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
May 8, 2021 (8 AM – 1 PM EST)
Global Big Day Birding at Hicks Orchard
Spend Global Big Day 2021 in good company with Grassland Bird Trust (GBT) and Hicks Orchard! Global Big Day is a day to celebrate birds everywhere by getting outside and reporting your bird observations to eBird (created by Cornell Lab of Ornithology). Recorded observations help populate databases supporting powerful tools like animated abundance maps that help us understand global bird populations. A ticket to Global Big Day includes: hot mulled cider and cider donuts, birdwatching with experienced bird guides from GBT and Hick’s Orchard, and a LIVE bird of prey program with Trish Markey from Wildlife Institute of Eastern New York. Lunch will be available…
January 2022
Embark on a Costa Rican BIRDING Adventure with Grassland Bird Trust!
Join Grassland Bird Trust (GBT) on an incredible journey to the TOP BIRDING DESTINATIONS IN COSTA RICA! GBT trip leaders Laurie LaFond, Executive Director, and Paloma Spina, Board Director, will take you on this exclusive guided tour led by Greentique Birding certified guides. We’ll see hundreds of native bird and mammal species, including Scarlet Macaw, Resplendent Quetzal, Keel-billed Toucan, Orange-bellied Trogon, Yellow-throated Toucan, Fiery-billed Aracari, Baird’s Tapir, Spider monkey and more! MEET the birds at eye level on a Canopy Tour, WALK the Cloud Forest at night, VISIT an active volcano and more! Stay at first class eco-lodges and indulge…Check 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
GBT Awarded Two Exciting Grants!
March 10th, 2021
The “Capacity & Excellence Grant” From the NYS Conservation Partnership Program (NYSCPP) Land Trust Alliance (LTA) and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) awarded Grassland Bird Trust (GBT) a $50,000 “Capacity & Excellence Grant” in December 2020. The program is funded through NY’s Environmental Protection Fund. “The grants announced today support – activities […]
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Bird Collective GBT Campaign Nears $20,000!
August 17th, 2020
When NYC entrepreneurs Angie Co, Tina Alleva and Ryan Goldberg launched their first campaign to benefit Grassland Bird Trust’s work to conserve critical habitat for endangered and threatened grassland birds, none of us would have predicted the incredible response it would inspire. “We had orders coming in from all over the country,” said Angie. She […]
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Birding with the Bird Collective
April 26th, 2020
Excerpt from Bird Collective April E-newsletter: “We were on the move at the end of February to see all the amazing work that the Grassland Bird Trust, our first partner organization, is doing in upstate New York. We met Laurie LaFond, the founder of GBT, to share with her the funds we’ve raised so far, […]
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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