All photography provided by Friends of SAS

Established in 1970, the Sassafras Audubon Society is a chapter of the National Audubon Society serving the Indiana counties of Monroe, Lawrence, Owen, Greene, Morgan, Jackson, Brown and Bartholomew.

OUR MISSION

We seek to build and maintain a diverse community of environmental stewards who are dedicated to nurturing knowledge, enjoyment, and conservation of birds and nature.

WHAT WE DO

To create a culture of conservation, SAS is active in education and advocacy. Here are some current and more recent projects from our fifty-five-year history.

  • Monthly outings that enable participants to appreciate and learn about our region’s resident and migratory birds and in-season wildflowers.

  • Annually, we sponsor traditional Audubon Christmas Bird Counts at Lake Monroe, McCormick’s Creek State Park, and Goose Pond Fish and Wildlife Area.

  • Our speaker series explores a variety of bird and related topics.

  • We educate area children about birds and the local environment our annual Great Backyard Bird Count in local schools and by participating in Bloomington’s annual Bugfest, where youngsters learn about the interdependence of all aspects of the environment.

  • In 2002, SAS launched Indiana's first Northern Saw-whet Owl migratory banding station, an important contribution to knowledge about this secretive nocturnal raptor.

  • Partnering with Indiana DNR and Duke Energy, we installed an osprey nesting tower at Lake Monroe.

  • We restored and constructed chimney swift towers at Wonderlab, Fairview School, Harmony School, and Jackson Creek.

  • Provide grants to individuals and organizations undertaking projects in our five-county area that help us achieve SAS’s mission.

  • We invite you to participate in our activities and projects. All are free.

STATEMENT ON DIVERSITY

The Sassafras Audubon Society believes in creating opportunities for all people to enjoy the outdoors, birdwatch, engage in conservation projects, and lead these efforts through participation on our board. We are committed to taking steps to encourage diversity in our organization, and we affirm the National Audubon Society’s efforts to do so throughout the country. Please visit https://www.audubon.org/about/edi for more information.

SAS also wishes to honor the Indigenous communities native to South Central Indiana, including the Miami, Delaware, Potawatomi, and Shawnee people. As we advocate for conservation of the land and its wildlife, we are indebted to the work of Native and Indigenous people and seek to amplify their voices.