[Noozhawk’s note: First in a series sponsored by the Hutton Parker Foundation. Click here for the second article.]
The Santa Barbara Audubon Society has played a vital role in environmental conservation and community education within the region for the past 61 years, yet in many ways it feels like a well-kept secret.
With just six part-time employees, the nonprofit organization relies on more than 120 volunteers, who work with staff to protect our area’s birdlife and habitat and connect people with birds through education, conservation and science.
SBAS originated in the 1930s as a Bird Study Group of enthusiasts at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. The group engaged in field trips and learned from expert ornithologists.
This small group might have continued its peaceful birdwatching and learning pursuits if not for two young mothers, Joy Parkinson and Jan Hamber, who moved to Santa Barbara in the late 1950s.
Known as the J Girls, Joy and Jan, both mothers of young sons, bonded over their shared love for nature and adventurous outdoor trips with their children.
They joined the Bird Study Group, which was affiliated with the National Audubon Society, and soon after helped to found the local chapter.
In June 1963 the SBAS received its official charter from the National Audubon Society.
Both women remained committed to the cause for decades, and Hamber would go on to become a renowned ornithologist credited with helping to save the California condor.
Among the Santa Barbara Audubon Society’s early successes was the preservation of the Andrée Clark Bird Refuge as a sanctuary for wild birds, successfully defending it against the threat of being partially transformed into an exotic bird exhibit by the newly established Santa Barbara Zoo.
Early work also included spearheading grassroots initiatives to save shorebirds from the devastating impacts of the 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill and organizing a letter-writing campaign preventing the building of a road through the San Rafael Wilderness, the Sisquoc Condor Sanctuary and other condor-sensitive areas.
Throughout the years, SBAS has been a formidable voice in environmental activism, consistently opposing oil drilling and mining projects that threatened local ecosystems.
In 1984, the local chapter helped secure the preservation of more than 64,000 acres of Los Padres National Forest as wilderness.
Today, the Santa Barbara Audubon Society continues to thrive with more than 700 local household members, actively engaged through a variety of enriching programs that are estimated to reach more than 25,000 individuals each year.
SBAS offers free monthly evening events, bimonthly bird walks and special field trips, along with presentations at local schools, libraries, parks and retirement communities.
The organization also continues to be a fierce advocate for birds and their habitat, while expanding programs that create community, bringing people together in their shared love of birdwatching and birding conservation.
“The work we do is critical because birds indicate the health of our natural world and are essential to a rich, healthy and sustainable environment,” said Katherine Emery, SBAS executive director.
“They control pests, pollinate plants, dispense seeds, scavenge carcasses, recycle nutrients, and provide a greater understanding of the earth’s diverse ecosystems.”
In addition, birdwatching brings joy to many and can lead to an array of health benefits derived from being in community as well as in nature.
There’s no need to be a seasoned birder to delight in the experience; all it takes is a decent pair of binoculars, comfy shoes and a sense of adventure.
Enthusiastic SBAS volunteers are eager to guide newcomers and share their birding wisdom. The organization also welcomes new volunteers to join their flock as both volunteers and board leaders.
Looking to the future, SBAS aims to deepen community knowledge and appreciation of Santa Barbara’s birdlife while advocating for the protection, preservation and restoration of vital bird habitats.
Strengthening its public presence and reputation as a trusted resource and advocate for birds is also a top priority.
Additionally, securing and enhancing SBAS’ financial stability is essential to sustain and expand its crucial conservation and educational initiatives.
SBAS relies on membership revenue, grant funding and private donations to advance its work.
The Santa Barbara chapter is one of nearly 500 local chapters and operates independently as its own 501(c)(3).
Community members can support the organization through a variety of membership levels starting as low as $26 per year, and all donations remain local, directly benefitting the birds in your own backyard.
Click here for more information about the Santa Barbara Audubon Society, or click here to make an online donation.
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The Santa Barbara Audubon Society invites you to attend the free upcoming program, “Belonging on an Island: Birds, Extinction and Evolution in Hawai‘i,” with environmental historian and author Daniel Lewis, from 7-8:30 p.m. Nov. 19 at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History’s Fleischmann Auditorium, 2559 Puesta del Sol in Santa Barbara.
