I am a retired teacher and I love volunteering with Denver Audubon! It is so rewarding to teach children about birds, healthy habitats and taking care of our planet. The kids love it, both in the classroom, and especially at our Nature Center. Denver Audubon provides valuable and fun hands on learning opportunities!
Denver Audubon is a wonderful organization. We love seeing them outside teaching our communities about nature. We love that they are highly visible in a large area. They are present when people gather outside and their programs are always enticing and interesting for all. We could never just walk by and will always wait in line to hear what's being said. They also provide highly educational classes and field walks. In a world where rooftops are going up so fast and we are losing so much of our precious natural habitats they are helping us to create habitats around our homes to help support our wonderful wildlife and to recognize what is around us. We had no idea how many different species of birds we have visiting our property. That knowledge has helped us to make better habitats for them to thrive. Denver Audubon is a top notch organization.
I have been an active donor and volunteer with Denver Audubon for almost 20 years because it provides the breadth and the depth that is truly necessary in environmental education. Their programs reach all ages and interests: From general public interest via their Nature Center at Chatfield and coordinated field trips (local and abroad), to local and on-site school programs ranging from pre-school to home-school to college, as well as special programs for experts, serious amateurs, and community organizations. I love giving my time and money to Denver Audubon because all of the staff and volunteers are passionate about the world we live in and about sharing that passion with others.
Denver Audubon’s program are unique in many ways. Their education programs extend beyond single day events to week-long summer camps, to extended integration within school science classes through their unique Healthy Waters Healthy Birds program, and to year-long programs for adults. There are waiting lists of new schools and for their adult Naturalist program. Each spring Denver Audubon offers a hands-on experience with bird banding that is booked for the next two years. They partner extensively with other organizations through their Community Outreach, offering programs at new locations such as along the Highline Canal and Denver Parks, and these have waiting lists as well.
Denver Audubon also directly supports scientific research through the Lois Webster Fund, which has awarded over $81,000 to 47 projects since it was founded, and it encourages conservation with legislative workshops, seasonal scientific bird counts, and advocating for nature such as the Save Chatfield legal efforts.
Education, birds, bugs, fish, mammals, reptiles, hiking, seeing nature in the wild and having fun. That's what the Audubon is all about.
I enjoy the activities of this birding organization that does MUCH MORE than just watch birds. ASGD is located within the Chatfield State Park, very near to Denver, CO. An important focus for this group is wildlife conservation education and advocacy. The programs offered are designed for all different ages and skill levels. Check out their website at asgd.org and their Facebook page for detailed listing of the range of programs and projects. Some of my favorites are the Mom's Day bird-banding program; the Father's Day Bird Raptor program; and the Fall Owl Hootenanny with music and owls. As an adult, I have learned a lot about birding but also about beavers' dam-making; bats' nocturnal journeys; water conservation; bird and bee-friendly gardening and so much more. What amazes me is how much this organization does with its limited financial resources. The dedication of the board members, staff and volunteers make all the difference in this treasured resource for us Coloradans.
I am so glad I found ASGD just over two years ago. I am a huge advocate for nature and love inspiring others to appreciate birds and plants and animals and habitats. ASGD does such a good job doing just that through school programs and public events. I am amazed how much I learn each and every time I go out birding with the group or volunteer at the nature center. I always feel great about volunteering for this group because every dollar goes to the mission, I learn so much, and I am always thanked and feel appreciated for my contributions.
I just started volunteering with Audubon and already feel like a bird expert. I've helped with some bird counts and continue to not only teach others about our local birds and their ecosystems but learn so much more than I imagined. I didn't know that I could spy a Great Horned Owl in a cottonwood tree during the middle of the day. Nor did I realize how territorial and aggressive hummingbirds can be with the hyssop in my backyard. I can assure anyone who attends any workshop or hike or event that they will definitely learn something new about our avian friends!
Diana
Volunteer, Naturalist, Teacher
The Audubon Society of Greater Denver (ASGD) is a non-profit with a three part mission. First comes education; second, research; and third, commitment to the environment. Since 1965 ASGD has worked with schools in the metro area, provided field trips to schools and others, sponsored adult classes and field trips, and made grants to research projects. I have been active for many years with ASGD, but one day forever sticks in my memory. In the spring, a busload of about 50 inner-city kids arrived for a day at the nature center. I was one of five volunteers to meet the bus and lead a group of 10 students. They were mostly Latinos, some speaking little English but others were quick to translate for them. We hiked to the bird banding station down near the river, where mist nets were set up and a professional ornithologist explained her work and everyone got to see birds up close. After lunch back at the center, our afternoon was filled with discoveries of the many creatures living in a nearby marsh. On a wooden boardwalk we mucked up crawdads and minnows with long-handled nets. We observed frogs, turtles, and even a heron. Our worksheets to record our findings got wet, pencils got lost, and everyone was sad when we had to leave the water behind. It was time to go. As the kids lined up to get on the bus, one small boy ran over to me, put his arms around my waist and looked up with his big brown eyes and said, "This has been the best day of my life."
My husband and I have supported the ASGD ever since we moved to Denver and rode down to see what they are all about (we live downtown Denver). The staff and volunteers of ASGD are dedicated to working with the public to make sure they understand and value nature. Working alongside the staff, after attending classes to become a naturalist volunteer, seeing the children they teach become involved and really ask such good questions about their surroundings is really enjoyable and fulfilling. ASGD offers opportunities for the public to learn more about the nature in our area, including a close-up look at bird banding activities in the Spring, nature walks along the South Platte River (seeing beavers sometimes and other wildlife), birding with Master Birders (and the opportunity to learn how to be one!), and other activities. Highly recommend ASGD for helping to make us better stewards of the earth. And to allow one to see the ears of a barn owl like the one in the picture-how cool is that!
I have been a volunteer at Audubon Society of Greater Denver for over 16 years and have served in many capacities there. I am also a donor to ASGD because of all they do to connect people with nature. Their school programs, family programs, adult classes and special events all meet their mission statement of advocating for the environment and it is definitely an organization I will continue to support with time and money.
