Burroughs Audubon would appreciate the opportunity to tell you all the things it has accomplished recently with the help of its partners and volunteers. Burroughs Audubon promotes the appreciation of birds, enjoyment of nature, natural history, education & conservation of habitat.
September 2015: On September 28, during the peak of monarch migration, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) announced the recipients of the 2015 Monarch Conservation Fund grants. Out of 115 proposals, NFWF chose 22 recipients representing over $3.3 Million dollars awarded. The Burroughs Audubon grant was a collaborative effort between Burroughs Audubon, with the support and endorsement of The Kansas City Native Plant Initiative, and its partners. The Kansas City Metropolitan Area Monarch Butterfly Conservation: A Multi-Sector Partnership grant was awarded $229,868 and will create unprecedented cooperation, awareness and creation of monarch habitat across the KC area.
September 2015: Burroughs Audubon launches a new website. We strive to bring you up to date information on everything it offers that is free including naturalist programs at its Burroughs Audubon Nature Center and Library, field trips, general meetings with guest speakers, and citizen science opportunities including bird banding, Christmas Bird Count, and the Great Backyard Bird Count. Meanwhile, our conservation chair, Mary Nemecek works tirelessly with partners and volunteers while Christine Kline works to make Wings Over Weston bigger and better each year. Our field trip coordinators, Sherry Leonardo and Mike Stoakes are bringing you endless field trips and our program coordinators, Liz Stoakes and Nancy Clark schedule special guests for Burroughs Audubon’s general meetings. Our library committee that is comprised of Karen Smith, Claire Hollander, Octavio Lorenzo, Mike and Liz Stoakes, and Linda Byrd works every month to coordinate volunteers and make new and improved changes at our Nature Center and Library. Finally, our board of directors coordinates and communicates in all these regards. Short story: It’s a team effort! Nothing would be possible if one of these links were broken in the great chain that is Burroughs Audubon. For more information on our board and committees, click on “Contact Us.” If there’s something you’d like to see on this new website, send us an email.
August 2015: Native, remnant prairie is the least conserved, most endangered ecosystem on the planet with less than 1% left that once covered North America. Snowball Hill, a diverse prairie on a hillside near Harrisonville in Cass County, Missouri was going to auction and Burroughs Audubon wanted to do everything possible to save and preserve this ecological gem. Burroughs Audubon stepped up to the plate with a large donation. This donation was part of the winning bid the day of the auction in partnership with The Platte Land Trust who partnered with the Missouri Prairie Foundation to purchase the property.
July 2015: Burroughs Audubon was invited to speak at the National Audubon Conference in Leesburg, Virginia about youth birding festivals and its successes with Wings Over Weston. Since 2010, Wings Over Weston has grown to be the largest and most established birding festivals in the state of Missouri with a unique niche – introducing birds, their migration, and the importance of conservation of habitat to children, the birders of tomorrow.
Spring 2015: Native plants have continued to be a focus for Burroughs Audubon as it added two additional native plant sales to its calendar – one in spring and one in fall. Burroughs Audubon is very grateful to Backyard Bird Center for its gracious support as the host of its sales and its support for its conservation efforts.
Spring 2015: Burroughs Audubon is proud to welcome Bonita “Bonnie” Anderson to its volunteer roster. There’s no mystery why we’re excited to have Bonnie as she works with us to improve our displays and offers special programs! Bonnie comes to us as an Environmental Biologist / First Professional, Management Level Naturalist for the Missouri Department of Conservation in the Kansas City Region’s Fisheries & Forestry Divisions. Her experience prior to this was vast and includes Bird Bander & Salvage for the U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Biology Instructor & Science Chair at Wentworth Jr. College, and Biologist/ Consultant for Frechin PC & Birds Botanicals. She has received many awards including the Presidential Award for Conservation, the Governor’s Award for Education, and the AIN Award for Interpretive Naturalist in six states! Bonnie’s programs will be given at the Burroughs Audubon Nature Center and Library in Jackson County’s Fleming Park/Lake Jacomo.
April 2015: Burroughs Audubon received word that the water treatment facility in Independence was spraying swallows with a fire hose. Any interference with native birds is a violation of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and can carry hefty fines and imprisonment. Burroughs Audubon was instrumental in joining the water treatment plant with the US Fish and Wildlife Service to develop a better plan for keeping the water towers safe without harming any of our native birds.
March 2014: Burroughs Audubon learned of the plans to develop a 200MW wind farm adjacent to Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge. The American Bird Conservancy said this was one of the worst-sited wind developments they had seen. After many months of hard work and with the help of many non-government organizations around the state, Burroughs Audubon, Audubon Missouri, and the American Bird Conservancy, the developers abandoned plans for that location. The announcement came from the St. Joseph News Press Gazette on September 20, 2014 and in the Kansas City Star two days later.
Summer 2014: Burroughs Audubon announced a grant program for native plantings and feeder stations in schools and other public places. Burroughs Audubon has contributed to the development of native plantings at EPIC School and Ridgeview Elementary in Liberty and Kansas City North LaPetite. Burroughs Audubon also funded a bird feeding station at North Kansas City’s Nashua Elementary.