulfill the Audubon in Motion grant targets. These actions will embrace 1) guided chicken walks with emphasis on variety, conservation, and the historical past of College of California, Los Angeles’ LGBTQ+ motion, 2) a panel dialogue with queer leaders and researchers in ornithology, local weather change, gender research, and accessible birding, and three) varied social occasions for challenge individuals and bird-themed programming from native non-profit organizations and rehabilitation amenities.

Spoonbill Society: Birding Membership at Florida State College—Tallahassee, Florida

Florida State College’s campus chapter will fund window remedies and develop academic supplies on efficient mitigation methods surrounding deadly bird-window strikes, each on its campus and throughout the bigger Tallahassee neighborhood. After a yr’s price of knowledge assortment on bird-window fatalities on campus, these funds will help implementation of correct window remedies on their most deadly constructing, promotion for efficient options, and an “Lights Out” initiative, and an on-campus exhibit arrange biannually throughout migration depicting the issue home windows pose for chicken populations and methods to assist. Instructional supplies and outreach can be unfold throughout the three largest school campuses in Tallahassee (Florida State College, Tallahassee State School, and Florida A&M College) to additional improve consciousness of this problem. This challenge will serve to guard birds and empower the local people and school college students to take steps in direction of avian conservation on their campuses and past.

Audubon Society UW, Madison at College of Wisconsin-Madison—Madison, Wisconsin

The Microbial Sciences Chicken-Pleasant Home windows is a university- and chapter-partnered challenge to retrofit home windows with bird-safe glass on the College of Wisconsin—Madison Microbial Sciences constructing. This challenge goals to scale back the mortality charges and risk of chicken collisions with constructing glass by putting in bird-friendly glass within the monitored college constructing with the best variety of chicken collisions on the College of Wisconsin—Madison campus. In partnerships with the College of Wisconsin—Madison Workplace of Sustainability Inexperienced Fund, Southern Wisconsin Chicken Alliance, and the Chicken Collision Corps program, this challenge goals to coach college students and neighborhood members on the significance of retrofitting bird-building collision websites for chicken security. Group engagement with species conservation motion is essential to advance the pursuits of wholesome chicken populations, campus members, and environmental well-being.

Collaborative Grant Initiatives

Quinnipiac Valley Audubon Society in Wallingford, Connecticut, Menunkatuck Audubon Society in Guilford, Connecticut, Bedford Audubon Society in Katoah, New York, Rockland Audubon Society in New Metropolis, New York, and Delaware-Otsego Audubon Society in Oneonta, New York, are working collectively as a part of a broader Connecticut—New York Audubon collaboration supported by an Audubon in Motion grant software. The challenge will pair public shows, youth-led installations, and Lights Out Connecticut outreach to coach communities and encourage widespread adoption of bird-safe practices. Equally, Onondaga Audubon Society in Syracuse, New York is poised to guide a regional Lights Out program in Central New York, elevating public consciousness, creating partnerships, selling bird-friendly insurance policies, and offering sources and outreach to scale back mild air pollution throughout peak migration durations.

Tropical Audubon Society is restoring its historic South Miami, Florida headquarters property—a uncommon remnant of imperiled pine rockland habitat—via month-to-month volunteer workdays that take away invasives, plant natives, and unfold pine needle straw mulch. The challenge not solely preserves virtually two % of Miami-Dade’s remaining pine rocklands but in addition serves as an academic useful resource via excursions, subject journeys, and neighborhood applications that have interaction each adults and kids in conservation.

Southeast Volusia Audubon Society in New Symrna Seaside, Florida, will accomplice with Smyrna Dunes Park to supply signage and host academic tabling occasions that increase consciousness of defending fragile dunes and shorebird nesting websites. By partaking park guests with info, actions, and volunteer alternatives, Southeast Volusia Audubon Society goals to construct neighborhood, improve conservation consciousness, and develop chapter membership.

Eagle Audubon Society in Solar Metropolis Middle, Florida, will restore two ponds within the Kings Level neighborhood by eradicating invasives and planting 1000’s of Florida-friendly native crops to enhance water high quality, present wildlife habitat, and defend waterways that circulation into Tampa Bay. The challenge, half of a bigger pond restoration effort, will embrace contractor and volunteer planting, ongoing upkeep, and neighborhood schooling via articles, seminars, and outreach to advertise wholesome pond practices.

Duval Audubon Society, via its Lights Out Northeast Florida partnership, displays chicken collisions in downtown Jacksonville, advocates for bird-friendly practices, and companions with the Museum of Science and Historical past to put in Feather Pleasant markers and academic signage to scale back strikes. With help from Jacksonville Zoo & Gardens and broad neighborhood engagement, the challenge will create a extremely seen demonstration web site that protects birds, educates 1000’s of holiday makers, and evokes citywide bird-friendly motion.

