Alpena’s new Bird City Michigan designation will be celebrated Saturday, Sept. 26, with a full day of birding, conservation activities and family programming at locations across the city.
The celebration begins at 8 a.m. with a guided morning bird walk starting at Sytek Park on Bagley Street. From noon to 4 p.m., booths and displays will be set up at South Riverfront Park, behind the old post office and down the road from Water Street Commons.
Free activities for families
Nature and conservation organizations will offer free, family-friendly activities, including several options designed for children. Visitors can stop by a Thunder Bay Audubon Society birding station with spotting scopes and binoculars, while supplies last, and children can build a bluebird house while limited materials are available.
Other activities and displays will focus on protecting local wildlife. The Alpena Bird Center will provide information about preventing window strikes, while Designs by Nature-Huron Shores will highlight native plants. The Besser Museum will bring fossils, and the Alpena County Library will bring its mobile book bike and offer a bird-themed craft for children.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Alpena Wildlife Sanctuary will distribute handouts and goodie bags. The Northeast Michigan Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative, Huron Pines and other participating groups will also share information. Visitors can get a cool drink during “Sip & Soar” at Thunder Bay Winery.
Participating organizations also include the Convention and Visitor Bureau, Thunder Bay Audubon Society, the Alpena Bird Center and the Alpena County Library.
Why Alpena received the designation
Alpena was designated a Bird City Michigan community earlier this summer. Linda Smith of Michigan Audubon presented the designation to the Alpena City Council on Aug. 3.
Bird City Michigan recognizes communities for bird-friendly work in four categories: habitat, threats, education and sustainability. Alpena’s application describes 18 bird-friendly actions already underway, including habitat restoration at Island Park and Mich-e-ke-wis Park, nest monitoring, window-collision prevention, sustainability efforts such as the bike path and community engagement events.
The program encourages municipalities, conservation groups and other organizations to work together to create healthier environments for birds and people. The Thunder Bay Audubon Society led Alpena’s application process by forming a team that included local government, education, tourism, business, conservation and wildlife organizations.
Birding and Alpena’s future
Bird City Michigan aims to support Michigan’s growing ecotourism sector by promoting designated communities as destinations for birding and nature-focused travel. The program says bird-friendly work can create welcoming spaces for wildlife, connect more people with nature and support community health, beauty and sustainability.
The designation also presents an economic opportunity for Alpena. The source article reports that birders spent $107 billion on travel, equipment and related activities in 2022. By supporting birding visitors, Alpena can potentially benefit local shops, restaurants and lodging businesses while continuing conservation work.
Alpena is the farthest-north Bird City Michigan designation in the state, except for Houghton in the Upper Peninsula. More information is available at birdcity.org/michigan/alpena or by contacting Karen at 989-464-6573.