Lancaster County Bird Club Announces Strategic Partnership with North Museum of Nature and Science

LANCASTER COUNTY BIRD CLUB ANNOUNCES STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP WITH NORTH MUSEUM OF NATURE AND SCIENCE

Partnership will expand educational offerings on wild birds in Southcentral Pennsylvania

Feb 1, 2024. LANCASTER, Pa. — Lancaster County Bird Club (LCBC) has formed a strategic partnership with the North Museum of Nature and Science to enhance ornithological educational and outreach in Southcentral Pennsylvania with particular emphasis on finding ways to share the science of ornithology and the hobby of birding with residents of Southcentral Pennsylvania and help develop an understanding of wild birds and the conservation issues they face with today’s youth.

“Lancaster County Bird Club is proud to have a nearly 90-year history that has established us as one of the preeminent ornithological organizations not just in our area but the nation,” said Ted Nichols II, LCBC president. “Our ability to fulfill our mission is enhanced through building and strengthening partnerships with organizations in our area with similar missions. Strengthening our partnership with the North Museum – that goes back to their founding in 1953 – is a win-win for both of us when it comes to working together to explore ways to showcase the joys of birding and finding ways to inspire today’s youth – and all those that call Southcentral Pennsylvania home – by our feathered friends.”

As part of the partnership approved by the LCBC Board of Directors in December 2023, LCBC will now hold their September through March programs at the museum on the second Thursday of each of those month’s starting at 7 p.m. The programs are free and open to the public and feature a speaker on a topic related to the science of ornithology and the hobby of birding.

The organizations will also look at ways to collaborate on enhancing existing educational offerings related to wild birds and their conservation as well as expanding birding-related offerings to particularly target youth through engaging a variety of different youth-focused organizations. The partnership will also open ways for both entities to collaborate on birding-related offerings at Millport Conservancy where the museum recently took over oversight and support roles at and will utilize as a permanent outdoor classroom space. The two organizations will also explore ways to work together to see that the museum’s world-class ornithological collection – with most specimens dating back to the 1800s – will continue to inspire for generations to come.

The Lancaster County Bird Club has a long history of involvement and association with the museum resulting from the club’s early ties to Franklin & Marshall College and ornithologists and staff at the college that would be key to the museum’s founding. Lancaster County Bird Club remains one of the longest-supporting financial contributors of the museum supporting the museum’s natural history program and world-class ornithological collection since its founding.

Lancaster County Bird Club has been dedicated to securing the cultivation of public sentiment in the preservation of Lancaster County’s native bird life since being founded in December of 1937. The club is a non-profit membership organization with a mission focused on bird observation, bird conservation, bird education and promoting the recording and dissemination of bird observations. The club contains more than 350 members and fulfills its mission through building partnerships and a variety of robust offerings such as field trips, lectures, programs, scholarships and more. More information on the club is available at www.lancasterbirdclub.org.

MEDIA NOTE: Media are invited to attend a kick-off event featuring members from both organizations on Feb. 8 starting at 7 p.m. at the North Museum of Nature and Science, 400 College Ave., Lancaster. Remarks on possibilities created by the new partnership will be given by leadership from both organizations and attendees will have an opportunity to peruse the museum’s ornithological collection and hear from F&M Professor Dan Ardia on how the collection continues to be used for research today. Please RSVP to lancastercountybirdclub@gmail.com prior to the event if you plan to attend.

by Bridget Bross