Orange Audubon Society in Maitland, Florida, will advance neighborhood constructing efforts by partaking numerous audiences in chicken surveys and after-school birding golf equipment, supporting hands-on studying via appropriate binoculars for youngsters.

West Volusia Audubon Society in DeLand, Florida, helps Stetson College’s Audubon on Campus chapter and its partnership with the Gillespie Museum, which hosts birding applications and gives habitats that join college students and the general public with nature. To broaden entry, the chapter seeks a classroom set of 20 binoculars to take away boundaries for brand spanking new birders, enrich academic programming, and construct neighborhood engagement round birds.

Manatee County Audubon Society in Bradenton, Florida, plans to boost the Felts Audubon Protect with two new shaded buildings, together with a chickee hut with picnic tables, to enhance customer expertise and luxury. These additions will help rising academic applications for scouts, colleges, libraries, nonprofits, and the neighborhood, fostering larger engagement in conservation and habitat restoration.

Coastal Georgia Audubon seeks to construct a Chimney Swift tower on the historic Ashantilly Middle in Darien, Georgia, to supply essential roosting habitat for these declining aerial insectivores whereas additionally providing pure pest management. The challenge will embrace academic signage, monitoring, and three public occasions to have interaction 1000’s of annual guests in studying about and supporting Chimney Swifts.

Amos Butler Audubon Society in Indianapolis, Indiana, goals to revive the Skating Pond’s wetland habitat by eradicating invasive water lilies and shrubs, reintroducing native crops, and bettering water ranges. This challenge will improve biodiversity, present essential nesting and stopover habitat for wetland birds, and enhance entry and delight for guests.

Evansville Audubon Society is taking part in a hemispheric Motus tagging challenge to trace the migration, longevity, and inhabitants developments of the declining Wooden Thrush, almost 4 % of which nest in Indiana. By tagging as much as 600 birds throughout breeding states and 6 Latin American international locations, the challenge will generate essential knowledge to information habitat administration and conservation alongside migratory pathways.

Louisville Audubon Society in Kentucky is launching a Lights Out program to scale back business and residential lighting throughout spring and fall migration, serving to defend migratory birds. The challenge will embrace free yard signal distribution, neighborhood outreach, and youth engagement via academic applications and outside actions.

Baton Rouge Audubon Society in Louisiana plans to put in a bird-collision prevention artwork and schooling show on the major library, a recognized collision hotspot, to scale back chicken deaths and lift public consciousness. The challenge may also have interaction the neighborhood via occasions, outreach, and everlasting academic supplies, whereas advocating for broader adoption of collision-prevention measures throughout Baton Rouge.

Central Minnesota Audubon Society in Chilly Spring, Minnesota, plans to create a brand new web site to supply real-time updates, broaden outreach past Fb, and make sources extra accessible to youth, academics, and the broader neighborhood. The location will function occasions, initiatives, academic supplies, and chapter info, serving to appeal to new members, improve engagement, and foster collaboration.

Lahontan Audubon Society in Reno, Nevada will take part in Northern Nevada Pleasure with a sales space and parade presence to have interaction the LGBTQIA+ neighborhood, supported by its new Fairness, Range, Inclusion, and Belonging committee. The challenge goals to extend visibility, foster inclusivity, and develop LGBTQIA+ membership and management via outreach, sign-ups, social media engagement, and academic actions.

In Paramus, New Jersey, Bergen County Audubon Society’s pageant will spotlight the Bald Eagle’s restoration from close to extinction and the continuing efforts wanted to guard it. The occasion may also function the native Indigenous companions, connecting conservation with tradition to have interaction the neighborhood with nature.

The South Shore Audubon Society in Freeport, New York, goals to broaden and diversify native plantings within the Tackapausha and Hempstead Plains gardens to supply essential chicken and pollinator habitat whereas partaking the neighborhood in habitat conservation. By planting, interpretive signage with QR codes, public excursions, talks, volunteer gardening teams, and outreach through newsletters and social media, the challenge promotes schooling, advocacy, and chapter membership progress.

Over the previous three years in Greenport, New York, North Fork Audubon Society volunteers have cleared invasive crops from Inlet Pond County Park, permitting native species to regenerate, and now intention to speed up this by planting 5 nursery-grown white oaks at a key path intersection. These white oak bushes are a keystone species that may help numerous wildlife, particularly bugs essential for feeding child birds, and can be accompanied by an indication recognizing volunteers and thanking Audubon for his or her contribution.

Hudson River Audubon Society in Yonkers, New York, has reworked its backyard with wooden chip paths, new accessible gates, and thoroughly chosen native plantings to regulate erosion and help wildlife. Common upkeep will preserve the backyard in optimum situation, whereas ongoing enhancements proceed to boost accessibility, habitat high quality, and long-term sustainability.

