By Tawnya Panizzi, TribLive (9/30/2026)
From children’s camps to a City Birding Series for adults, the Audubon Society’s outdoor education will thrive in the coming years after a boost from the Richard King Mellon Foundation.
A $240,000 initiative includes an 18-month project to expand opportunities for people of all ages, backgrounds and experience levels to connect with birds and nature.
By meeting people where they are — in neighborhood parks, community events, colleges and other public spaces — Audubon aims to create lasting pathways from bird curiosity to conservation action, Executive Director Chris Bason said.
Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania is an environmental education and conservation engagement group founded in 1916. There are four public facilities that include Beechwood Farms Nature Reserve in Fox Chapel, Succop Nature Park in Butler and Todd Nature Reserve and Buffalo Creek Nature Park, both in Buffalo Township.
Funding will help remove barriers to participation and help more people across the region have the chance “to experience the wonder of birds and become part of the conservation movement,” Bason said.
Programs are expected to include:
• Birdz Camps for children. Meant to inspire young nature enthusiasts to see the world through the eyes of a bird. Campers will receive a free pair of binoculars and learn how to use them to identify birds.
• High School Connect for soon-to-be graduates. The program highlights career paths in nature-related fields. In addition, College Birding will happen at four area universities, helping students discover the mental health benefits of spending time outdoors and birding.
• City Birding Series for adults and families. This is a chance for all ages to join bird-themed activities at parks and cultural locations. For newbies and seasoned enthusiasts, the Birding 101 and Advanced Birding Series are multiweek workshops that give people a chance to build skills, sharpen identification techniques and deepen an understanding of birds.
Initiatives are designed to guide participants from introductory levels to more advanced learning opportunities and ultimately encourage conservation efforts such as creating native habitats, increasing awareness of bird-friendly policies and volunteering.
The need for this work has never been greater, Bason said.
National studies have documented continued and accelerating declines in North American bird populations, underscoring the importance of expanding public engagement in conservation, he said.
At the same time, birding continues to grow in popularity. More than 96 million adults, or about 37% of the adult population, participate in birding activities across the U.S., according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Birdwatchers contribute billions to the economy, according to the group.
“After over a century of ASWP offering programs, we continue to find innovative ways to connect people to nature,” Bason said.
“When people connect with birds, they become invested in protecting the ecosystems we all depend on.”
