An Appeal from Bill Cavers

Dear Friends,

I first felt awed by the beauty and power of nature in my early 30’s, on sailing trips off the New England coast. I would close my eyes and feel the power of the wind on my face and sense the strength of the water coursing over the boat’s rudder. I marveled at how the sun’s rays, the high and low-pressure systems, and the tides and currents had all combined to produce those moments.

Those on-the-water experiences started a personal journey. I started star gazing.  Taught celestial navigation. Organized and led a coastal water quality program. The simplest of experiences in nature began to bring wonderment: watching a pair of Oystercatchers work a shoreline or listening to the soulful honks of Canadian Geese flying overhead. It dawned on me how important it was to protect all of this.

If you’re reading this, you probably already know that birds and their habitat need help now.

Upon retiring from my business career several years ago, I didn’t think twice about committing to full-time work with an environmental advocacy group. And on joining Bedford Audubon, I knew I had important work ahead.

This holiday season, won’t you please join me in donating to Bedford Audubon? Your gift will help us fight to preserve wildlife and provide opportunities for people to connect with nature.

Bedford Audubon can help start or strengthen your own personal journey toward nature.  There’s a saying, “We only protect what we love,” and with two-thirds of North America’s bird species threatened with extinction from Climate Change, we must help people better discover a love for Nature. This mission is most important at the community level, where the next generation of conservationists can be inspired and where durable support is built for environmental action, laws, and funding.  In its 100-year history, Bedford Audubon has always embraced these principles.

A contribution to Bedford Audubon does much to support our fun and important programs in Westchester and Putnam Counties.

Watching and learning about birds is key to our environmental mission at Bedford Audubon. As the famed biologist and conservationist Thomas Lovejoy said, “If you take care of the birds, you take care of most of the environmental problems of the world.”  We couldn’t agree more! To enhance and complement that vision, we offer many ways to engage with nature:

Our Sanctuaries – Walk or hike on 12 miles of marked trails in the 600 beautifully forested acres that comprise our three nature sanctuaries.

Birds and their Habitat – Enjoy bird and nature walks locally or on multi-day field trips with our renowned Naturalist, Tait Johansson. We also have a hawk watch program, bird banding and monthly lectures on birds and habitat.

Native Plants and Gardens – Learn about native plants and pollinators in our Leon Levy Native Garden and through workshops with Director of Gardens, Mathew McDowell.

Bylane Farm Visits – Visit our rural farmhouse headquarters. There you can browse bird books in our library, take an on-site art or gardening class, or simply enjoy coffee or tea on our back patio while watching local birds.

Come to Bedford Audubon.  And please help support us with a financial gift this year!

It’s never been more important to be environmentally aware and supporting of birds, habitat conservation, and environmental education.  Be a part of us in the effort!  We welcome more members, more volunteers, and more visitors who want to discover and protect our natural world. At Bedford Audubon, we believe everybody should value and have access to nature.

Please join and support Bedford Audubon today. It’s the best gift you’ll give this season!

Sincerely,

Bill Cavers
Executive Director