Collaborative Burning for Birds project launches website

Oct 15, 2024

Work continues on the Cornell Burning for Birds project being carried out by five land trusts including Tall Timbers, Alachua Conservation Trust, Aiken Land Conservancy, Georgia Conservancy, and Putnam Land Conservancy.

Expansion of the collaborative across the Southeast has broadened the reach of the original partnership between Tall Timbers and Alachua Conservation Trust.  The project, currently in its third year, has evolved in its scope of work while maintaining the original focus on conservation of target Southeastern fire-dependent bird species.

A sample of current work by members includes event planning for spring burn demonstrations and bird surveys, partnering with local Audubon chapters for fall and spring educational events, bird monitoring and eBird data collection with local college wildlife survey classes, planning Learn-and-Burn events with private landowners and Prescribed Burn Associations, and planting native grasses that benefit fire-adapted and fire-dependent Southeastern bird species.

Burning for Birds is a collaborative project across the Southeast focused on promoting prescribed fire and other practices to restore and conserve fire-dependent ecosystems to benefit benefit fire-adapted and fire-dependent bird species. Photo by the Aiken Land Conservancy

This multi-faceted approach to conveying the benefits of prescribed fire in the restoration and conservation of declining Bachman’s Sparrow, Northern Bobwhite, Eastern Towhee, Brown-headed Nuthatch, and Loggerhead Shrike has been successful not only in educating on the issue, but also in providing opportunities for strong community engagement in the effort.

A new website created and recently launched by Collaborative members highlights past activities in the Burning for Birds project and documents the progress of each land trust in this latest phase. Updates on the activity of each Collaborative member will be posted on the website throughout the duration of this phase of the project, scheduled for completion in September of 2025.

Funding for this project is generously provided by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology Land Trust Bird Conservation Initiative.

Please visit https://www.burningforbirds.org/ to follow the progress of the Collaborative and to learn more about how you can help in the conservation of fire-adapted and fire-dependent Southeastern bird species.

About the Author
Holly Guthrie
Holly Guthrie has a degree in Natural Resources & Conservation Management and works in the Land Conservancy at Tall Timbers where she applies her passion for conservation of our land and water resources. She is a birder, loves to bake, and dabbles in poetry. In her free time, she can be found tromping around in the woods communing with nature, looking for birds, learning about native plants and inspecting tiny animal homes.
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