Լ����Ƶ

Congratulations to all our Լ����Ƶ in Action and Լ����Ƶ Collaborative Action Grant awardees! Լ����Ƶ’s 2024 grant program is funding chapter projects that contribute toward Flight Plan, Լ����Ƶ’s strategic plan for 2023 through 2028.   

Successful grantees presented project applications that showed clear pathways to success in supporting one or more of Լ����Ƶ’s five strategic milestones and centered an inclusive and community-oriented approach to conservation. Լ����Ƶ’s application reviewers prioritized projects that included a diverse cohort of community partners and two-way partner engagement (e.g. community designs of programming for that community), advocacy, and a clear plan on how to build coalitions and increase engagement with each chapter’s local community members. 

Both kinds of grants were open to Լ����Ƶ affiliated community and campus chapters in good standing. In particular, Լ����Ƶ in Action Grants provide financial support from US$5,000 to $15,000. Լ����Ƶ Collaborative Grants provide financial support up to US$1,000. 

Լ����Ƶ in Action Grants at a Glance 

US$305,000 were awarded to 26 community chapters; US$80,000 were awarded to eight campus chapters 

Լ����Ƶ in Action Grant Projects 

Desert Rivers Լ����Ƶ Society, Arizona 

Desert Rivers Լ����Ƶ will partner with the Town of Gilbert, AZ, to establish a MOTUS receiving station at Riparian Preserve at Water Ranch, a 110-acre network of recharge ponds that supports more than 300 species of birds and is of especial important to migrating shorebirds. With this grant, Desert Rivers Լ����Ƶ will provide the startup funding to purchase the MOTUS equipment, create interpretive signage for the area and adjacent regional library and other support materials, and will offer special programming to the community about the MOTUS network and Լ����Ƶ’s hemispheric work around bird conservation. The Town of Gilbert will complete the construction of the receiving station.  

Northern Arizona Լ����Ƶ Society, Arizona 

Northern Arizona Լ����Ƶ Society will install two MOTUS receiving stations in northern Arizona, specifically in the Verde Valley and on the Colorado Plateau, with the aim to both collect data on how birds migrate through the Verde River Corridor and to increase the local pool of permitted bird taggers by engaging local students and training them to tag migratory birds of interest. Those students also will help with the MOTUS installation, data management, and ongoing maintenance of the stations.  

Sonoran Լ����Ƶ Society, Arizona 

Sonoran Լ����Ƶ Society will use their Լ����Ƶ in Action grant to pay early-career field biologists to survey Western Yellow-billed Cuckoos, a species of concern in the American Southwest. Sonoran Լ����Ƶ will train these interns in survey techniques and provide them with both field training in surveying techniques and have them complete more than 40 hours of survey work that will count toward their federal field certification. Past interns have gotten full-time employment in the field based on their experience with this program, become trip guides for Sonoran Լ����Ƶ, and become Լ����Ƶ chapter leaders. 

Madrone Լ����Ƶ Society, California 

Madrone Լ����Ƶ Society will expand their decade-plus of community and civic engagement by continuing their stewardship of a large heron and egret rookery in median street trees close to an elementary school in Santa Rosa, California and also adopting a habitat garden at the school that was established by a now-retiring member of faculty. During nesting season, Madrone Լ����Ƶ volunteers erect creative fencing and line the ground under the nests with straw, but also work with the people who live in the area to help manage the impacts the birds have on residents. The grant funding will be used to support this year’s stewardship and community outreach efforts and to produce bilingual materials about the Habitat Garden to be provided to the families of local students.   

Monterey Լ����Ƶ Society, California 

Monterey Լ����Ƶ Society will coordinate with the local organization Blue Zones Project to organize at least four birding activities in towns that have not been well served by past birding activities due to cultural and language barriers. The trips will feature Spanish interpreters from the Blue Zones Project and Monterey Լ����Ƶ will provide free Monterey Birds brochures (both English and Spanish), and free binoculars for participants to use. Additionally, Monterey Լ����Ƶ will create and distribute a bilingual booklet on the King City Grasslands Important Bird Area to help foster ongoing and new discussions about habitat conservation actions to local ranchers.  

