Detroit Bird City - Capitol Connection webinar

Detroit is at the confluence of two major flyways: the Atlantic and the Mississippi. Millions of birds use them to migrate north and south as the seasons change.

The birds need a place to rest along the way. Detroit, being so close to great rivers and lakes, serves as a critical stopover for 350 bird species. Without natural habitat in metro Detroit, many birds may struggle to survive.

It is at this confluence of flyways that Diane Cheklich became a birder. She began taking birding trips with Detroit Audubon across her home city and its metro area.

It is also at this confluence where Cheklich helped create and now oversees Detroit Bird City, a celebration of the bird life of the area and its impact on people and place. This Detroit Audubon/City of Detroit project converts disused Detroit parks and converts them into immersive, interactive, and beautiful wildflower meadows in places needing nature nearby.

The result: 100 bird species resting or nesting at these neighborhood parks, educational and recreational opportunities for neighbors, and the beginnings of what Cheklich foresees as a "greenway" of natural habitat expanding across Michigan's largest city that people, birds, and other animals all benefit from.

All this great work is what garnered her the 2022 Petoskey Prize, which is given to one tireless volunteer each year from a member group of the Michigan Environmental Council. 

She'll receive the prize on July 21's Environmental Award Celebration, but you can get the full story by attending our July 1 Capitol Connection webinar with her. 

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Can't make the event live? Register and we'll send you a recording.

The Capitol Connection webinar series is generously sponsored by: 

Steve & Judy Dobson