Sacajawea Audubon Society

THE MISSION OF THE SACAJAWEA AUDUBON SOCIETY IS TO BUILD ON AN INTEREST IN BIRDS TO PROMOTE THE CONSERVATION OF OUR NATURAL ENVIRONMENT THROUGH ENJOYMENT, EDUCATION AND ACTION.

SACAJAWEA AUDUBON SOCIETY (SAS) HAS ACCOMPLISHED MANY ACHIEVEMENTS IN SUPPORT OF THEIR MISSION IN 2021. WHAT FOLLOWS IS A PARTIAL LIST-SACAJAWEA AUDUBON OWNS AND MANAGES THE INDRELAND AUDUBON WETLAND PRESERVE (IAWP), WHICH ORIGINALLY CONSISTED OF 32 ACRES OF DEGRADED WETLAND WITHIN THE BOZEMAN CITY LIMITS. THIS YEAR WE PURCHASED AN ADDITIONAL 7 ACRES TO EXPAND THE PRESERVE AND BETTER FACILITATE THE WETLAND RESTORATION PROCESS. WE CARRIED OUT A VERY SUCCESSFUL FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN TO FINANCE THE PURCHASE OF THE LAND AND THE FUTURE RESTORATION OF THE ENTIRE PRESERVE. WE CONTINUE TO WORK TOWARD A 100% DESIGN PLAN. WE ARE ALSO WORKING TOWARD ESTABLISHING THE IAWP AS A WETLAND MITIGATION BANK. TOGETHER WITH THE GALLATIN WATERSHED COUNCIL WE INITIATED A BUSY BEAVER VOLUNTEER PROGRAM THIS YEAR TO TRAIN AND COMMIT VOLUNTEERS TO BE STEWARDS OF THE IAWP AND OTHER LOCAL WETLANDS. WE LED WEEKLY BIRD WALKS ON THE PRESERVE FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE COMMUNITY. WE CONDUCTED WEEKLY BIRD SURVEYS ON THE WETLAND IN THE SPRING AND SUMMER TO ESTABLISH BASELINE DATA. WE REGULARLY MONITORED THE GROUNDWATER LEVELS ON THE WETLAND TO BETTER INFORM AND GUIDE OUR FUTURE PLANS.SACAJAWEA AUDUBON PROVIDES EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AND ENCOURAGES THE ENJOYMENT OF BIRDS TO PROMOTE THE CONSERVATION OF OUR NATURAL RESOURCES. TO THAT END WE OFFERED THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES IN 2021: WE OFFERED SEVEN BIRDING CLASSES RANGING FROM BEGINNING TO INTERMEDIATE BIRDING. WE OFFERED OVER 20 FIELD TRIPS. WE OFFERED OVER 15 GUIDED BIRD WALKS IN OUR LOCAL PARKS AND ON OUR WETLAND PRESERVE, THE IAWP. WE PROVIDED EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES AT THE BRIDGER RAPTOR FESTIVAL WHICH SEES AN ATTENDANCE OF OVER 5,000 PEOPLE. OUR VOLUNTEERS MAINTAINED A BIRD-FEEDING STATION AT THE STORY MILL COMMUNITY PARK FOR VISITORS TO EXPERIENCE THE ENJOYMENT OF BIRDS UP CLOSE. WE PROVIDED EARTH DAY ACTIVITIES AT OUR LOCAL PARK. WE HOSTED NINE MONTHLY EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS VIRTUALLY (AND IN PERSON WHEN POSSIBLE).SACAJAWEA AUDUBON PROMOTES THE WELFARE OF BIRDS AND THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT BY MANAGING A VARIETY OF CONSERVATION PROJECTS AND CITIZEN SCIENCE ACTIVITIES. IN 2021 THIS INCLUDED: OUR BIRD FRIENDLY COMMUNITIES INITIATIVES: WE PROMOTED BIRD-FRIENDLY LANDSCAPING BY GIVING PRESENTATIONS THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY, MAINTAINING A DEMONSTRATION GARDEN ON BIRD-FRIENDLY PLANTS, WRITING A PLANTS FOR BIRDS COLUMN IN OUR NEWSLETTER, AND OFFERING A BIRD FRIENDLY GARDEN TOUR. WE PROMOTED BIRD SAFE WINDOWS BY PRINTING AND DISTRIBUTING BROCHURES, BUILDING DISPLAY MODELS OF WINDOW TREATMENTS, TABLING AT EVENTS, WRITING ARTICLES, AND ASSISTING WITH THE APPLICATION OF WINDOW TREATMENTS AT MEMBERS HOMES. WE PROMOTED A CATS SAFE AT HOME PROGRAM WITH A CATIO TOUR AND THE PRINTING AND DISTRIBUTION OF BROCHURES. WE MANAGED A KNOCK OUT BURDOCK PROGRAM. BURDOCK IS AN INVASIVE WEED WITH VELCRO-LIKE BURS THAT ENTANGLE AND KILL SONGBIRDS. OUR VOLUNTEERS REMOVED 2,740 POUNDS OF BURDOCK FROM OUR LOCAL PARKS AND TRAILS. WE MAINTAINED AND MANAGED HUNDREDS OF NEST BOXES FOR MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRDS AND OVER 70 NEST BOXES FOR AMERICAN KESTRELS. NESTING DATA IS COLLECTED EVERY YEAR AND SHARED WITH OTHER SCIENTIFIC AGENCIES. NESTLINGS ARE BANDED. WE FUNDED AND MANAGED THE BRIDGER MOUNTAINS RAPTOR SURVEY, A 30 YEAR LONG PROJECT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH HAWKWATCH INTERNATIONAL TO DOCUMENT RAPTOR POPULATIONS. WE OVERSAW SEVEN LOCAL CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNTS. WE MAINTAINED SEVEN MONOFILAMENT FISHING LINE COLLECTION TUBES AT FISHING ACCESS SITES THUS ENCOURAGING THE PROPER DISPOSAL OF MONOFILAMENT LINE. WE SUPPORTED A LOCAL RESEARCH PROJECT ON LEAD CONTAMINATION IN THE BLOOD OF GOLDEN EAGLES.