Morro Coast Լ����Ƶ, California 

Morro Coast Լ����Ƶ will help close the environmental education gap for middle- and high-school students along the Central California coast by expanding their current environmental education programs that focus on place-based and experiential learning rooted both in scientific and Indigenous knowledge. To do so, they will use their Լ����Ƶ in Action grant funds to purchase resources to support existing programs, engage and train new volunteers, and support the current Program Director to develop and maintain the partnerships necessary to get the work done. 

Plumas Լ����Ƶ Society, California 

Plumas Լ����Ƶ Society will use their Լ����Ƶ in Action grant to continue support of their current community outreach programs, which include at least two Let’s Go Birding Together bird walks that engage LGBTQIA+ outdoor enthusiasts and allies, service learning projects for local students that support environmental education and stewardship around the Upper Feather River Watershed, and the annual Grebe Festival. Their overall goals are to increase public concern and community involvement in bird conservation, protect bird habitats, and promote an inclusive culture of conservation and environmental stewardship within the community by organizing events and programs that raise awareness about the challenges facing local birds and provides opportunities for community members to participate in conservation efforts.   

Redbud Լ����Ƶ Society, California 

Redbud Լ����Ƶ Society, in collaboration with Pacific Union College, local high schools, and tribal members, will test new drone- and AI-based technologies to monitor Western Grebe and Clark’s Grebe populations on Clear Lake, CA. This project is part of a larger proposal being submitted to the Blue Ribbon Committee for the Rehabilitation of Clear Lake that will see Redbud Լ����Ƶ work with Pacific Union College and local high school and tribal partners to develop a long-term monitoring program that lives within high school and tribal environmental program curriculum, ensuring sustainable monitoring for these two iconic species and important bioindicators. 

San Diego Լ����Ƶ Society, California 

San Diego Լ����Ƶ will use its Լ����Ƶ in Action grant to offer outdoor education programs at its Silverwood Wildlife Sanctuary to approximately 400 students from economically disadvantaged and underserved communities at no cost to families. Students will learn about local chaparral and oak woodland ecosystems, threats facing them, climate adaptations, and the role of native plants and animals in Indigenous Kumeyaay culture. Through hands-on experiences, students will build observation skills, a deeper connection with nature, and a passion for conservation that will help expand the constituency of people who care and take action for birds and their habitats. 

Ventura Լ����Ƶ Society, California 

Ventura Լ����Ƶ Society will use its Լ����Ƶ in Action grant to expand its Dog Rangers program in Ventura County by hiring a coordinator, training 50 new volunteer Dog Rangers, and expand the Dog Rangers program into inland habitats by engaging new land conservancy partners. Dog Rangers shifts public discourse surrounding the disturbance of birds by dogs, informing people of ways their canine companions can contribute to bird conservation. Rather than solely emphasizing compliance, the Dog Rangers approach highlights the role dogs and their owners can play in safeguarding birds along the Pacific Flyway. It welcomes dog owners to join the conversation as allies in bird conservation, motivating them to conserve wild bird populations. 

San Diego City College Bird Life Club, California 

San Diego City College Bird Life Club will use its Լ����Ƶ in Action grant to both support current projects and expand into new areas, including coordinating with another local Լ����Ƶ campus chapter at Mesa College and supporting the creation of Լ����Ƶ campus chapters at Grossmont and Kumeyaay College. Planned actions include building a Vaux’s Swift tower, purchasing more supplies for birding backpacks, organizing the next Earth Justice Summit, creating a PRO with the City of Lakeside and the Tribal Council of Barona Reservation, and holding events like Burritos on the Beach and Mindful Birding.  

TerraMesa Environmental Sustainability Club, California 

TerraMesa Environmental Sustainability Club, a campus chapter at Mesa College in San Diego, will address the challenge of lack of awareness and opportunity in sustainable initiatives on-campus at Mesa across the entire student body. Student climate ambassadors from TerraMesa, an Լ����Ƶ campus chapter, will lead efforts to educate the campus community, organize guest speakers, and implement the College’s Climate Action Plan. Outreach efforts will provide students with opportunities to translate newfound knowledge into real-world impact. Signage in the TerraMesa Community Garden will inform volunteers about climate literacy topics such as the biodiversity hotspot, native plants, and water conservation. The overarching goal of the Climate Literacy @ Mesa project is to build a community of engaged students who are passionate about climate action, habitat conservation, and sustainable solutions. 

