Launched as one of the fruits of American Conservatism in 1905, the National Audubon Society has since been pioneering the preservation of native bird species. Here on campus, the recently-integrated Audubon chapter at Stetson fosters a sense of exploration and discovery for its members. It is led by student President Katie Hill under the supervision of Megan Martin, President of West Volusia’s Chapter.
Students may have recently seen the club’s presence in the form of pink plastic flamingos with a sign bearing the hashtag, #SpotTheFlock dotting the Stetson Green. Through various bird-watching activities and nature trail hikes, the club seeks to utilize nearby resources, namely the Sandra Stetson Aquatic Center, to evoke admiration for the natural world. The club is both an outlet for bird-lovers and a vessel for protecting the Floridian beauty which surrounds our campus.
President Katie Hill ’25 is a senior majoring in Environmental Studies. Hill has always possessed a passion for nature and served as student ambassador for the Society last year, which made her an ideal candidate for leadership of the campus’s new club. “I liked how Audubon engages with the community at Stetson,” said Hill. “Here on campus you can actually see your work unfolding in front of you. Audubon’s goal is to protect birds but also to expand into other related projects. It is for anyone who has a love for nature.”
In adapting to her newfound role this semester as President, Hill integrated multiple bird-watching walks for her members at the nearby Sandra Stetson Aquatic Center. During these, students stumbled upon pink-beaked Ibis, Palm Warblers and Eastern Phoebes. They also enjoyed complimentary donuts, coffee and were able to earn cultural credit. “We discussed bird behaviors and tried to identify some of the bird calls we heard,” said Hill. “The flooding [from Hurricane Milton] brought out a lot of activity with the wading birds that we probably wouldn’t have seen otherwise. It was a quiet day and it was perfect.”
Yet, the allure of discovering feathered friends is not the only reward in being an Audubon member. The Society also nourishes a welcoming environment for adventure lovers as well. Whether it was a hike through the cypress trees or a lesson on conservation, Hill kept a few things up her sleeve right until the semester’s end.
On Friday, Nov. 1, the club hosted an educational Birding 101 lecture at the Gillespie Museum with Director Kristen Mattson providing cultural credit for students. Hill also hints that the on-campus flamingo sightings are far from over. They are promoting the current Audubon art exhibit at the Museum of Arts and Sciences in Daytona.
Between these events and semesterly bird walks, Hill is determined to nurture her students’ love for wildlife. For Hill personally, “Audubon at Stetson has made me a better photographer and a better bird-watcher, but it is not just about birds. It helps you look for the small things…I want to provide a space, and a moment in time, for people to reflect on and appreciate the environment around them. ”
Stetson’s Audubon Society is fortunate not only for its leadership but also for its mentorship as well. Megan Martin, President of the West Volusia Chapter of Audubon, has taken the blossoming student organization under her wing.
A well-versed veteran of Audubon’s mission, Martin describes the broader mission as “To realize that the choices we make, whether it be on Stetson’s campus, or in our local residences, is crucial for the environmental health.” In fulfilling her role as advisor for Stetson’s chapter, Martin declares she is here to pass on that torch to the next student to keep their initiatives going. Undeniably, Audubon at Stetson is fortunate to possess such ample leadership to guide them as they leap from the nest. “It is truly a boots-on-the-ground organization,”Martin concluded.
Through the lens of their binoculars, members of Audubon at Stetson are endowed with the freedom to explore. Whether that exploration be traipsing through local forests in search of fleeting feathers or finding a more introspective discovery of a passion for conservation. Interested students are advised by Hill to “Just come out to a bird walk. It is low stakes, but high reward.”
