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Theodore Roosevelt

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Audubon NY is happy to announce the expansion of their state-wide
For the Birds! program to Long Island!

The Mission of the Theodore Roosevelt Sanctuary & Audubon Center is to connect people with nature while promoting a sense of environmental stewardship through natural science educational programs.

Theodore Roosevelt Sanctuary & Audubon Center, located in Oyster Bay, was established in 1923 as the first Audubon Songbird Sanctuary in the nation. Twelve acres were donated by W. Emlen and Christine Roosevelt in memory of their cousin, the late Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th President of the United States. The Sanctuary’s original purpose was to provide a protected environment for songbirds whose populations were declining due to habitat loss. Today, it is a vibrant resource offering a wide variety of activities, including environmental education, wildlife research, and conservation advocacy.

The goal of the Theodore Roosevelt Sanctuary & Audubon Center is to provide high-quality effective environmental education programs to all audiences.  Using hands-on, experiential, and inquiry-based methods, program participants will develop a deeper understanding and consideration for our natural world, gain a  sense of stewardship for their local environment, and become informed decision-makers for the future. The science-based educational programs are geared to promote a better understanding of the natural world and how the quality of life is affected by what happens in nature. An appreciation for the importance of conservation and stewardship is instilled in each program to ensure a healthy planet for all.

Environmental Education Programming

Using hands-on, experiential and inquiry based methods; students develop a deeper understanding and consideration for our natural world, gain a sense of stewardship for their local environment, and become informed decision-makers for the future. All of the Sanctuary's programs are correlated to the New York State Science Standards. Program participants will be engaged with handling artifacts; touching feathers, bones, fur and shells; and encouraged to ask questions and discuss ideas.

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Click here to view our Pre-School Program Brochure

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Click here to read Recommendation Letters

Educational and Research programs include:

• 15 different inquiry-based programs offered to school groups from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade, including multiple visit programs, field trips, classroom visits with live animals, and Citizen Science programs;
• School vacation programs for pre-kindergarten through elementary age children that provides in-depth tactile learning of the natural world;
• Weekend programs for children and adults throughout the year to encourage families to become better stewards of the environment;
• Live animal programs for community, scout, and youth groups, and;
• Field research programs onsite and in conjunction with other local sanctuaries and preserves.

Our school programs are designed to help professional educators meet the National and New York State standards for science, math, and language arts. Sanctuary programs can be easily integrated with existing curriculum. In addition, programs for scouts are tailored to meet badge requirements, and can be conducted at the Sanctuary, as well as offsite on weekends and after school.

Bird research and habitat restoration are also important parts of our mission. The Center is involved with a number of projects that protect birds and their essential habitats. Programs include songbird banding, held monthly at the Sanctuary; Project Feederwatch, available on weekends through the winter; and other seasonal citizen science projects.

The Sanctuary features 17 non-releasable birds of prey, which include hawks, owls, falcons, and a vulture, as well as several species of reptiles and amphibians. While wildlife rehabilitation is no longer conducted onsite, the Sanctuary uses injured animals as ambassadors to connect people with nature. Visitors can view the birds of prey outdoors in a menagerie of aviaries, while take step inside the Center to become acquainted with reptiles and amphibians from throughout the world.

Many visitors to the Sanctuary also visit Sagamore Hill National Historic Site, the former home of Theodore Roosevelt. Located only a mile away, Sagamore Hill is open Wednesday through Sunday, from 9 am – 4 pm. To learn more about Sagamore Hill, please visit their website.

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!!!

At the Theodore Roosevelt Sanctuary & Audubon Center, a busy and exciting season of providing quality environmental education programs to thousands of school children is getting underway!  To help us kick off the busy school year ahead, we are looking for educators who would like to volunteer their skills to help us nurture the next generation of conservationists!

If you are a retired teacher, if you have recently graduated from college with experience in environmental science, and/or teaching, or if you simply have interest in learning the skills and techniques it takes to become a good environmental educator, we invite you to join our volunteer corps!

Education volunteers assist with lesson preparation, teaching and new program development, while gaining invaluable experience working outdoors with diverse groups of children and adults. Volunteers are typically needed Monday through Friday, though occasional weekends are possible.

If interested, please contact 516-922-3200 for more information and to schedule your volunteer experience

Directions:
Via Long Island Expressway: Take exit 41 North, Route 106. Proceed on Route 106 North to the Village of Oyster Bay. Make a right onto East Main Street. Proceed 1.5 miles up East Main Street (eventually becomes Cove Road at Oyster Bay High School). You will see signs for the TR Sanctuary parking lot on the right.

Via Route 25A (Northern Blvd.): Take State Route 25A (Northern Blvd.) to Cove Road. Go about 2 miles north on Cove Road. You will see a green and white Theodore Roosevelt Sanctuary on the left. Proceed pass the sign 50 yards to the parking lot on the left.

Theodore Roosevelt Sanctuary & Audubon Center is open:
Monday-Friday: 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Saturday-Sunday: Noon - 4:00 pm
Closed: Thanksgiving and Christmas

For more information and to receive an update on upcoming programs, please contact:

Ted Scherff, Center Director
Theodore Roosevelt Sanctuary & Audubon Center
134 Cove Road
Oyster Bay, New York 11771
phone: (516) 922-3200 or by email

For more information about Theodore Roosevelt and Oyster Bay,
including his gravesite, visit www.trgravesite.org.