Support the Avian Internship Memorial Fund this Giving Tuesday
This Giving Tuesday, please support KBO in training the next generation of conservationists with a matching donation to our Avian Internship Memorial (AIM) Fund. The AIM Fund honors Patty Buettner’s formative influence on KBO. By contributing to the AIM fund, you will help thank Patty’s family and friends for creating this fund in her memory. Your donation will leverage their continued financial support.
During her life, Patty was personally and professionally committed to wildlife conservation and made significant contributions to the field. Among them was her instrumental role in establishing the Klamath Bird Observatory. As one of our first partners, Patty helped us open the Upper Klamath Field Station and start our professional internship program in 1996.
Training the next generation of conservationists is essential for protecting migratory birds. The AIM fund helps support our bird banding interns by providing stipends for living expenses while in training for 3-6 months here in Oregon. Stipends provide an opportunity for any young professional to participate in our training program regardless of their financial resources. KBO interns are not only building skills, they are contributing to bird and habitat conservation science and international capacity-building, as many interns hail from outside the United States. KBO has trained interns from over 17 countries in the past 25 years!
“My internship at KBO transformed me in just one season. With expert guidance and hands-on training, I returned to Trinidad ready to lead my own bird banding station. Within a year, I expanded to three banding sites and introduced year-round monitoring. Klamath Bird Observatory taught me that skill plus effort and consistency equals fun and good data! I learned not only the technical aspects of bird banding but also the importance of cultivating community and engaging in education and outreach for effective conservation. My KBO experience has profoundly shaped my approach, highlighting that collaboration and knowledge sharing are key to successful conservation efforts.” A quote from past KBO intern Giselle Ragoonanan.
By donating to the AIM Fund, you will be supporting young professionals in gaining knowledge and skills that are essential to advancing bird and habitat conservation across the globe. Thank you!
