Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Association

STUDY & CONSERVATION OF RAPTORS; EDUCATION OF YOUNG SCIENTISTS & THE PUBLIC IN CONSERVATION SCIENCE.

BACKGROUND:HAWK MOUNTAIN SANCTUARY WAS FOUNDED IN 1934 BY PIONEER CONSERVATIONIST ROSALIE EDGE AS THE WORLD'S FIRST REFUGE FOR BIRDS OF PREY. THE SANCTUARY'S FOUNDING WAS A TURNING POINT IN REVERSING THEIR WIDESPREAD PERSECUTION. TODAY THE ASSOCIATION, INCORPORATED IN 1938, CONTINUES ITS PIONEERING WORK TO PROTECT BIRDS OF PREY THROUGH EDUCATION AND PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT, SCIENCE-BASED CONSERVATION PROGRAMS, INCLUDING MONITORING OF RAPTOR AND OTHER MIGRANT POPULATIONS, CONDUCTING SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH, AND THROUGH INFORMATION SHARING AND PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL CONSERVATION TRAINING.SEVEN BIOLOGISTS AND EDUCATORS SERVE ON ITS PROGRAM STAFF, INCLUDING THREE PH.D.-LEVEL SCIENTISTS. IN THE LAST DECADE, THE SANCTUARY HAS BEEN AT THE FOREFRONT OF GLOBALLY IMPORTANT SCIENTIFIC EFFORTS TO MONITOR RAPTOR POPULATIONS AND TO STUDY THE DYNAMICS OF RAPTOR MIGRATION AND ECOLOGY. ITS ACOPIAN CENTER FOR CONSERVATION LEARNING SERVES AS A HUB FOR GLOBAL RAPTOR INFORMATION, PROFESSIONAL TRAINING, AND STUDIES.PROGRAMS AREAS:1) NATURE DISCOVERY - WILDLIFE WATCHING, HIKING, ECO-TOURISM:HAWK MOUNTAIN SANCTUARY IS A WORLD-CLASS OBSERVATION SITE FOR BIRDS OF PREY AND IS A FEDERALLY DESIGNATED NATIONAL NATURAL LANDMARK, AND MORE RECENTLY LISTED ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES FOR ITS LEGACY TO CONSERVATION AND ROLE OF WOMEN. THE ANNUAL AUTUMN SPECTACLE OF THOUSANDS OF WILD HAWKS, EAGLES AND FALCONS IN FLIGHT, COMBINED WITH ITS SCENIC MOUNTAIN VIEWS, APPEAL TO A WIDE AUDIENCE. EACH YEAR HAWK MOUNTAIN HOSTS AN AVERAGE 70,000 VISITORS. FREE NATURE INTERPRETATION IS PRACTICED AT ITS LOOKOUTS DURING SPRING AND FALL MIGRATION. THE SANCTUARY VISITOR CENTER, WHICH IS OPEN DAILY AND FREE TO THE PUBLIC, HOUSES A MUSEUM ON BIRDS OF PREY AND NATURE BOOKSTORE. A "WINGS OF WONDER" GALLERY FEATURES 19 HAND-CARVED AND PAINTED, LIFE-SIZE MODELS OF RAPTORS IN FLIGHT. TRAILS ARE OPEN DAWN TO DUSK YEAR-ROUND. IN 2020 THE SANCTUARY OPENED A FULLY ACCESSIBLE AMPHITHEATER FEATURING UNIVERSAL ACCESSIBILITY, COVERED STAGE WITH LIGHTING AND GENEROUS SEATING, A PORTION OF WHICH IS COVERED. THIS FACILITY ALLOWED FOR SOCIALLY-DISTANCED PROGRAMMING DURING THE COVID PANDEMIC AND RECOVERY PERIODS AND ALSO INCLUDES AN ACCESSIBLE TRAIL THAT LINKS THE FACILITY TO THE VISITOR CENTER AND ON TO SOUTH LOOKOUT. EIGHT MILES OF TRAILS ARE MAINTAINED YEAR-ROUND LEADING TO SCIENC OVERLOOKS AND THREE RAPTOR VIEWING AREAS. IN 2020, THE SANCTUARY COMPLETED MAJOR UPGRADES TO ITS BACK-COUNTRY GOLDEN EAGLE TRAIL TO IMPROVE VISITOR SAFETY AND BETTER PROTECT THE FOREST BY INSTALLING WATER RETENSION BASINS, PLANTING NATIVE PLANT AND TREE SPECIES, AND ADDING SWITCHBACKS TO REDUCE STORM WATER RUNOFF AND EROSION. IN 2021, IT CONSTRUCTED A SPUR TRAIL TO THE EAST ROCKS OVERLOOK TO BETTER PROTECT SENSITIVE HABITAT. FOR ITS OUTSTANDING AND MODEL WORK PRACTICES, A PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES FORESTOR NOMINATED THE STEWARDSHIP DEPARTMENT WHICH RECEIVED AN