NatureScope Exhibit Opens at McWane Science Center
in Partnership with the Birmingham Audubon Society
Saturday, March 13, 2010
The new NatureScope exhibit at the McWane Science Center will usher in an exciting era in the long, storied history of the Birmingham Audubon Society. The BAS office opened at McWane in June 2007 with Bianca Allen as our Administrative Director, and BAS volunteers have given a few bird programs in the intervening years. But as the saying goes, “Baby, you ain’t seen nothing yet!” Integral to NatureScope will be a new log cabin-themed office reminiscent of the type of housing where John James Audubon himself might have lived. The office will be adjacent to a presentation stage, where BAS and other programs, and the occasional live animal show, will occur.
NatureScope will introduce visitors to Alabama’s diversity of life through birds and insects and the relationships that sustain it. The exhibit will focus on the integral role animals play in our lives and importance of healthy ecosystems that benefit all. This exhibit will also highlight the state’s natural resources and invite visitors to get outside and experience what this region has to offer. This area will showcase artifacts from McWane Science Center’s natural history collection and where appropriate, displays and compelling interactive stations that emphasize educational principles. Educational programs on the stage will reinforce and expand the messages of the surrounding exhibits.
· Biodiversity- Alabama has one of the nation’s highest levels of biodiversity. Retaining biodiversity is an important value.
· Ecosystems- Humans and animals depend on the complex relationships between diverse organisms and their environment to succeed. Healthy ecosystems are key to a healthy Alabama.
· Habitats- Organisms lives in certain areas that can change over time due to many factors. (seasonal change, habitat destruction, competition, etc.) Organisms have specific adaptations that help them succeed in their habitats.
· Alabama’s rich biodiversity and varied ecosystems are the focus of many hobbyist and naturalist groups that welcome participation. Many hobbies and activities revolve around better understanding the natural world.
A particularly interesting and highly visible aspect of the NatureScope exhibit will be two large trees that will display a variety of bird specimens from the McWane Science Center collections. Panels containing text and graphics will list interesting facts about the birds and suggestions as to where they can be found in Alabama. Many of the specimens were inherited from the Birmingham Public Library collections, which traces its origins to many individuals who would later form the nucleus of what would become the Birmingham Audubon Society. So, in a way, BAS is returning home to roost.
Helena Uber-Wamble, our Education Director, came on board last fall and has been diligently working with the Education Committee to develop programs that can be presented by volunteers in school classrooms, clubs, environmental education fairs, home school groups and other similar venues. The NatureScope exhibit will add another exciting dimension to our educational outreach efforts.
As anyone who has visited the McWane Science Center can attest, this attraction is very popular with school children and families. NatureScope will provide a ready-made outlet for BAS to reach and serve the Birmingham community. This new venue, with its full-featured presentation stage, provides BAS with an almost unlimited horizon for educational opportunities. And, as with any endeavor, we are limited only by the scope of our collective vision. All BAS members are encouraged to contribute their time and talents as we share with the Birmingham community the joy and wonder that we find in birds.
Stay tuned for further information on how you can contribute to this exciting new endeavor. Now, more than ever, your time and talents are needed if we are to fulfill our mission of being a strong advocate in our community for birds and conservation of the habitats on which they, and we, depend. For more information about the NatureScope exhibit visit: http://www.mcwane.org/exhibits/naturescope_-_coming_soon
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