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Oconee Rivers Audubon Society Bird Conservation Grant
Athens is an area rich with parks, active citizens, and wildlife. Athens/Clarke County is home to 216 species of resident, migratory, and visiting bird species that rely on habitats maintained by citizens in this beautiful region. The State Botanical Garden is one of 49 Important Bird Areas for the state of Georgia, and an IBA nomination has been submitted for Sandy Creek Nature Center, Sandy Creek Park, and the connecting Cook's Trail. The diversity and health of wildlife habitat in Athens relies upon the efforts of its citizens, and one of ORAS's goals is to promote awareness of the remarkable diversity of nature in our own backyards.
ORAS wishes to support a student, individual, or group conducting research or habitat improvement on areas in Athens/Clarke County that may benefit birds and other native wildlife. Bird research and habitat conservation and restoration are important to protecting our birds. Reports and results will be used by ORAS and the staff of the IBAs to direct future projects and improve the quality of bird habitat in Athens.
Amount: $300
Eligible Applicants: Any individual wishing to conduct bird research or habitat improvement in the areas within or surrounding Athens/Clarke County.
Eligible Locations: Areas within or surrounding Athens/Clarke County.
Requirements: Successful applicants are expected to submit a report detailing findings or results to ORAS. In addition, applicants are expected to give a 30min – 1hr presentation of their project during one of ORAS’s monthly meetings.
Application: Please email a cover letter detailing your project and how it affects birds directly or indirectly and an intended equipment list with budget to ORAS President Vanessa Lane, president@oconeeriversaudubon.org.
Deadline: Spring 2011 deadline TBA
Current and Past Recipients
October 15 2010
Thanks to generous donors, ORAS was able to award another conservation grant this fall. Congratulations to Ben Emanuel of the Altamaha River Keepers. We have also decided to sponsor the Memorial Park Weed Warrior project for a second year, and this sponsorship is independent of the conservation grant.
Ben Emanuel will be using the grant funds to monitor water quality/toxicity, macroinvertebrates, and fish within Trail Creek in Athens. The primary mission of his project is the rebuilding and recovery of the Trail Creek ecosystem after last year's chemical spill that resulted in what appears to be a "total kill" of all life in the creek. Ben will also be surveying the stream in spring to search for Louisiana Waterthrushes which used to feed on invertebrates near the creek. If you would like to volunteer for this effort, please send an email to ben.emanuel@gmail.com.
June 17 2010
Congratulations to Kerrie Anne Loyd, who is our summer 2010 recipient for the ORAS Conservation Grant. Kerrie Anne is studying the effects of outdoor cats on wildlife by attaching "kitty cams" to cats and videoing their daily wanderings. ORAS is sponsoring the purchase of one camera. If you would like to learn more about Kerrie Anne's project or donate money to her research, please email Vanessa Lane at president@oconeeriversaudubon.org, and I will put you in touch with Kerrie Anne.
September 9 2009
Congratulations to the Memorial Park Ecological Restoration Project who is our fall 2009 recipient. Susan Wilde and her fellow "Weed Warriors" are working to remove exotic invasive plants, such as English ivy, Chinese privet, and bush honeysuckle from Memorial Park. They were able to clear over 3 acres of nonnative plants in the winter of 2009-2010, and used the ORAS Conservation Grant to purchase native plant species in the restoration area. This is an ongoing project. If you don't mind getting your hands dirty, please consider volunteering. We post workdays on the Upcoming page.
