Our 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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Our Mission

Grassland Birds need us – and we need them.

Your support will help save our world!

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700Million Grassland Birds Lost the past 50 years

258Acres Conserved

78Acres Owned & Managed

Upcoming Events

February 19th 3:30 pm (snow date February 20th 3:30 pm)

Grasslands Owl and Raptor Walk

Join our expert guides Bo Harris and Rich Speidel for a grasslands owl and raptor walk on February 19th at 3:30 pm! This is a GBT event and will be open for GBT members only. To become a GBT member for one year, simply donate $25 or more during checkout.
Learn more: https://grasslandbirdtrust.networkforgood.com/events/38477-grasslands-owl-and-raptor-walk

Join Sue Van Hook, one of our dedicated donors and volunteers, at the Cambridge Community Forest in February! Event date options:

Feb 5, 2022
Feb 12, 2022
Feb 19, 2022
Feb 26, 2022

Time: 9-10:30 am

Forest Winter Birding with Sue Van Hook

GBT is co-sponsoring this event with Agricultural Stewardship Association (ASA). Registration for this event is on ASA’s website and it is open to anyone (small donation suggested)!

Learn more: https://www.agstewardship.org/events/

View ALl Events ›

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

Announcement of New Executive Director!

December 14th, 2021

The Grassland Bird Trust is delighted to announce that effective January 3, 2022, Samantha Carouso-Peck will assume the position of the Trust’s Executive Director. Samantha holds a Ph.D. in Behavioral and Evolutionary Neuroscience from Cornell University where she wrote her doctoral thesis on vocal learning in songbirds and is a Biology honors graduate of Williams […]

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 […]

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 […]

“I applaud the Grassland Bird Trust for their successful acquisition, which will further preserve this critical natural habitat and restore threatened grassland bird populations.”

– Acting New York State State Parks Commissioner Erik Kulleseid