Arkansas Valley Լ����Ƶ Society, Colorado 

Arkansas Valley Լ����Ƶ Society will use its Լ����Ƶ in Action grant for a new native pollinator plant project that will serve as a tool for both conservation and community building. They will work with the Boys and Girls Club, the GOAL High School (an alternative high school) and the McCandless Veteran’s Community Living Center in creating five native pollinator plant gardens. Four of the five gardens will be at Club sites which serve young people who live at or below the poverty level. Engaging GOAL students and veterans in planting and maintaining the Veterans’ garden will foster intergenerational gardening—a great way for kids to learn and older individuals to mentor. 

Fort Collins Լ����Ƶ Society, Colorado 

Fort Collins Լ����Ƶ Society will bring Mindful Birding to a new cohort of birding event leaders by developing and offering online workshops, in-person trainings in one city in three different continental time zones, and a Mindful Birding toolkit to all workshop participants. Demand for the workshops has skyrocketed, from three total in 2023 to 20 workshops in spring 2024 alone. 

DC Bird Alliance, Washington, DC 

DC Bird Alliance will host and to sponsor free online and in-person events lead by, highlighting and directed toward Black outdoor enthusiasts and birders. Events include in-person and online Birding 101 workshops, birding trips outside the metro DC area, offering registration scholarships to events, birding events led by BIPOC birders, and a Bird & Brunch celebration event for Black Birders Week DMV. 

Orange Լ����Ƶ Society, Florida 

Orange Լ����Ƶ Society will use its Լ����Ƶ in Action grant to restore the upland habitat at its newly leased 70-acre Apopka Birding Park, removing invasives, planting native plants, installing a water feature, and building raptor platforms and bird nest boxes. Once Apopka Birding Park is ready for visitors, Orange Լ����Ƶ will be working with community partners to provide outdoor recreation and education opportunities to community members.  

Pelican Island Լ����Ƶ Society, Florida  

Pelican Island Լ����Ƶ Society is partnering with Habitat for Humanity of Indian River County to create a community with affordable housing and accessible greenspace to 14 first-time homeowners; the native canopy and understory trees and shrubs planted by Pelican Island Լ����Ƶ will create a refuge for birds and pollinators. Pelican Island Լ����Ƶ will also create educational signage about the benefits of native plants to be installed in the community.  

Tropical Լ����Ƶ Society, Florida  

Tropical Լ����Ƶ Society will adapt their successful Ambassador Program to launch “Bending the Curve,” Tropical Լ����Ƶ’s High School Ambassador Program. Actions include making key curriculum changes to more effectively engage and empower a high school cohort. In its first year, Bending the Curve will engage 40-60 students in key environmental policy actions in Miami-Dade County (MDC), partnering with CLEO (Climate Leadership Engagement Opportunities) to facilitate climate action in South Florida, and graduating a cohort of empowered young advocates. Students will also engage in hands-on habitat conservation activities and be awarded with community service hours in recognition of their commitment to protecting and restoring South Florida ecosystems. 

Knighthawk Լ����Ƶ UCF, University of Central Florida, Florida 

The Knighthawk Լ����Ƶ campus chapter will use their Լ����Ƶ in Action grant towards maintenance of its Plants for Birds Garden. Since its installation, Knighthawk Լ����Ƶ members have seen large increases in bird and pollinator activity. It has also driven an increase in students getting involved with the Arboretum teams and campus chapter. In addition to buying more plants to refresh the garden, Knighthawk Լ����Ƶ UCF also plans to add backyard bird accessories, including two nest boxes and a bird feeder with cameras; the camera feeds will be accessible via QR codes posted around the Arboretum.  

