Sharon Audubon: So much more than just birds

SHARON — The particular beauty of the hills of northwestern Connecticut draws everyone from weekenders seeking a rural haven away from the city to seasonal leaf peepers to hardcore birdwatchers. It’s no surprise, then, that one of the first Audubon Centers in the country was created here in 1961 on 2,700 acres of Sharon woodland.

“We live here in a beautiful and important place, from a natural history standpoint,†said Scott Heth, director of the Audubon centers and sanctuaries in northwest Connecticut. “We’re sort of in the middle of large expanses of uninterrupted forest in the Highland Region [a federally recognized stretch of undeveloped land] and we at Audubon are really concerned about keeping those habitats intact for the benefit of birds, wildlife and other people.â€

Heth oversees three parcels of land: the Audubon Center and the Emily Winthrop Miles Sanctuary in Sharon and the Edith Leopold Sanctuary in New Hartland. Audubon manages the land and uses it for nature programming.

Education a priority

Heth said the center offers programs for children and adults. Staff members bring animals and presentations to area schools and summer camps, and the center hosts a number of talks, walks and gardening demonstrations throughout the year.

“Education is one of our priorities,†Heth said. “We try to connect with people of all ages. We want the children to have a good time and learn about why we think this is important, but we also want teachers to feel we’re supporting what they’re doing.â€

As for adult education, the gardening series remain popular. This year, a well-attended trio of classes in spring taught how to make cold frames and start seeds indoors.

This winter the center will offer a three-program series that will give tips on renewable energy, energy conservation and green building.

“We’re trying to connect adults to nature, to teach them to live lightly on the earth,†he said. “We want to give them the tools to enable them to conserve nature in their own decision-making process.â€

Nature made accessible

One of the particular attractions of the Audubon Center is the opportunity to see wildlife in an accessible setting. Often injured creatures are brought to the center for care. Sometimes they recover and are released into the wild; sometimes (as with Princess the Crow) they remain, and become part of the Sharon Audubon family.

“We do get injured birds, particularly hawks and owls that hunt on the roadways,†Heth said. “Mice use the roadways to forage for food, for example, and predators see them there†and sometimes are hit by cars.

“We also get some waterfowl, like grebes, that come from the shore and maybe fly inland looking for open water. They have to skitter across the water in order to take off. So they will be flying overhead and will land on parking lots, which look like water from up above. People find them and bring them back to us and we nurture them back to health.â€

Many of the birds are familiar species. But the raptors, who live in a special village of custom-made houses at the center, are not as easily viewed in the wild.

There are 15 resident raptors at the center. They were all injured and are no longer able to survive on their own in the wild. The birds have a new life, traveling to schools and other organizations as ambassadors for the Audubon program.

A handler allows visitors to safely view the birds, and teaches about their natural habitat and the dangers they face — including those from humans.

Audubon is also one of the last major producers of maple syrup in the region. In addition to collecting sap on the property and boiling it down into syrup in the sugarhouse, the center offers tours of the syrup-making process, and sells its own syrup throughout the year.

Funding the work

Although the center is a part of the National Audubon Society, it must raise its own money.

Heth said the biggest fundraiser is the Audubon Festival, held for the past 41 years in August. He said the individual programs and membership dues bring in some money as well, but that most of their funds come from individual donors.

“When people realize the extent of our activities and all we do, more often than not they are impressed and are able to become supporters,†Heth said. “We do a significant amount of research and management on our own land. It does cost a significant amount to make sure the habitats are in good shape.â€

And of course, the birds have to be cared for when they can no longer hunt.

“The raptor exhibit costs money to maintain,†Heth said. “We go through about 17,000 mice and rats a year.â€

Heth said a current project is controlling invasive plant species that are threatening to take over meadows and ponds.

“It’s a daunting task,†he said. “We’re ramping that up now, so we’re going to need some funding for that.â€

Heth also mentioned the center is feeling the crunch of rising energy costs and aging buildings.

“We are trying to conserve and walk the walk,†he said. “We do have an old building, though, which we’ll need to restore.â€

As Sharon Audubon heads into the new year, Heth is looking to offer fewer events and expand educational programs, especially with schools and groups that visit the center.

“I think that’s why outdoor education is so important,†Heth said. “It reaches a broad cross section of people and backgrounds.â€

To learn more about the Sharon Audubon Center or to make a donation, visit sharon.audubon.org.

At a Glance:

Organization: Audubon Sharon (includes the Sharon Audubon Center and Emily Winthrop Miles Wildlife Sanctuary and is part of the National Audubon Society)

Director and title: Scott E. Heth, Director (full time)

Web site: sharon.audubon.org, Audubon.org

 Founded when: Sharon Audubon Center was donated to the National Audubon Society in 1961 by Clement and Keyo Ford. The Miles Wildlife Sanctuary was donated to the National Audubon Society in 1962 by Emily Winthrop Miles.

 Mission:  Audubon Sharon’s mission is to conserve birds, other wildlife and their habitats and to help people of all ages better understand, appreciate and care for the natural world.

 Biggest annual fundraiser: The Sharon Audubon Festival, the longest running nature festival in the country, is the biggest annual event, though it is more of an educational and community outreach event than a fundraiser.

How long does it take to plan? Seven months to a year.

Cost to set it up? Approximately $10,000.

Number of people involved? Six staff, about 80 core volunteers and tons of local community support.

How much does it raise? The event more than pays for itself financially. But even more important, it connects thousands of old and new community members to the wonders of nature.

How much total money is raised each year and how? Our total budget for both facilities is about $520,000; 41percent of our income comes from contributions, 41 percent from endowment income and 18 percent from earned income.

 Any funds or other support from local towns? We have constituents and supporters from every town in Litchfield county.

 Total assets: Our annual budget is approximately $520,000.

 How is the money spent? 35 percent of our budget is spent on education, 26 percent on land management and research, 24 percent on administration and 15 percent on wildlife rehabilitation and animal care.

What can volunteers from the community do to help? There are many opportunities for area residents including participation on our board, citizen science projects, exhibit creation, education, wildlife rehabilitation and trail maintenance.