Habitat Preservation, Conservation and Advocacy Efforts
Our habitat work includes the creation and management of HUNDREDS of nesting boxes across the Lehigh Valley. We have successfully restored local Purple Martin breeding colonies, created new and preserved old Chimney Swift nesting towers, and we manage an extensive trails system of boxes along Lehigh Valley trails.
Habitat Preservation
Our multi-species Nest Box Trail System includes the following Lehigh Valley parks and natural areas:
Nest Box Monitoring
Lenape Trail in the Little Lehigh Parkway at the Trout Nursery
Archibald Johnston Conservation Area in Bethlehem
Kalmbach Memorial Park in Macungie
Leaser Lake Heritage Foundation Trail
Adam Sabatine Memorial Trail at Trexler Park
Minsi Lake Bluebird Trail
Louise Moore Park Bluebird Trail
Purple Martin nesting towers at historic Lehigh Valley nesting locations, successfully reintroducing local breeding that had been abandoned decades ago
Chimney Swift tower design, creation, and management
Partnered to save a historic 40-foot high, 4 foot chimney in Bethlehem that supports a breeding population and thousands of chimney swifts during migration
Habitat preservation includes trash and invasive plant removal as well as native plant restoration to support nest box locations
Beach clean-up in New Jersey to support nest sites of Piping Plovers
Purple Martin Nesting Tower Installation
Conservation and Advocacy
We’re active in the Window Collision and Lights Out issues.
Environmental Activism in local issues:
Members serve on watershed boards
Write letters to the local newspapers
Contact legislators
Attend municipal meetings to ensure that environmental issues are discussed and considered
A portion of our budget is allocated to various local and state conservation efforts.
Advocate for bird-safe alternatives to Glue Traps to avoid Bird Bycatch for addressing Spotted Lanternflies (SLFs).
Bird Record Surveys
Lehigh Valley Audubon Society members have been documenting our local birds and details of our local birding sites for over ninety years. Our records include monitoring and tracking migration dates, nesting, and species abundance and distribution. We published the results in a comprehensive book available on Amazon, Birds of the Lehigh Valley and Vicinity, and we are working on a new edition.
Photo of Downy Woodpecker in LVAS Nest Box
Photo by Scott Burnett of Chimney Swift nest in LVAS Tower