City of Stillwater Officially To Be Designated Bird City By Minnesota Audubon Society

JUNE 15, 2021 — The City of Stillwater will be awarded an official Bird City Minnesota designation by Rob Schultz, executive director of Minnesota Audubon, at the June 15, 2021, Stillwater City Council meeting.

Bird Cities are Minnesota communities recognized for their outstanding efforts to educate and engage citizens in birding and habitat conservation to protect our native birds. The Bird City designation comes after two years of work by both Sustainable Stillwater MN, a local 501c3 nonprofit, its GreenStep Cities committee, and the City of Stillwater to fulfill the Audubon requirements to become a Bird City. Among those requirements was the need to create "Best Practices" that included working with City and Washington County staff, other community organizations, and interested individuals. This process culminated in a Migratory Bird Festival held on May 15 at Pioneer Park in Stillwater that was attended by over 150 people.

Being a Bird City will put Stillwater "on the map" for birders and people interested in birds and the natural environment. Birding is a huge tourist attraction in the United States.