Since its founding in June 2024, Pals of Grand Lake Audubon Society in Grove, Oklahoma, has engaged numerous and marginalized communities via in-person outreach, birding walks, trainings, and partnerships, rapidly constructing a chapter with a board membership reflecting the neighborhood it serves. Wanting forward, the chapter plans to broaden its Younger Birders applications, college outreach, improve its presence at neighborhood occasions, and improve its web site to enhance volunteer coordination and develop membership.

Seven Capes Chicken Alliance in Lincoln Metropolis, Oregon, seeks to make its web site accessible in each English and Spanish to raised serve the native Spanish-speaking neighborhood, which requires upgrading the web site server to include the brand new translation integration. To handle this advanced improve given restricted workers capability, the chapter plans to rent an skilled guide, enabling computerized web site translation and reinforcing their dedication to inclusivity alongside translated print supplies.

Lehigh Valley Audubon Society will buy eight units of birding gear, supplementing library collections in Bethlehem and Easton, Pennsylvania, with two units for every major library and two for every department. This challenge gives residents—particularly these in department library communities who’ve restricted entry to outside recreation—the chance to expertise birding at no cost.

Higher Wyoming Valley Audubon Society goals to boost consciousness about declining native pollinators in city areas by offering academic programming and inspiring residents to plant native species, utilizing a downtown Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, neighborhood backyard as an indication web site. The chapter will provide native perennial crops, soil amendments, and academic supplies, and host a Native Pollinator Day to have interaction the general public, promote pollinator-friendly gardening, and amplify the message via native media and metropolis outreach.

Cape Henry Audubon Society goals to considerably scale back chicken strikes in downtown Norfolk, Virginia, throughout migration brought on by brilliant lights and glass buildings, having already recorded greater than 200 principally warblers. Success on this effort may function a mannequin for Virginia Seaside to broaden to Newport Information and Hampton and ultimately help regional and statewide chicken security laws.

Spokane Audubon Society in Spokane, Washington, goals to counter declining American Kestrel populations by developing, inserting, and monitoring picket nest containers to supply further nesting habitat. Working with volunteers, landowners, and the general public, the chapter tracks field utilization, fledgling success, and volunteer participation, with plans to broaden this system considerably over the subsequent 5 years.

Blue Mountain Audubon Society in Walla Walla, Washington, goals to construct a extra numerous birding neighborhood by partaking youth and Spanish-speaking residents via quarterly introductory subject journeys, bilingual outreach, and accessible sources like binocular loans and Spanish-language guides. The chapter plans to extend membership by 10 % over the subsequent yr, with half of recent members from underrepresented teams, and hopes to have interaction at the least 15 people or households per subject journey.

Olympic Peninsula Audubon Society in Sequim, Washington, goals to scale back chicken accidents and deaths at Peninsula School by putting in DIY Acopian BirdSavers on campus home windows whereas planning for future Feather Pleasant dot markers. The chapter will have interaction college students and workers via schooling, hands-on constructing, and monitoring, with a aim of lowering window collisions by 50 %.

Silver State Wings and George Whittell Environmental Grant Awards

Along with the Audubon in Motion and Collaborative grants, this cycle we had been additionally capable of provide the George Whittell Nevada Environmental Grant Award and the Silver State Wings grants to our chapters in Nevada. Purple Rock Audubon Society was the recipient of $14,000 for his or her “Campus to Conservation” challenge. One other $14,000 was break up between Lahontan Audubon Society, Purple Rock Audubon Society and the Audubon on Campus chapter at College of Nevada Las Vegas. Collectively, these grants supplied $28,000 to help chapters on this state, via funds generously supplied by George Whittell and Doug and Nancy Chang, respectively.

Purple Rock Audubon Society—Las Vegas, Nevada

Purple Rock Audubon Society’s youth teaching programs will present college students with their very own set of Quantity 1 & 2 Sibley’s Birds of Southern Nevada. Having used these guides throughout their subject journey, the scholars change into related to a couple species they see that day within the subject with what’s proven within the information. Purple Rock Audubon will present the chance for the scholars to take the guides house, share with their households, and join with different native species recognized within the guides with what they might see of their neighborhood and parks.

Lahontan Audubon Society—Reno, Nevada

The Perils of Plastics—An academic tabling occasion exhibiting the harmful results of artificial plastic merchandise can have on birds. The show contains at the least 3 taxidermy mounts of birds which have died as a result of their encounters with plastic, plus “wholesome” mounts of the identical species. Attendees may have the chance to signal a letter/postcard to be given to Nevada’s Congressional Representatives to encourage the passage of The Break Free From Plastic Air pollution Act of 2023 (S.3127/H.R.6053). Letters/postcards may also be supplied for members of the Nevada State Legislature to encourage statewide laws. The mounts, info, and advocacy marketing campaign can be on show at a minimal of three tabling occasions. These occasions will construct neighborhood by attracting new Audubon members as chicken lovers work collectively to tell the general public of this problem and to encourage a change to public coverage via communication with authorities representatives.