Golden Eagle Լ����Ƶ Society, Idaho 

Golden Eagle Լ����Ƶ has nearly completed a two-year, large-scale restoration project with 41 partner organizations called Boise River ReWild Project where, with 1,052 volunteers, they improved the habitat of 43 acres of public land along the Boise River in Boise, Idaho. To ensure that all that hard work pays off, however, two additional years of staff-coordinated stewardship tasks are essential, especially to ensure the 25,000 native seedlings recently planted have the best chance for survival. This phase of the project called, “Stewarding ReWild” will engage new people in hands-on conservation and will respect the incredible dedication of more than 7,600 volunteer hours already invested in the project area. 

Student Sustainability Initiative, University of Indiana, Kokomo 

The Student Sustainability Initiative at University of Indiana, Kokomo, will use their Լ����Ƶ in Action grant to purchase the equipment necessary to do proper bird monitoring on campus, launch a Sustainability Week push to engage students on conservation issues that affect birds and people, and purchase the native plants necessary to replace the invasives that student leaders will remove during habitat restoration projects on campus.  

Southern Maryland Լ����Ƶ Society, Maryland 

Southern Maryland Լ����Ƶ is collaborating with partners to create the first public native plant garden in Lexington Park, Maryland, focusing on its underserved communities, 75 percent of whose residents do not own their homes. Their native plant demonstration and learning garden will be part of the new, inclusive Lexington Manor Passive Park Community Gardens that will accommodate gardeners with physical challenges, provide plots to low-income gardeners and offer free fresh produce to the community. The native gardens also will alleviate drainage and runoff problems while supporting birds and beneficial insects. Southern Maryland Լ����Ƶ also will help incorporate natives in the vegetable plots to promote improved pollination, production and integrated pest management. Their goals are to create a safe communal gathering space with access to monthly educational and social events that connect residents to nature and grow a wider diversity of partner and volunteer relationships for their chapter. 

Լ����Ƶ Student Chapter at the University of Maryland, Maryland 

The Լ����Ƶ Student Chapter at the University of Maryland is leading a conservation project to establish a vibrant native wildflower garden on campus. With 300 native wildflower donations from Garden for Wildlife, Լ����Ƶ Student Chapter at the University of Maryland aims to enhance local avian biodiversity through the cultivation of native plants and the cultivation of community engagement through collaboration with diverse student organizations. The garden will serve as a living classroom, featuring educational signage, highlighting the crucial role of biodiversity in urban ecosystems.  

Machias Լ����Ƶ Chapter, University of Maine, Maine 

Machias Լ����Ƶ Chapter will use its Լ����Ƶ in Action grant to build a native garden on campus to create a safe space for birds and other wildlife. As a smaller satellite campus for the UMaine system, Machias Լ����Ƶ chapter leaders hope it will serve as an example for other campuses to follow. Funds will also be used to create bird feeding and gathering areas across campus, as well as gathering gear for a variety of educational trips for students, such as visiting the Bremen Լ����Ƶ Seabird Institute. 

Detroit Bird Alliance, Michigan 

Detroit Bird Alliance will use its Լ����Ƶ in Action grant to schedule a series of opportunities, field trips, and tours that will provide more opportunities for people with limited access and/or mobility to experience, visit, and learn about the ongoing work in Detroit aimed to create greenspaces that benefit both birds and people. Further, Detroit Bird Alliance will also partner with groups like Innovate313 to make birding events more accessible to people with hearing or vision impairment.  

Bird Alliance of Central New Mexico, New Mexico 

Bird Alliance of Central New Mexico will provide practical and personalized support for community members toward Certification of their property as a Backyard Refuge. The project will combine the conservation knowledge of technical assistance volunteers with the unique local knowledge of the community members to create and support microhabitats that reflect the needs of both wildlife and communities. The project will engage people who are new to bird appreciation and conservation because Bird Alliance of New Mexico will ensure that the actions required to become certified are simplified and within their reach.  

Lahontan Լ����Ƶ Society, Nevada 

Lahontan Լ����Ƶ Society will support art and students at the Pyramid Lake Paiute High School to develop a book with birds, northern Paiute language, and their stories. During the process, Lahontan Լ����Ƶ will lend its taxidermy bird mount collection and conduct bird walks with students, to spark conversations, ideas, and communal learning. By enabling and supporting this project, Lahontan Լ����Ƶ hopes to help produce a book to be treasured by the students, the Paiutes, and shared with multiple communities. The book will record a cultural history and ecology that can serve as an example for other communities who also have their stories to share. 

