Audubon Florida and the Jacksonville Airport have partnered on a new exhibit to celebrate 125 years of Audubon in Florida. Formed in 1900 to bring wading birds back from the brink of extinction, Audubon has been working for more than a century to protect birds because the things birds rely on—healthy habitats, clean air, abundant fresh water, resilient coastlines—are the same things that people and other wildlife need to thrive.
The exhibit includes colorful birds, historic imagery, contemporary photography, and unique artifacts. Visitors can join Audubon and the Jacksonville International Airport to look across 125 years of conservation history, touching on Everglades restoration, Bald Eagle recovery, and public lands expansion.
“Birds are symbols and sentinels to measure a healthy landscape, and they inspire us to work collaboratively and expansively throughout the hemisphere,” says Audubon Florida Executive Director Julie Wraithmell. “In simplest terms, ‘what’s good for birds is good for the Earth.’”
“We’re proud to showcase and share the story of Audubon Florida’s 125-year legacy through this exhibit at the Jacksonville International Airport,” said Jacksonville Aviation Authority CEO Mark VanLoh. “From original art by Audubon employees and volunteers to historical artifacts and displays, there’s something for everyone to enjoy and learn from.”
Media tours of the gallery and interviews with Julie Wraithmell are available upon request.
About Audubon Florida:
Audubon Florida protects birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow. Audubon works throughout the Americas using science, advocacy, education, and on-the-ground conservation. State programs, nature centers, chapters, and partners give Audubon an unparalleled wingspan that reaches millions of people each year to inform, inspire, and unite diverse communities in conservation action. A nonprofit conservation organization since 1900, Audubon believes in a world in which people and wildlife thrive. For more information visit audubon.org/florida
About the Jacksonville Aviation Authority:
The Jacksonville Aviation Authority operates Jacksonville International Airport (JAX) and the city’s three general aviation airports – Cecil Airport, Jacksonville Executive at Craig Airport (JAXEX) and Herlong Recreational Airport. The Authority, funded through user fees and not local taxes, contributes over $6 billion annually to the local economy. For more information about the Jacksonville Aviation Authority’s airports, please visit www.flyjacksonville.com.
