The poetry of habitat

There once was a bird in a prairie
Whose song was as sweet as a cherry
And looking beyond the grasses so blonde
Tall skyscrapers made him feel wary.

American Goldfinch photo by Arlene Koziol

Well, now that you have glimpsed my poetic skills, I want to assure you I'll stick to my day job. But this fall has been filled with so much land work that we have been thinking—even more than usual—about the important elegance of land conservation in protecting birds.

Here's a fun fact: Thanks to the support of our members, Madison Audubon is a nationally accredited land trust. Extra fun: Of all Audubon chapters in the country, our local and mighty organization owns and manages the third most acreage, weighing in at a whopping 2,000+ acres, with multiple land acquisition projects in the works. We have also assisted numerous partners to acquire thousands of acres more.

At the local level, buying and managing land for habitat is the most immediate and effective path to conserving birds. Our sanctuaries provide large expanses of native habitat that are safe and supportive for a variety of resident and migrating birds, mammals, amphibians, insects, and critters of all sorts. Grassland birds nest at these special places. Waterfowl flocks seeking refuge, especially during hunting season, find it at these special places. Long-distance migrants that need nutritious, safe food refuel at these special places. All because of the vision of our members, volunteers, staff, and board of directors to proactively acquire, restore, and maintain this incredible resource. You’ve helped make Madison Audubon a uniquely effective local conservation organization by protecting special places. Thank you!

And because you tolerated my poetry, I'll share one more fun fact: These properties are FREE for anyone to visit, any day of the year. We invite members of the community, neighbors, schools, birders of all sorts, and historically-excluded nature lovers to explore our sanctuaries and soak up the sights, sounds, and aromas of restored and forever-protected habitats. By being there and caring about these places, you are doing so much good for birds. I invite you to visit and watch the birds—they are truly poetry in motion.

Written by Matt Reetz, executive director