NYC Bird Alliance, New York 

NYC Bird Alliance will expand NYCHA in Nature, a project piloted in 2023 to collaborate with residents of NYC public housing to offer free nature and conservation activities based on their interests and sustainability goals. The eventual goal is for the local community to take the lead on programming and promotion. The NYC Housing Authority (NYCHA) provides affordable housing to more than 500,000 people, predominantly Black and Latinx. Many NYCHA Houses have green spaces that invite nature observation, habitat enhancement, and bird-friendly upgrades. Through this program, the chapter is building their capacity to engage some of the City's most diverse communities in birds and conservation and to incorporate their perspectives into efforts to protect the City's natural environment, for the benefit of birds and people. 

Belmont Bird Club, Belmont University, Tennessee 

Belmont Bird Club will partner with local cities and parks to promote and plant native plants and bird-safe buildings, will work with another local organization to expand Project Safe Flight and collect bird collision data, and enhance the native pollinator garden planted on university grounds with interpretive signage. They will also expand their community mental wellness initiative and host more events that bring the joy of birds to their campus community.   

Travis Լ����Ƶ Society, Texas 

Travis Լ����Ƶ Society will use its Լ����Ƶ in Action grant to expand its very successful youth outreach work, including birding camps, field trips, and conservation youth leadership opportunities. New programs include Plirding (picking up litter while birding) with Girl Scouts of Central Texas and low-cost camping and birding opportunities with Austin Sunshine Camps.  

UNT Bird Campus Committee, University of North Texas, Texas 

The UNT Bird Campus Committee will install a camera to monitor a breeding pair of Black Vultures at a satellite campus, Discovery Park. In addition to a nest cam live stream, UNT Bird Campus Committee will install educational signage that will protect the well-being of the vultures and their young and engage UNT students, faculty, staff and anyone who wishes to view the livestream online. The educational signage will provide an important resource for understanding the importance of vultures in our environment, as they are commonly viewed as pests or in a negative light. 

Լ����Ƶ Society of Northern Virginia, Virginia 

Լ����Ƶ Society of Northern Virginia will co-develop with community partners bird- and nature-related programs that are culturally and language relevant with the aim of engaging potential attendees who may have been discouraged from participating in outdoor activities in the past.  

Eastside Լ����Ƶ Society, Washington 

Eastside Լ����Ƶ will partner with 300Trees to distribute 800 native one-gallon shrubs to approximately 160 households in its territory. This project is a supplement to an already existing effort by which Eastside Լ����Ƶ and partners have distributed more than 4,800 trees. The new project, which focuses on smaller shrubs, will engage people who may not have a yard large enough to support a tree, but a porch that might support a shrub. Volunteers with the program check in with plant recipients seasonally. 

Potomac Valley Լ����Ƶ Society, West Virginia 

 Potomac Valley Լ����Ƶ Society will purchase 17 acres of critically endangered marl wetland adjacent to the 63-acre Cool Spring Preserve to create a contiguous tract of protected wetland under conservation easement held by West Virginia Land Trust. This globally significant wetland is an important carbon sink that supports at least 18 species of rare or very rare plants and is a breeding site for Sedge Wren. 

Լ����Ƶ Collaborative Grant Projects 

With their funding, Alabama Լ����Ƶ plans to clean up Dauphin Island’s public beach entrances, replace old signage, and restore native plants to an unintentionally created footpath to keep these beaches a safe place for humans and a thriving natural ecosystem. 

To support conservation efforts of the King City Grasslands Important Bird Area, Monterey Լ����Ƶ Society in California aims to invest on artwork that educates chapter members, elected officials, ranchers, and partner organizations on the King City Grasslands IBA. 

Through their grant, Fort Collins Լ����Ƶ Society in Colorado hopes to make future field trips and bird walks more inclusive by purchase birding gear that will better enable people with disabilities to participate and offering a special field trip in Fall 2024 centered on people with disabilities. 

Menunkatuck Լ����Ƶ Society in Connecticut hopes to create educational material for the Lights Out program by creating and promoting a video on how to install Dark Sky-compliant lighting at a single-family household in the state. 