AWARD FOR ITS EXCEPTIONAL PRACTICES IN FOREST, TRAIL, AND FACILITIES MANAGEMENT.A STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS WAS COMPLETED AND OUTLINES TOP GOALS FOR THE ORGANIZATION AS WELL AS A FULL OPERATIONAL PLAN WITH A STRONG FOCUS ON INCLUSION, DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND ACCESSIBILITY (I.D.E.A.). EACH DEPARTMENT WORKS TO ADVANCE IDEA GOALS AND REPORTS TO THE BOARD AT THREE ANNUAL MEETINGS. AN IDEA FUND WAS ESTABLISHED TO DEVOTE DEDICATED FINANCIAL RESOURCES TO THIS WORK, WHICH IS ONGOING AND IMMERSED THROUGHOUT ALL PROGRAM AREAS.2) CONSERVATION EDUCATION - SCHOOL AND GROUP PROGRAMS, PUBLIC PROGRAMMING, LIFE-LONG LEARNING:PER ITS MISSION, BIRDS OF PREY ARE THE PRIMARY FOCUS FOR LEARNING IN HAWK MOUNTAIN EDUCATION PROGRAM. APPALACHIAN FOREST ECOLOGY IS INCORPORATED AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, ESPECIALLY BY USING OUTSIDE EXPERTS AND BY ENCOURAGING SPONTANEOUS DISCOVERY BASED ON THE CHANGING SEASONS. ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS RANGE FROM PRE-SCHOOL TO COLLEGE LEVEL. AN EXTENSIVE ON-SITE EDUCATION PROGRAM INCLUDES MORE THAN 500 FREE INTERPRETIVE PROGRAMS FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC, UP TO A DOZEN SPECIAL-FOCUS WORKSHOPS FOR NOMINAL FEES, AND FOUR FULLY ACCREDITED COLLEGE-LEVEL COURSES THROUGH CEDAR CREST COLLEGE. TYPES OF PROGRAMS INCLUDE PUBLIC PROGRAMS, TEACHER WORKSHOPS, COLLEGE COURSES, AND THREE-MONTH RESIDENTIAL TRAINEESHIPS. IN 2020, THE SANCTUARY LAUNCHED AN AMBITIOUS AND ONGOING PLATFORM OF VIRTUAL PROGRAMMING, REACHING MORE THAN 10,000 INDIVIDUALS LOCAL TO GLOBAL. IN 2021 IT LAUNCHED EIGHT WEEKS OF NATURE DAY CAMP WITH TWO AGE SESSIONS PER WEEK FOR A TOTAL OF 16 SESSIONS, ALL OF WHICH SOLD OUT. AN IDEA SCHOLARSHIP FOR NATURE DAY CAMP REMOVES BARRIERS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE WHO MAY OTHERWISE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE. ALL EDUCATION PROGRAMS ARE DESIGNED TO (1) BE SCIENCE AND INQUIRY-BASED, (2) OFFER CONTENT AND SKILLS TO EMPOWER VISITORS TO OBSERVE AND LEARN ABOUT NATURE AFTER THEIR VISIT, AND (3) PROVIDE MEANINGFUL, SITE-SPECIFIC CONTENT THAT RESONATES WITH PEOPLE OF ALL AGES. A NEW FOCUS ON COLLABORATION WITH OTHER CONSERVATION PARTNERS TO PROVIDE PROGRAMS HAS HELPED TO EXPAND PROGRAM OPTIONS TO REACH NEW AUDIENCES AND ALSO TO GENERATE REVENUE THROUGH EARNED INCOME THAT CAN MAKE EDUCATION SUSTAINABLE OVER THE LONG-TERM.FACILITIES INCLUDE THE FULLY WIRED AND ADA-ACCESSIBLE EDUCATION BUILDING, THE "WINGS OF WONDER GALLERY" IN THE VISITOR CENTER FOR PUBLIC LECTURES AND OTHER PROGRAMS, THE NEWLY UPGRADED, EXPANDED AND ACCESSIBLE AMPHITHEATER, AND "LAURELWOOD NICHE," ANOTHER ACCESSIBLE OUTDOOR LEARNING SPACE. SANCTUARY TRAILS LEAD TO EIGHT SCENIC LOOKOUTS THAT PROVIDE A BACKDROP FOR MOST EDUCATION EXPERIENCES AT HAWK MOUNTAIN. DURING AUTUMN, UP TO A DOZEN PERSONNEL SPOT BIRDS AND INTERPRET THE MIGRATION FOR VISITORS AT TWO PRIMARY LOOKOUTS. HAWK MOUNTAIN ALSO SEEKS TO EXPORT ITS RAPTOR EDUCATION MATERIALS, INCLUDING A DOZEN BOOKLETS, FLYERS AND BOOKS AS WELL AS A WIDE RANGE OF MATERIALS, CURRICULA, LEARNING ACTIVITIES, AND CLASSROOM POSTERS, MOST PROVIDED FREE VIA ITS WEBSITE AND IN BOTH