Audubon Center at Riverlands to hold grand opening celebration Oct. 15

 

The Audubon Center at Riverlands.

Bird enthusiasts, nature lovers, students and families are invited to celebrate the grand opening of The Audubon Center at Riverlands this Saturday, Oct. 15, at 10:30 a.m.  The Center’s opening will include guided tours, fisheries demonstrations, exhibits, live birds and crafts for children. 

The Audubon Center is the result of a partnership between the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers St. Louis District and the National Audubon Society. 

Located near the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers, the Center is surrounded by 3700 acres of prairie marsh and forest at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary.

 “The Audubon Center’s perfect location near the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers will provide tremendous opportunities for education, conservation, and recreation for the public,” Dr. Patricia Hagen, executive director of the Audubon Center at Riverlands said. “From here, visitors can learn about the natural environment and wildlife around them, then go out and reconnect in the Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary.”

The confluence region has been the focus of more than $170 million of private and public investment, reshaping the area as a prime destination for nature tourism and bird watching. 

 “The Mississippi Flyway is one of the most significant migratory flyways in the world, and over 60% of North American birds use the Mississippi Flyway during their migration,” said Charlie Deutsch, wildlife biologist at the Rivers Project Office. “More than 325 bird species migrate through the confluence area, including trumpeter swans, American bald eagles and American white pelicans.”

 The Audubon Center at Riverlands is located at 301 Riverlands Way, adjacent to the Rivers Project Office in West Alton, Mo. For a full schedule of events and more information, visit http://www.riverlands.audubon.org, and on Facebook: Audubon Center at Riverlands http://on.fb.me/osajWG, Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary http://on.fb.me/pazY4Q.