EASTERN BIRD BANDING ASSOCIATION 2023 PROGRAM Introduction Dinner Speakers
INTRODUCTION | Welcome to the Centennial EBBA Meeting, held at Willistown Conservation Trust’s (WCT) Rushton Conservation Center (RCC), located within Rushton Woods Preserve (RWP). WCT’s mission is to preserve and manage the open land, rural character, scenic, recreational, historic, agricultural, and natural resources of the Willistown area and nearby communities, and to share these unique resources with people of all ages and backgrounds to inspire, educate, and develop a lifelong commitment to the land and the natural world. Located less than 20 miles from the city of Philadelphia, RWP is surrounded by nature preserves, Ridley Creek State Park and
2023 Program Agenda Sponsors
open space lies within an Audubon Important Bird Area (IBA) and is home to the Rushton Woods Banding Station (RWBS). The RWBS was established to contribute to continent-wide monitoring efforts and exemplifies the benefits of low-impact land management practices on bird populations. The RWBS
Workshops Poster Presentations Scientific Program
also allows us to train committed volunteers in the basics of bird banding and creates a setting for responsible nature education and conservation outreach. More than 165 bird species have been seen at RWP with 103 species banded at RWBS. The 80-acre Rushton Woods Preserve is the crown jewel of our 3 nature preserves; it is where most of our nature education
Acknowledgments
efforts occur and is the site of our sustainable, low impact community farm program. This program was established in 2008 and now feeds over 100 families and donates over 3,500 pounds of vegetables to the West Chester Food Cupboard annually. Rushton Farm is a CSA (community supported
WILLISTOWN CONSERVATION TRUST’S RUSHTON CONSERVATION CENTER 915 DELCHESTER ROAD NEWTOWN SQUARE, PA
agriculture) that connects hundreds of people to the land each year through volunteer days, membership, and other community events.