For more than 30 years, the Kelleys Island Audubon Club has played a leading role in protecting Kelleys Island’s natural areas and helping residents and visitors better understand the area’s unique ecology, along with studying the role the island plays in bird populations. What began in 1992 as a small group of residents interested in protecting bird habitat has grown into an organization with more than 80 members and a long list of conservation, education and research accomplishments. From helping establish nature preserves to supporting decades of bird research, the KIAC has worked alongside local, state and conservation partners to ensure Kelleys Island remains a place where birds, wildlife and people can come together.
Over the Years, the Kelleys Island Audubon Club Has:
- Helped Kelleys Island earn designation as an Important Bird Area (IBA) in 2002, recognizing the island’s importance as a stopover and habitat for migrating, breeding and wintering birds.
- Supported bird research on the island for decades. The Kelleys Island bird-banding and avian research project began in 1996 and has documented how birds use the island during migration and other seasons.
- Supported the Bartletts’ bird-banding research, giving residents and visitors’ opportunities to learn about migrating songbirds and see the illusive Northern Saw-whet Owl up close.
- Established and supported birding events, including Nest with the Birds, Feathers and Foliage and the Owl Festival, bringing birders.
- Facilitated the Kelleys Island Pollinator Partnership, helping expand pollinator habitat and create natural areas that benefit monarch butterflies and other pollinators.
- Helped support the Kelleys Island Field Station Nature Camp, providing opportunities for children to learn about nature and the island’s environment.
- Provided ongoing environmental education through nature walks, guided hikes, guest speakers, birding programs and educational events for residents and visitors.
- Built partnerships across the island and beyond, working with the Kelleys Island State Park, Kelleys Island Field Station, Cleveland Museum of Natural History, Western Reserve Land Conservancy, local organizations and community members to advance conservation.
- Helped protect and preserve important natural areas, including the North Pond, Scheele, Huntley-Beatty and Ed Curilla preserves.
- Created opportunities for the community to connect with nature, with monthly meetings, potlucks, educational presentations and free public programs throughout the year.
- Helped make conservation part of Kelleys Island’s identity, bringing together residents, visitors, scientists and nature enthusiasts around a shared goal: protecting the island’s natural resources for birds, wildlife and future generations.
Join today! Visit kelleysislandnature.org to become a member.
