Spring is in the air and will soon breathe new life into Beaver Meadow. But this year, the most exciting growth won’t just be found in the surrounding forest, meadows, and gardens; thanks to our donors, members, volunteers, and funders, it will be seen in the transformative projects that are reimagining your visitor experience, in all the best ways.
While change and growth are necessary and exciting, there are several considerations we keep in mind as we plan for this new chapter at Buffalo Audubon—not the least of which being financial. Here’s a look at why and how Buffalo Audubon is moving forward with these transformative changes to create a destination nature center, and how every bit of support—whether through our generous volunteers, members, donors, or partnerships—helps us bring this new chapter to life.
Thank you for helping us to live our mission—and expand its impact.
As a mission-driven organization, Buffalo Audubon exists to:
- Protect and advocate for birds, wildlife, and their habitats
- Educate our community on our natural world
- Provide immersive nature experiences to Western New Yorkers
We do all of this in truly special ways, but as we embark on this new beginning, we also recognize a need to make our work even more engaging, accessible, and efficient.
Our community deserves to enjoy nature in new and meaningful ways, and Mother Nature needs our help more than ever.
It would be easy if we could make all the improvements we have planned for free, but we simply can’t. We must rely on the people, foundations, governments, and companies in our Western New York community to invest in this crucial work—and we are grateful for everything they do to make it possible.
Here’s a look at some of the ways this happens, as well as some of the improvements you may have noticed in the last few years:
Our Generous Legacy Society Members
We were fortunate to receive a bequest from Dr. Johannes Goerner to kickstart our projects. His donation, which he earmarked for renovations, funded:
- Two floors of interactive nature center exhibits
- A frog pond and pollinator garden; accessible restrooms, parking lots, and sidewalks
- A drop-off loop, to welcome people of every age and ability.
Bequests don’t need to be large to be impactful. They are often unexpected, yet very meaningful, gifts that represent the final expression of a supporter’s core values.
Partnerships That Make This New Chapter Possible
Like you, many people, foundations, companies, and elected officials care about the environment. Conservation, nature education, and birds, wildlife, and their habitats matter to them.
Through meetings, proposals, and visits, we share the incredible work that Buffalo Audubon does every day and, when their giving priorities align with our needs, a partnership is created. Here are a few examples:
Foundations
Because they believed in our vision, the Margaret L. Wendt Foundation provided seed money for an accessible treehouse with ramps, decks, and raised nests to provide immersive views of the preserve and a unique outdoor classroom.
Our Storybook Trails, funded by the Garman Family Foundation, combine outdoor activity and reading for our youngest visitors.
Meanwhile, the Ralph C. Wilson Legacy Foundation supported a trail to connect all the accessible components of the preserve, the National Audubon Society funded the retrofitting of our Trillium Nature Center windows to reduce bird collisions, and the Wyoming Foundation and The Robert J. & Martha B. Fierle Foundation support our impactful nature programming.
Elected Officials and Government Agencies
An advocate for birds and the environment in our Buffalo community, Mayor Sean Ryan (then NYS Senator Ryan) secured funding to expand the Nature Playscape.
Additionally, the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation approved grants for nature center improvement projects including a new HVAC system, new woodburning fireplace, IT, electrical, flooring, welcome desk upgrades, and the treehouse project.
Companies
The financial and volunteer support we receive from local companies including Mighty Taco, Kaz Brothers, Outside Chronicles, National Fuel, Moog, NYSEG, Keller Technologies, Five Star Bank, and others is also invaluable to our day-to-day operations.
They support our staff to maintain buildings and grounds, provide public education and hiking programs, and care for our education animals—helping us to foster an environment where visitors can connect with nature and learn something new.
We truly couldn’t bring all of these projects, programs, and offerings to life without the help of these generous foundations, elected officials and government agencies, and companies. Thank you!
Our Invaluable Volunteers, Donors & Members
In addition to the support we receive for these critical upgrades and capital projects, we also rely on our generous team of volunteers as well as financial donations to support daily operations. Our work and mission simply cannot exist without the Buffalo Audubon team, paid utilities, office supplies, and computers—the “things that keep the lights on,” so to speak.
Additionally, grants often require matches and support from other sources. Our individual donors and members are the key to bringing all of this together.
While donations are accepted year-round, we provide two regular giving opportunities through our spring and winter campaigns that raise almost $100,000 annually to fill in gaps and complement other community supporters.
Building a Brighter Future, for Generations to Come
At Buffalo Audubon, we believe everyone deserves to experience the wonder, peace, and belonging that nature provides.
We know this work is important to you and, together, we will achieve these goals to make our world a better place for us and future generations.
We are deeply grateful for the supporters who have championed our work over the years. As we embark on this pivotal year and begin a new chapter, we invite you to be part of our future. If you haven’t yet joined our Buffalo Audubon giving community—whether as a member, volunteer, donor, sponsor, partner, or volunteer—please consider supporting us today to help us make nature a priority for everyone, for generations to come.
Buffalo Audubon leads and inspires Western New Yorkers to connect with and protect the natural world through bird-focused activities, advocacy, and habitat restoration. Visit our website to learn more about planning your next visit, becoming a member, volunteering with us, or exploring giving options. We appreciate your support!
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