Conservation
Protecting our natural resources through educated, concerned citizens.
Regional Conservation Committee
This committee is comprised of representatives from each of the Northeast Florida Audubon chapters who meet quarterly and have recently stated these Regional Conservation Priorities.
Read more and sign up for alerts on the Audubon Florida web site.
Prairie Creek Bird Banding Lab
The banding lab is designed to provide hands-on training to students and conservation professionals in the techniques of mist-netting and bird banding while advancing our understanding of how birds utilize the regional landscape.
Kestrel Nest Box Program
Our Southeastern American Kestrel nest box program builds, installs and maintains nest boxes to support these small, threatened falcons that require cavities for nesting.
Purple Martin Nesting Gourd Project
We put up nesting gourds and they came to nest!
Native Plant Garden
In 2020, a native plant garden was installed adjacent to the Prairie Creek Banding Lab at the Alachua Conservation Trust (ACT) property. The idea was to enhance both the habitat and the educational opportunities for visitors and future AAS college interns. Take a look!
Window Strikes
Read about methods used to help prevent birds from colliding with windows, one of the primary causes of bird mortality.
Important Bird Areas
Here are some Important Bird Areas located within Alachua County: Alachua Lakes, Goethe State Forest (Watermelon Pond), Kanapaha Prairie, Paynes Prairie Preserve SP, and San Felasco Hammock Preserve SP.
Conservation and wildlife organizations/agencies
- Alachua Conservation Trust (ACT)
- The Nature Conservancy
- Florida Springs Institute
- American Bird Conservancy (ABC) – Alachua Audubon Society supports the American Bird Conservancy’s campaign, Cats Indoors!
- Ducks Unlimited
- U.S. Fish and Wildife Service Endangered Species Program
- Partners in Flight – Conserving Landbirds in the Americas
Florida and National Audubon programs
Creating Bird-friendly Communities is about taking personal conservation action to improve the environmental health and habitat quality of our yards and neighborhoods. Together, our actions can have a substantial effect.
Plants for Birds is a program to help you get started in contributing to the welfare of local birds. Our backyards are our private spaces, but also part of a larger landscape we share with our wild neighbors. With the right tools and information, we can do simple things to create a healthier place to live for birds, plants, and other wildlife.
Look into Audubon’s Native Plant database for a list of plants in your area that birds will love.
Jay Watch – protecting Florida Scrub-Jays, our state’s only endemic bird species.
EagleWatch – part of the Audubon Center for Birds of Prey, Audubon EagleWatch volunteers gather information about Bald Eagles, active nest locations, and possible disturbances or threats to nesting activities.
AAS Comments on Alachua County’s Trap, Neuter, Release Cat Program
Follow this link for an opinion piece published September 15, 2019 in the Gainesville Sun
Read about a 2019 survey on the issue of cat management here.
Natural History of other local Orders
Solar Sanctuary
Read about the “first solar sanctuary“ from a partnership between FP&L and Audubon Florida. We would like to thank Bob Simons for his knowledge and expertise in this endeavor.