A Welcoming Place for Birds
For our Annual Meeting, Gilles Carter filmed a rich portrait of the birds who visit or nest within a few hundred steps of the Museum. It is a remarkable habitat – more than 20 warbler species on a good Spring day. Corrie Folsom- O’Keefe of Audubon CT explained the fortunate dynamics of the deciduous forest, the river, the marsh and the trap rock ridge that attract and nurture these migrating visitors.
How do we protect this treasure? Her answer: Protect the diversity of the flora and fauna that welcome nearly 200 bird species each year. That requires forward thinking activism. The Wooly Adelgids blight the Hemlocks – plant Pines, replace the invading Norway Maples with Oaks that harbor caterpillars which in turn feed baby chickadees. Defend the young oaks from deer. And so on...It’s hard work but, take heart – the warblers are international. They will sing in the forests of Venezuela. And return.
A Welcoming Place for Children
The Museum is a fortunate habitat. We attract children with diverse backgrounds, gifts, and curiosity. We give them space and materials and time to experiment in their brief stops here as they are migrating toward their grown-up identity.
That requires activism and your help. Your generosity underwrites this diversity. It lets us include children regardless of the neighborhood or nation they are from. It supports work which searches for strengths in every child and avoids the myopia of dividing winners and losers. It trains young men and women to lead with strength and empathy. Take heart – the values you nurture here will follow children as they travel. And return.
