Audubon Secures $750,000 to Advance Conservation and Education Efforts

(Gibbon, NE – January 29, 2025)— The National Audubon Society is proud to announce a $750,000 award from explore.org, a direct charitable activity of the Annenberg Foundation, to bolster its ongoing conservation and education initiatives managed by Audubon's Seabird Institute and Rowe Sanctuary.  Their continued generosity at a leadership level will help drive the organization’s efforts to protect vital ecosystems, conduct groundbreaking research, reach online audiences, and never stop learning.

$480,000 Awarded to the Seabird Institute

The Seabird Institute, a key part of Audubon’s habitat conservation efforts, received $480,000 over three years to advance its mission of restoring, growing, and sustaining seabird colonies for priority seabird species on thirteen islands along the Maine coast. Explore.org's support will help underwrite Audubon's work to:

• Restore and manage seabird habitats on multiple islands, with seasonal field stations staffed by early-career conservationists.
• Conduct in-depth research on the changing ecology of Maine and its impact on seabird populations.
• Expand educational outreach through programs at Hog Island Audubon Camp, the Project Puffin Visitors Center, in school initiatives, and puffin cruises that reach thousands of Maine’s residents and visitors.
• Engage with millions through live nature cams featuring Osprey, Atlantic Puffins, Black Guillemots and other seabirds and virtual programs during the nesting season.
• Foster the next generation of conservation leaders through experiential learning opportunities that create a robust ladder of engagement.

$270,000 Awarded to Rowe Sanctuary

$270,000 over three years will support Rowe Sanctuary's work to conserve and restore the Platte River ecosystem, focusing on cranes, other wildlife, and their habitats for the benefit of humanity and the earth's biological diversity. These funds will support initiatives focused on preserving the Platte River ecosystem, including:

• Management of grasslands and riparian woodlands to support key bird species such as Sandhill Cranes, Whooping Cranes, Piping Plovers, Least Terns, and others
• Improve habitat connectivity through removal of invasive tree species and infrastructure to support diverse grassland ecosystems
• Promoting a culture of conservation through hands-on nature education programs, outreach initiatives, and digital platforms. 

A Unified Vision for Conservation

“These generous grants underscore the critical importance of our work in preserving essential ecosystems and engaging our communities in conservation,” said Marcos Stoltzfus, Center Director at Rowe Sanctuary.  “From the Maine coast to the Platte River, these funds will enable us to make a lasting impact on the species and the landscapes that benefit birds, wildlife, and people.

By leveraging these investments, the National Audubon Society aims to inspire meaningful action and partnerships, ensuring that these vital ecosystems and their inhabitants thrive for generations to come.

About Audubon and Explore.org’s Partnership

The National Audubon Society is proud to partner with Explore.org, the world's leading philanthropic live nature cam network and documentary film channel. The live cameras bring the wonder of animal species and their habitats directly to millions of viewers around the globe. Through this collaboration, Audubon provides live streaming of various nesting, roosting, and wildlife sites. This partnership fosters a deeper connection between people and nature and live stream access explore creates a portal into the soul of humanity by championing the selfless acts of others. Together, Audubon and Explore.org are inspiring a global audience to care about and take action for wildlife and the environment.

Photo: Sandhill Cranes at dawn on the Platte River at Iain Nicolson Audubon Center at Rowe Sanctuary in Gibbon, Nebraska. Luke Franke/Audubon.

Media Contact:  

Amanda Booher, amanda.booher@audubon.org, 937-474-7509

About Audubon 

The National Audubon Society protects birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow. Audubon works throughout the Americas using science, advocacy, education, and on-the-ground conservation. State programs, nature centers, chapters, and partners give Audubon an unparalleled wingspan that reaches millions of people each year to inform, inspire, and unite diverse communities in conservation action. A nonprofit conservation organization since 1905, Audubon believes in a world in which people and wildlife thrive.