ENGLISH AND SPANISH. INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS INCLUDE A 92-PAGE TEACHER GUIDE WITH ANNUAL LESSON PLAN UPDATES BASED ON NATIONAL SCIENCE EDUCATION STANDARDS, SEVERAL DOWNLOADABLE POWERPOINT'S FOR CLASSROOM USE, AND NUMEROUS ONLINE RESOURCES ON RAPTORS AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD, ALSO AT NO COST. SEVERAL DOZEN VIRTUAL PROGRAMS COVERING A WIDE RANGE OF TOPICS ARE AVAILABLE TO VIEW AT NO COST VIA THE HAWK MOUNTAIN YOUTUBE CHANNEL. AN EDUCATION INTERNSHIP PROGRAM WAS LAUNCHED IN 2015 AND HAWK MOUNTAIN IS WORKING TOWARD BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH MASTERS-LEVEL STUDENTS STUDYING ADVANCED DEGREES IN ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION. IN 2016, THE SANCTUARY LAUNCHED A DISTANCE LEARNING PROGRAM THAT REACHED SEVEN COUNTIES AND FOUR STATES (MINNESOTA, NEW JERSEY, AND NEW YORK). TRANSPORTABLE RAPTOR TRUNKS WERE CREATED AND SHIPPED FOR EACH DISTANCE LEARNING PROGRAM AND STAFF MENTORED FORMER TRAINEES IN ENGLAND, THE GHANA, ZIMBABWE, MEXICO, AND SOUTH AFRICA TO DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT THIS PROGRAM TAILORED TO EACH LOCATION AND AUDIENCE. THIS YEAR HAWK MOUNTAIN PILOTED A 9-MONTH-LONG SENIOR EDUCATION INTERNSHIP THAT IS RESIDENCE AND SO OFFERS A TRULY IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE TO BOOST EXPEREINCE FOR THE INTERN AS WELL AS CAPACITY FOR THE DEPARTMENT. A NEW BARN OWL, SCREECH OWL, AND AMERICAN KESTREL WERE ADDED TO THE LIVE RAPTOR COLLECTION IN 2021 ALONG WITH A PERMIT FOR AMPHIBEANS, AND THIS YEAR, A PERMIT FOR A NON RELEASABLE BALD EAGLE WAS SECURED.3) CONSERVATION SCIENCE - LOCAL TO INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH, INFORMATION EXCHANGE AND MENTORING, PROFESSIONAL TRAINING AND SCIENTIFIC STUDY, ANALYSIS AND PUBLICATION:THE FOUR-MEMBER CONSERVATION SCIENCE TEAM AT HAWK MOUNTAIN INCLUDES THREE PH.D.-LEVEL SCIENTISTS AND IS LED BY SARKIS ACOPIAN DIRECTOR OF CONSERVATION SCIENCE DR. LAURIE GOODRICH WINNER OF THE WOMEN IN CONSERVATION LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD FROM PENNFUTURE ALONG WITH MANY OTHER ACCOLADES. THE PROGRAM FOCUSES ON DETERMINING RAPTOR POPULATION TRENDS AND UNDERLYING CAUSES AND GAINING NEW INSIGHT INTO THE PROCESS AND PATTERNS OF RAPTOR MOVEMENT ECOLOGY. PROFESSIONAL STAFF RECORD AND MAINTAIN COUNTS OF MIGRATING RAPTORS ONSITE EACH AUTUMN, CONDUCT PUBLIC-EDUCATION PROGRAMS, OVERSEE PROFESSIONAL TRAINING, AND CONDUCT AND ANALYZE COUNTS OF BOTH SPRING AND AUTUMN MIGRANTS. THE SANCTUARY'S LONG-TERM (1934-PRESENT) DATABASE OF AUTUMN COUNTS SERVES AS A CRITICAL INDICATOR OF THE CONSERVATION STATUS OF RAPTOR POPULATIONS IN NORTHEASTERN NORTH AMERICA. THE DATASET REPRESENTS THE LONGEST AND MOST DETAILED RECORD OF RAPTOR POPULATIONS IN THE WORLD AND IS PROVIDED TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC AS WELL AS TO SCIENTISTS FOR LEARNING, GENERAL INTEREST OR ANALYSIS. INDEPENDENT RESEARCH INCLUDES LONG-TERM STUDIES OF NEW WORLD VULTURES, AMERICAN KESTRELS IN PENNSYLVANIA, THE ENDANGERED HOODED VULTURE IN AFRICA, BROAD-WINGED HAWK MIGRATION ECOLOGY, ARCTIC RAPTORS, STRIATED CARACARAS IN THE FALKLAND ISLANDS, PENNSYLVANIA FARMLAND RAPTORS, AND THE NORTHERN GOSHAWK