So often when we hear about problems that our birds face in other countries, we feel bad because we think there is little or nothing that we can do as individuals to help them. The American Birding Association is operating a unique program that got its start in 1990 at the Manomet Center for Conservation Science that provides birders with a chance to help.

The concept is simple. Birders donate old binoculars, spotting scopes, field guides, digital cameras, laptops, etc. and the Birder’s Exchange folks get them into the hands of researchers and educators in Central America and the Caribbean. By getting this equipment into the hands of the local conservationist we better enable them to protect ecosystems and wildlife.

You can visit the website www.aba.org/bex for more information about the program and details of their equipment needs. We will be taking donations here at the store and shipping then out to Colorado after the first of the year. Check below to learn how you can trade in your old equipment against a new set of binoculars.

By Mark McKellar

SUMMER 2008