Bedford Audubon Society

What Bedford Audubon Society does

Bedford Audubon Society is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit conservation and environmental education organization founded in 1913 and headquartered at Bylane Farm, 35 Todd Road, Katonah, New York. The organization stewards nearly 600 acres of protected wildlife sanctuary across Westchester and Putnam counties, including the James Ramsay Hunt & Mary Welsh Parker Sanctuary, Palmer H. Lewis Sanctuary, Ruth Walgreen Franklin & Fels Sanctuary, and the Leon Levy Native Habitat Garden, plus operational access to The Nature Conservancy's 350-acre Arthur W. Butler Memorial Sanctuary for its HawkWatch program. Its mission centers on bird conservation, habitat protection, and environmental education delivered through bird walks, workshops, field trips, citizen science initiatives (MAPS bird banding, HawkWatch, EagleWatch, Christmas Bird Count, Great Backyard Bird Count), volunteer habitat renewal days, and youth programs including the Bedford Audubon Award at WESEF.

The organization's service portfolio spans guided nature programs (First Wednesday Walks, Third Thursday Walks, monthly lectures at Katonah Village Library), specialty workshops (butterfly, shorebirds, bluebirds, art workshops in partnership with a Cornell Lab-trained illustrator), citizen science research stations, and a traveling members' photo exhibit rotating through 10+ regional libraries. Programs are priced between $15 and $85 per participant with member discounts, and select offerings (regular bird walks, volunteer sessions) are free to maximize community access.

Revenue is generated through six streams: annual membership dues, individual donations and fundraising events (Bird-A-Thon, online auctions, year-end appeals), program and workshop fees, branded merchandise sales (T-shirts $25, polos $30, caps $25), an annual seed sale, and recurring rental income from the Gray Owl Cottage at $4,100 per month. Distribution is primarily regional and community-led, relying on direct program delivery at Bylane Farm, venue partnerships (libraries, nature preserves), e-commerce for merchandise, calendar subscriptions, and a volunteer-driven engagement model supported by a 1-10 person staff and an active Board of Directors led by Executive Director Medha Pandey and Board President John Hannan.

Name

Bedford Audubon Society

Legal name

Bedford Audubon Society

Website

https://bedfordaudubon.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1913

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Bedford Audubon Society is a 110-year-old 501(c)(3) nonprofit that stewards nearly 600 acres of wildlife sanctuary across Westchester and Putnam counties, delivering bird walks, citizen science programs, workshops, and conservation education to community members, youth, and regional volunteers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wildlife Conservation Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Citizen Science & Conservation Volunteer Tourism Programs (On-Site) (THAAAFAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Conservation & Research Lodges (Citizen Science, Field Stations with Guests) (THAAAHAJ)

Keywords

• Wildlife conservation programs
• Environmental education services
• Bird watching tours
• Citizen science research
• Habitat restoration services

Headquarters

HQ city

Katonah

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual memberships that provide access to programs, events, and support the organization's conservation work.
2. Donations and Fundraising: Individual donations, year-end appeals, and events like Bird-A-Thon and online auctions.
3. Program and Workshop Fees: Fees charged for workshops, field trips, and special programs. Free programs supported by donations.
4. Merchandise Sales: Sale of branded apparel including T-shirts ($25), polo shirts ($30), and caps ($25).
5. Seed Sales: Annual seed sale fundraiser.
6. Cottage Rental: Rental of Gray Owl Cottage on sanctuary grounds at $4,100/month supports operations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Bedford Audubon Society is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers bird-focused conservation, environmental education, and citizen science programs across Westchester and Putnam Counties in New York. Its core offerings include guided bird walks, theme workshops, extended field trips, habitat renewal volunteer days, bird banding demonstrations, festival/community events, and a small branded merchandise shop supporting operations. The organization raises funds through memberships, donations, program fees, fundraisers, and a sanctuary cottage rental.

