Community Building & Education Programs at Randall Davey Audubon Center

Our Goals

Connect people with birds and nature and grow a community who care enough to act for conservation.

What We’re Doing

We provide programs for all ages of learners that allow exploration and education of our local ecosystems.

We collaborate with partners to reach diverse audiences and deliver innovative experiences both at the Center and out in the community.

Audubon educators seek to connect people with birds and places in Santa Fe and across Northern New Mexico by providing hands-on, inquiry-based learning and outdoor experiences. We engage learners of all ages, from students and teachers, to young professionals, to adults and families helping them to understand, care for, and become stewards and advocates for the natural world.

Students & Teachers

Field trip investigations. Photo: Meghan Baker/Audubon Southwest

Audubon’s field science programs offer engaging, hands-on experiences and activities that provide students the opportunity for genuine scientific inquiry and connection with the natural world. Each of our programs combine discovery, investigation, and outdoor exploration. We serve over 2,000 students every year, primarily from Title 1 schools in Santa Fe and surrounding districts.

Download the 2025-2026 School Programs Brochure

Audubon is a founding member and 4th grade partner in the Santa Fe Outdoor Education Collaborative (SFOEC), which seeks to provide high quality, hands-on life science learning to local students. Our partners include the Santa Fe Botanical Garden (3rd Grade), the Santa Fe Watershed Association (5th Grade), Santa Fe Public Schools, and the LANL Foundation.

Teachers who participate in the annual summer workshop are eligible for additional materials and free field trips. The 4th grade SFOEC progression includes a fall field trip, spring/winter in-class visit, and Spring field trip. To learn more, please visit sfoec.org.

Families

Experiences in nature have been shown to have tremendous benefits to childhood brain development, social-emotional wellbeing, and family dynamics. Studies show that the greatest commonality for people with a strong conservation ethic is repeated experiences outdoors as a child. Audubon Southwest provides a variety of opportunities for families to get outside, explore nature, and spend time together in a safe environment. Check out our events page for upcoming programs!

In The Community

Our staff also work across the community and larger Northern New Mexico Region. We recognize that not everyone can get to the Randall Davey Audubon Center, so we travel across the region to provide access to nature and conservation education. Our educators offer off-site programs to students and adults, facilitate hands-on activities at community festivals, and more. We collaborate with over 20 different community partners throughout Northern New Mexico, including Santa Fe, Española, Pecos, Las Vegas, Los Alamos, and multiple Pueblo communities.

Annually, our team engages over 5,000 people across Santa Fe and surrounding communities.

Audubon Educator leading a program at Storrie Lake SP. — Audubon educator leads student birding at Storrie Lake State Park. Photo: Shantini Ramakrishnan/Highlands University

Community Engagement

Whether learning about local bird species, native plants, or helping at a conservation volunteer day, there’s always something for you to get involved with at the Randall Davey Audubon Center. Our volunteer docents offer weekly guided bird walks, one of the best ways to learn about local bird species.

Other learning opportunities include workshops and the Northern New Mexico Master Naturalist program, held annually in the fall. This intensive 13 week program provides adults with in-depth learning about ecology, wildlife, and other conservation topics relevant to our local community through lectures and outdoor field labs.