Grassland Bird Trust is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit land trust conserving critical habitat for endangered, threatened and at-risk grassland birds. We’ve lost 700 million grassland birds since 1970!
Conservation InitiativesOur MissionConserving critical habitat for endangered, threatened and rapidly declining grassland birds
Conserving Land
Grasslands are the fastest disappearing habitat in North America. Grassland birds eat insects and rodents that damage crops. They share their habitat with bees and butterflies that pollinate fruits, vegetables, hay and other crops.
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Preserving Biodiversity
Conserved grasslands protect endangered and threatened birds like Short-eared owls, Upland sandpipers and meadowlarks. They also provide important habitat for over 100 other bird and wildlife species, including thousands of pollinators!
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Mitigating Climate Change
Grasses filter carbon out of the air and store it underground in their roots or the soil. Unlike forests, the majority of the carbon is not released if the grasses catch fire, making them better able to withstand climate change.
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700Million Grassland Birds Lost the past 50 years
258Acres Conserved
78Acres Owned & Managed
Upcoming Events
Field Trips
Encounter Short-eared owls, Snowy owls, Northern harriers, Eastern meadowlarks, Bobolinks and over 100 other species of birds and animals in their natural habitats when you join GBT’s guided bird walks, owl watches and local birding tours!
We do not have any events scheduled right now. We are working on scheduling a few winter events and will post them as soon as we have information!
Become a Member Today Trip Release FormCheck Out Our Annual Newsletter!
Grassland Bird News is a free publication that discusses our work to expand conservation of critical habitats for endangered and rapidly vanishing grassland birds. Check it out!
Discover the Digital Flipbook!Recent News
Back to School … for Birders!
October 25th, 2021
On September 25, 2021, Grassland Bird Trust hosted a member-only event at Chestnut Ridge Farm. Birders of all levels came to the farm to improve their birding skills with retired DEC Chief Ecologist and artist Steve Sanford. Hear about the morning events from Steve himself: “We all savored the warmth and sunshine of a spectacular […]
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GBT Looks Ahead to the Next Five Years!
October 25th, 2021
GBT board members (Kathy Roome, Keith Swensen, Todd Scheuermann, and Paloma Spina), executive director Laurie LaFond, and office manager Bernadette Valentino-Morrison gathered for the annual board retreat on September 18 and 19, 2021 in Cambridge, NY. This retreat was a special treat for everyone involved, providing the board and staff with an opportunity to work […]
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Solar Agreement to Benefit Grassland Birds
August 22nd, 2021
Grassland Bird Trust (GBT) signed an agreement in May to lease 44 acres of GBT’s land to Eden Renewables, a developer of pollinator-friendly, biodiverse community solar farms based in Troy, NY, for the next 20 years. With GBT’s help, Eden will maintain this land for the sole purpose of maximizing its value as habitat for […]
Read MoreThis grassland has tremendous ecological value, protecting an important habitat. And there’s a tourism value as well…”
– New York State Senator Elizabeth (Betty) Little
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