Product overview

Bedford Audubon Society offers a focused set of programs and services centered on bird conservation and environmental education. The organization operates through several core offerings: regular bird walks (First Wednesday and Third Thursday walks), educational workshops (butterfly, birding, and art workshops), field trips to various wildlife habitats, the Bylane Book Club for literature discussions, habitat renewal volunteer days, and bird banding demonstrations at their MAPS station. The organization also operates a small merchandise shop selling branded apparel (T-shirts, polo shirts, and caps) with the Black-capped Chickadee logo. Their research initiatives include the MAPS bird banding program, Chestnut Ridge HawkWatch, EagleWatch, Christmas Bird Counts, and Great Backyard Bird Count participation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bird Walks Regular guided bird walks led by Naturalist Tait Johansson at Bedford Audubon sanctuaries and partner sites, open to birders of all experience levels. Free or low-cost to community members.
• Educational Workshops Theme-based conservation workshops (e.g., butterfly, shorebird, bluebird, trail maintenance) priced at $25 for members and $40 for non-members, with member/non-member fee differential.
• Extended Birding Field Trips Extended birding trips to partner conservation areas including Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, Milford Point (CT Audubon), Fahnestock State Park, and international destinations like Panama.
• Habitat Renewal Volunteer Days Volunteer-led habitat restoration sessions including invasive plant identification and removal, native plant cultivation, and sanctuary stewardship, available across all properties.
• Bylane Book Club Book club discussions at Bedford Audubon Society connecting literature and nature themes, led by Board Member Melanie Brocklehurst.
• MAPS Bird Banding Station MAPS (Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship) bird banding station at Hunt-Parker Sanctuary, offering citizen science participation and bird banding demonstrations.
• Chestnut Ridge HawkWatch Seasonal raptor migration monitoring program conducted at The Nature Conservancy's 350-acre Arthur W. Butler Memorial Sanctuary in Mount Kisco.
• EagleWatch Co-hosted with Saw Mill River Audubon for monitoring Bald Eagles in the Lower Hudson Valley Important Bird Area.
• Christmas Bird Counts Annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count participation for citizen science bird population monitoring.
• Great Backyard Bird Count Annual community participation in the Great Backyard Bird Count for citizen science engagement.
• Bedford Audubon T-shirt Cotton t-shirt with embroidered Bedford Audubon logo, sold at $25 to support the organization's mission.
• Bedford Audubon Polo Shirt Polo shirt with embroidered Bedford Audubon logo, sold at $30 to support the organization's mission.
• Bedford Audubon Cap Ball cap with embroidered Black-capped Chickadee logo, available in Blue or Green, sold at $25 to support the organization.
• Gray Owl Cottage Rental Two-story cottage rental on Hunt-Parker Sanctuary grounds at $4,100/month, with multiple-year lease availability. Includes water, trash, recycling, furnace contract, mowing, and snow plowing. Rent supports the local Audubon chapter.
• Annual Seed Sale Fundraiser Annual seed sale fundraiser supporting Bedford Audubon's conservation programs.
• Bird-A-Thon Fundraiser Annual Bird-A-Thon fundraiser championed by Board President John Hannan to support the organization's conservation work.
• Online Auction Online auction fundraising event supporting Bedford Audubon's programs.
• Art Workshop Series Series of three art workshops (Basics of Drawing Birds, Basics of Watercolor, Birds in Watercolor) taught by Charlotte Holden at Bylane Farm, with all art supplies included. $40 per workshop or $100 for all three.
• Annual Membership Annual memberships providing access to programs, events, member pricing on workshops, and supporting the organization's conservation work.

Quantifiable outcome

• 650+ native plants planted in habitat garden
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Bronx River Sound Shore AuduboncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister chapter partnership for joint programming including co-sponsoring Members' Photo Exhibit at Larchmont Public Library.
• Saw Mill River AuduboncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-hosting EagleWatch program for monitoring Bald Eagles in the Lower Hudson Valley Important Bird Area. Joint sponsorship of Merlin Bird ID Trivia event.
• TeatowncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborator at Hudson River EagleFest - Bedford Audubon staffed a table at the annual celebration of Bald Eagle winter migration.
• Westchester County ParksminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-sponsored Woodcock Bird Walk at Ward Pound Ridge Reservation.
• The Nature ConservancycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBedford Audubon conducts HawkWatch at The Nature Conservancy's 350-acre Arthur W. Butler Memorial Sanctuary.
• Friends of Lasdon Park and ArboretumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInvited Bedford Audubon Naturalist Tait Johansson to lead bird walk at Lasdon Public Gardens.
• Connecticut Audubon SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerField trips to Connecticut Audubon Society Coastal Center at Milford Point, part of Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge.
• NY New Jersey Trail ConferenceminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerOffers Trail Maintenance 101 Workshop in partnership with NY New Jersey Trail Conference.
• Ward Pound Ridge ReservationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-sponsored programs at Ward Pound Ridge Reservation including Woodcock Bird Walk and public lectures. Bedford Audubon Board member Dr. Linda Burke sits on Friends of Trailside Museum board.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Saw Mill River Audubon: Sister Audubon chapter in Westchester County that co-hosts EagleWatch and joint programming with Bedford Audubon. Operates as a comparable local chapter with sanctuaries, citizen science, and education offerings.
• Teatown: Regional nature preserve and environmental education center in Ossining, NY. Partner on Hudson River EagleFest and offers comparable habitat-focused programming, citizen science, and family events.
• Bronx River Sound Shore Audubon: Adjacent Audubon chapter that partners with Bedford Audubon on co-sponsored exhibits and programming. Comparable local chapter focused on bird conservation and community education in the lower Westchester area.
• Friends of Trailside Museum: Local nature museum at Ward Pound Ridge Reservation co-programming with Bedford Audubon. Comparable scale and mission in nature education and Westchester-area stewardship.

Broad incumbents

• Connecticut Audubon Society: Statewide Audubon affiliate that operates sanctuaries, nature centers, and education programs including a coastal center at Milford Point. Direct programming peer for bird walks, field trips, and citizen science.
• New York Botanical Garden: Large Bronx-based botanical garden with extensive environmental education, habitat gardening, and family programming. Comparable in delivering nature/environmental education to a regional audience, with shared ties to art illustration and habitat gardening.
• Cornell Lab of Ornithology: Leading ornithology research and citizen-science institution that anchors national bird counts (Christmas Bird Count, Great Backyard Bird Count) and the Bartels Science Illustrator program that connects to Bedford Audubon's art workshops.
• National Audubon Society: National umbrella organization that Bedford Audubon Society is a local chapter of. Operates bird conservation, sanctuaries, and citizen science at scale across the U.S., making it the closest incumbent peer for mission and programming model.
• The Nature Conservancy: Global conservation nonprofit that owns the 350-acre Arthur Butler Sanctuary where Bedford Audubon operates HawkWatch. Comparable land stewardship and conservation science mission, much larger scale.

Regional players

• Audubon Society of Rhode Island: Statewide Audubon affiliate operating wildlife refuges and education centers. Highly comparable as a regional Audubon organization running sanctuaries, citizen science, and programming, but serves a different geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks2 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/BedfordAudubonSociety
• Instagraminstagram.com/bedfordaudubon
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bedford-audubon-society

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Bedford Audubon Society