Birding Trails
Birding trails are scattered across North America like individual strings of pearls. These trails, covering expanses of roadway across many miles, offer birders, naturalists, and general eco-tourists grand opportunities to explore diverse habitats near home and in distant places. The growth of birding trails creates access and opportunities to satisfy Americans’ increasing interest in birds.
The entire birding-trail phenomenon is part of what’s been called “birding economics” for many years. This is another demonstration of community involvement and commitment to preserving natural resources based on responsible tourism and bird appreciation. The trails, often marked roadways with site-specific stops, fuse regional education, conservation, and ecotourism. Most birding trails also have detailed maps, and other information about the sites and the wildlife one might encounter.
What can Birding Trails offer land trusts?
Creating a birding trail in your service area is an easy and engaging way to both generate interest in your land, and provide information about bird, wildlife, and land conservation.
More information on successful birding trails by state is found within the American birding Association Birder Resources here. In addition, the Land Trust Alliance’s Saving Land magazine featured an article on how a land trust created a bird trail that became a regional attraction.