History
The History of Audubon
Protecting waterbird populations has been part of Audubon’s mission even before the official establishment of the National Audubon Society.
The National Audubon Society protects birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow, throughout the Americas using science, advocacy, education, and on-the-ground conservation.
Audubon’s state programs, nature centers, chapters, and partners have an unparalleled wingspan that reaches millions of people each year to inform, inspire, and unite diverse communities in conservation action.
Since 1905, Audubon’s vision has been a world in which people and wildlife thrive. Audubon is a nonprofit conservation organization.
Our successes include:
- Protection of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and other fragile habitats
- The ongoing recovery of the imperiled California Condor and Brown Pelican.
- Adoption of innovative policies that balance habitat protection with green energy development on millions of acres
- Continuing restoration of the Everglades and Long Island Sound
Here is how we’re making a difference.
- Our nearly 500 local chapters nationwide engage members in grassroots conservation action.
- Audubon environmental policy, education, and science experts guide lawmakers, agencies, and our grassroots in shaping effective conservation plans, actions, and the policies to support them.
- More than 2,500 Audubon-designated Important Bird Areas identify, prioritize, and protect vital bird habitat from coast to coast—in partnership with BirdLife International, our IBA conservation efforts support species and their habitats across the Western Hemisphere.
- "Community scientists" collect vital data through Audubon's annual Christmas Bird Count, the Coastal Bird Survey, and other initiatives, generating groundbreaking analyses and guiding scientists and policy makers in addressing the needs of birds and other wildlife.
- Special ecosystem-wide conservation initiatives focus on protection and restoration of the nation's most special places from Alaska's Tongass to Sagebrush country and the Louisiana Coast.
- Audubon centers and sanctuaries are hubs of conservation exploration, research, and action, allowing millions to discover and defend the natural world.
- Educational programs and materials combine with Audubon Magazine, the nation's most acclaimed conservation magazine, to introduce schoolchildren, families, and nature-lovers of all ages to the wonders of nature and the power of conservation at home and around the world.
