INDIANAPOLIS (March 10, 2025) – Migratory birds are beginning their journeys back to Indiana—but loss of suitable habitat threatens their future. Today, concerned Audubon members, experts and Hoosiers gathered at the Indiana Statehouse for Audubon Great Lakes Advocacy Day to urge state lawmakers to support strong conservation funding and policies that protect birds.

“The loss of 3 billion birds in North America since 1970 is a warning we can't ignore,” said Marnie Urso, Senior Policy Director for Audubon Great Lakes. “Birds rely on healthy natural spaces throughout Indiana to thrive. Indiana needs a greater investment in our state’s outdoor heritage and our natural resources, including our forests, streams, lakes, prairies, wetlands and wildlife habitat.”

Audubon welcomed Governor Mike Braun to the event to deliver remarks on the importance of advancing bipartisan solutions to protect our environment for the benefit of Indiana and future generations.

“Everyone likes birds and other wildlife, and supporting their protection is the most bipartisan thing you can do. As Governor, I'll continue Indiana’s heritage of conservation that I stood for in the U.S. Senate,” said Gov. Braun. “The once-threatened Purple Martin is now thriving due to the efforts of American bird conservationists. Thank you, Audubon Great Lakes, for your conservation efforts, and to Audubon members who traveled here today to share your love of birds.”

Biodiversity is being lost at an alarming rate, putting birds like the state-endangered American Bittern and Henslow’s Sparrow at-risk. Indiana ranks fourth in the nation for wetland loss. Grasslands are also declining across Indiana, further threatening the habitat birds need.

Audubon Great Lakes is working to directly restore 420 acres of high-priority wetlands in Northwest Indiana. Over the next decade, Audubon aims to positively impact 5,750 acres across the state in partnership with various stakeholders.

During the event, Audubon members met with over 50 lawmakers, advocating for conservation and protecting birds and the places they need.

State Rep. Beau Baird (R-Greencastle), Chair of the House Environmental Affairs Committee, and State Sen. Shelli Yoder (D-Bloomington), Minority Caucus Leader joined to event to share the importance of conservation.

“Good environmental stewardship and economic growth can go hand in hand. In my role as Chair of the House Environmental Affairs Committee, I have seen firsthand how conservation and responsible land management can make a difference,” said Rep. Baird. “Birds are not just a beautiful part of our surroundings, they’re a critical part of our ecosystems that serve as indicators for our environmental health. I want to thank Audubon for the work you do to protect our environment and to ensure their future.”

"Protecting Indiana’s natural resources isn’t just about conservation, it’s about protecting our health, economy and future. When we lose wetlands and clean waterways, we don’t just lose bird habitats, we lose protections for our own communities," said State Sen. Shelli Yoder, Minority Caucus Leader. " We need strong policies that safeguard these resources, hold polluters accountable and invest in solutions that benefit both people and wildlife."

Audubon hopes the gathering at the statehouse makes progress in the effort to protect our state’s outdoor heritage and our natural resources for the benefit of birds and people, and thanks all of the chapters that were able to participate in the event.

“We want to thank Gov. Braun, Rep. Baird, Sen. Yoder and Audubon members from across Indiana, for being here today to advocate for Indiana’s natural resources and the wildlife that depend on them,” said Urso. “Indiana’s policy makers have an opportunity to help protect the places that our wildlife and communities depend on for generations to come.”

To learn more about Audubon Great Lakes, please visit gl.audubon.org.

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About Audubon Great Lakes
The National Audubon Society protects birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow. Audubon works throughout the Americas using science, advocacy, education and on-the-ground conservation. State programs, nature centers, chapters and partners give Audubon an unparalleled wingspan that reaches millions of people each year to inform, inspire and unite diverse communities in conservation action. A nonprofit conservation organization since 1905, Audubon believes in a world in which people and wildlife thrive. Audubon Great Lakes is a regional office of Audubon, learn more at gl.audubon.org.