Լ����Ƶ of Martin County in Florida looks to fund their Native Plant Restoration Project, which will return a large portion of their Possum Long Nature Center to a Pine Flatwoods, providing nesting and foraging habitat for a number of birds such as Pileated Woodpeckers, Red-cockaded Woodpeckers, Bald Eagles, Red-shouldered Hawks, and Great-crested Flycatchers. 

Citrus County Լ����Ƶ in Florida wants to expand their multi-disciplinary Birding and Journaling youth groups, which blends science, art, fitness, and birding, to Citrus County Schools so they can educate children on the various habitats and consequences of conservation principles. 

Eagle Լ����Ƶ Society in Florida will use their funding to maintain Inverness Condo Association’s stormwater ponds and improve habitats for birds, fish, and other wildlife while increasing the filtration of nitrogen and sediment before draining out to lower Tampa Bay. 

Four Rivers Լ����Ƶ in Florida hopes to band together with like-minded organizations to showcase attractive native plant landscapes, convert 20 enthusiastic and knowledgeable gardens into ambassadors for native landscaping, and attract over 300 attendees to the Doug Tallamy program. 

Halifax River Լ����Ƶ in Florida will use their funding to create an educational program encouraging and teaching others on how to implement bird-friendly principles at their homes. They hope to publicize efforts around this project to uplift their Plants for Birds campaign. 

Seminole Լ����Ƶ Society in Florida hopes to encourage new birders via bird identification and planting for birds classes, and by investing in birding backpacks for three Seminole County libraries. These backpacks will include Vortex binoculars, a beginner bird ID book, and a flyer with information about our chapter and recommended bird apps. 

Southeast Volusia Լ����Ƶ in Florida wants to expand current Plants for Birds demonstrations gardens while building community with the Center's students and staff as well as the local community through outreach and education. They hope to increase awareness of the importance of preserving bird habitat and enjoying nature together. 

With few green landscapes in Miami-Dade County, Tropical Լ����Ƶ Society Inc. in Florida hopes to restore green space and establish a habitat management plan for the Steinberg Nature Center to create a stopover for bird residents and visitors. 

Camden County Լ����Ƶ Society in Georgia will use their funding for supplies, equipment, show fees, and licenses needed to bring the joy of birding to all through the Wood Stork Festival, a cooperative effort alongside Crooked River State Park, local Conference and Tourism Bureaus, Local businesses and property owners, schools, and affiliated Լ����Ƶ Chapters. 

Critically endangered Guam Rails and other species will get a helping hand from Marianas Լ����Ƶ Society in Guam who will use their funding to hire boat transport for volunteers to reach Islan Dåno’, an 83-acre atoll, where they will help control and potentially eradicate the invasive brown tree snake.  

In Indiana, Amos Butler Լ����Ƶ Society’s funding will go towards the purchase of 700 native wetland plant plugs for their bird- and insect-friendly Nina Mason Pulliam EcoLab Habitat Restoration project, providing habitat for Common Yellowthroat, Yellow Warbler, and other species in the summer. 

Baton Rouge Լ����Ƶ Society in Louisiana aspires to build a Chimney Swift tower on their sanctuary property in Amite River Wildlife Sanctuary to offer nesting opportunities and roosting opportunities for migrating birds. 

Oakland Լ����Ƶ Society in Michigan wants to enhance programming in their Young Birders’ Club with added activities like meeting a bird bander to learn how banding helps inform science about climate change and holding a butterfly count to learn how insects are essential to birds. 

In collaboration with partners at the MoSi stations in Peten Region, Guatemala, Zumbro Valley Լ����Ƶ Society in Minnesota seeks to establish a Motus migratory bird monitoring tower/station at Tikal National Park, Guatemala to better track migratory birds from South and Central America to the upper Midwest, including Minnesota. 

Ozark Rivers Լ����Ƶ Chapter in Missouri will use their funds to increase marketing efforts for the Fall Nature Festival, a free event in partnership with Meramec Hills Master Naturalists meant to promote education about birds, pollinators and native habitats. 

Wachiska Լ����Ƶ Society in Nebraska plants to hold birding events at three local non-profit organizations that serve underrepresented and underprivileged local populations to educate more people about conservation and boost appreciation for our environment. 

Bergen County Լ����Ƶ Society in New Jersey is creating an educational area with help from the Ramapough Lenape Nation for everyone to visit, learn, and enjoy community with engaging activities, like a weekly summer butterfly camp for kids, and educational signage recognizing the first people to be on the land. 

Lahontan Լ����Ƶ Society in Nevada hopes to create an ideal duck watching area by building a blind site at Mesilla Valley Bosque State Park where people know there is a great chance to see interesting birds, and, for some, perhaps get really good views for the first time. 

Chemung Valley Լ����Ƶ Society in New York plans to install a MOTUS station on the Northrup Hill Լ����Ƶ Wildlife Sanctuary, which is the highest point in the area with an unobstructed 360-degree view. Sharing their “hits” with the motus network database contributes to important conservation decisions to protect vital bird habitats. 

In New York, Delaware-Otsego Լ����Ƶ Society’s funding will support stipends to help campus chapter student leaders attend their chapter meetings and stay engaged with their council, which includes participating in Լ����Ƶ keynotes and workshops, meals, field trips, and their chapter roundtable. 

Hudson River Լ����Ƶ Society in New York plans to restore and expand the Hudson River Լ����Ƶ Society’s Beverly E. Smith Butterfly and Hummingbird Garden inside the Westchester County Lenoir Preserve in Yonkers, NY, an important pollinator destination. 

North Fork Լ����Ƶ Society in New York hopes to improve current Eastern Bluebird nestboxes and mount new ones around Greenport, NY to present more educational opportunities for the public and maintain conditions for the well-trafficked and established nestboxes. 

Onondaga Լ����Ƶ in New York seeks to improve conditions in Onondaga Lake, an Important Bird Area that provides habitat for Common Terns, which are listed as Threatened in New York State. They plan on enhancing jetties with pea gravel and attracting more terns with decoys. 

Using their funding, South Shore Լ����Ƶ Society in New York will donate birding backpacks to Freeport Library, an active, diverse community. These backpacks will contain high quality binoculars, field guides and supplies to assemble and distribute, and borrowers will be invited to chapter activities.  

Southern Adirondack Լ����Ƶ Society in New York wants to construct nestboxes for Moreau State Park to not only encourage nesting for birds, but also provide an opportunity for park visitors to witness nesting and fledgling behavior live. 

Canton Լ����Ƶ Society in Ohio intends to purchase Wood Duck nest boxes for the United States Army Corps of Engineers for Clendening Lake and Bolivar or Beach City, East/SE Ohio to increase nesting habitat for Wood Ducks and to inspire others to become involved with conservation at local wetlands, lakes, rivers, and streams. 

Greater Wyoming Valley Լ����Ƶ Society in Pennsylvania will offer two loaner bird backpacks and associated education programs to the Hoyt Library in Kingston, PA and the Osterhaut Free Library in Wilkes-Barre. Remaining funds would support their Summer Nature Camp Scholarship program, where we give out $1,000 annually for between 15–20 children, many from underserved communities, such as Wilkes-Barre. 

Lehigh Valley Լ����Ƶ Society in Pennsylvania wants to provide birding backpacks with eight sets of birding gear to public libraries in Bethlehem and Easton that serve populations that disproportionately lack access to outdoor recreation and learning opportunities. The chapter will hold CBC4Kids and Great Backyard Bird Count activities at the library. 

Rutland County Լ����Ƶ Society in Vermont aims to design and develop a pollinator garden full of diverse and complex flowers, shrubs, and trees. They will educate others on native plants and the connective pathways on which birds and insects can move. 

In Washington, Olympic Peninsula Լ����Ƶ Society’s funding continues their work with Project Bird Safe in collaboration with students and staff at Peninsula College, developing student and faculty knowledge and concern for the bird strikes through interaction, data collection, and education.  

Potomac Valley Լ����Ƶ Society in West Virginia plans to hire a talented young artist to design one-of-a-kind decals for each of the four nature preserves they manage. These decals will serve to engage with the community, reach new members, show gratitude to exceptional volunteers, and sell to the public to sustain the chapter’s new volunteer gratitude program.