Partner Organizations

Ohio Lights Out is only possible through the efforts of a large group of collaborators. The organizations listed below have dedicated time and resources to ensuring the successful conservation of migratory songbirds. If your organization is interested in helping Lights Out, contact Matthew Shumar, the OBCI Program Coordinator, at obcicoordinator@gmail.com.

Representatives from partner organizations across four states met in February, 2018 at the Ohio Wildlife Center to discuss advancing Ohio Lights Out efforts.

Akron Zoo has been a major supporter of Lights Out Cleveland and is a leader in developing Lights Out Akron-Canton. The zoo connects people to wildlife while inspiring lifelong learning and conservation action.

Aullwood Audubon Center and Farm is an Audubon Center for environmental education and sustainable agriculture, provides activities that increase understanding and preservation of the planet by children and adults through education, research and recreation.

BirdSafe Pittsburgh is a collaborative group of conservation organizations working to reduce bird-building collisions in western Pennsylvania.

Black Swamp Bird Observatory inspires the appreciation, enjoyment, and conservation of birds and their habitats through research, education, and outreach. Located in the remnants of the once vast Great Black Swamp region of Northwest Ohio, Black Swamp Bird Observatory (BSBO) is a 510(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to promoting sound stewardship of avian resources in the Lake Erie Marsh Region. BSBO teams research with education to promote bird conservation.

Brukner Nature Center is a privately-funded non-profit nature preserve dedicated to environmental education and wildlife rehabilitation. Brukner Nature Center is one of the founding organizations of Lights Out Miami Valley and rehabilitates any birds found through monitoring efforts in the Dayton area.

Capital Crossroads Special Improvement District is an association of 500 commercial and residential property owners in the core, 38 blocks of Downtown Columbus founded in 2001. Their focus is on safety, cleaning, landscaping, homeless outreach, wayfinding signage, compiling the State of Downtown economic report, Downtown C-pass, and the Pearl Market.

Cincinnati Museum Center has a legacy of discovery 200 years in the making, from the founding of the Western Museum Society in 1818 to today’s award-winning multi-museum complex. Housed in Union Terminal, an art deco train station and National Historic Landmark, Cincinnati Museum Center continues to bring the world to Cincinnati through its more than 3 million artifacts, archival materials and artworks.

Cincinnati Nature Center is a non-profit, nature education organization and community of people who enjoy and care about nature. CNC offers something for people of all ages, in all seasons. Our award-winning trails wind through the region’s natural habitats of eastern deciduous forest, fields, streams and ponds. Enjoy a self-guided hike, bird walk, seasonal nature program and much more. CNC offers two locations to hike and explore. Rowe Woods in Milford, Ohio, east of Cincinnati, spans 1,025 acres (including 65 acres of old growth forest) and offers more than 16 miles of hiking trails. Long Branch Farm & Trails, located in Goshen, Ohio, nine miles northeast of Milford, contains 582 acres of forest and farmland with four miles of hiking trails.

Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden was founded in 1873 and officially opened its doors in 1875, making it the second oldest Zoo in the United States. The mission and vision of the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden is dedicated to creating adventure, conveying knowledge, conserving nature, and serving the community. 

Cleveland Metroparks help to recruit and manage volunteers for the monitoring effort in downtown Cleveland.

Cleveland Museum of Natural History has been instrumental in helping to get a Lights Out program established in Cleveland. The Museum houses birds that were killed during migration in their scientific collection.

Columbus Audubon was founded in 1913 and their mission now is the same as it was in 1913: To promote the appreciation, understanding and conservation of birds, other wildlife and their habitats, for present and future generations. With approximately 3,000 members in Central Ohio, Columbus Audubon is one of the largest Audubon chapters in the nation. They organize field trips throughout the year, hold regular nature programs, and offer classroom-field experiences, such as our popular Birding 101 series.

Columbus Foundation is the trusted philanthropic advisor to more than 2,500 individuals, families, and businesses that have created unique funds and planned gifts to make a difference in the lives of others through the most effective philanthropy possible. More than 75 years strong, The Columbus Foundation is the eighth largest community foundation in the United States.

Columbus Zoo & Aquarium enriches our community’s quality of life and inspires a greater appreciation of wildlife for the advancement of conservation action. Their vision is to be a global leader in conservation and a premiere destination for fun and unique experiences. The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium provides financial support to Lights Out Columbus and the Monitoring Program.

Dayton BOMA provides advocacy, professional development, networking, and education for the commercial real estate industry.

The Dayton Foundation is the region’s largest community foundation and has been helping you help others locally and around the world since 1921.

Five Rivers Metroparks is a regional public park system consisting of conservatories and outdoor recreation and education facilities that serve the Dayton metropolitan area.

Grange Insurance Audubon Center provides vital educational services to central Ohio – especially the city of Columbus and its public schools. The center increases environmental awareness through education, but also provides cross-curricular nature-based education designed to improve the academic performance of students and schools in all areas.

Just Save Birds is a blog and service run by Heidi Trudell that provides information on bird-safe buildings and collision monitoring.

Lake Erie Nature & Science Center has been the major catalyst in the volunteer monitoring program. All injured birds are taken to the Center for rehabilitation and release into the wild. The Lake Erie Nature & Science Center successfully released over 700 birds during 2017 alone.

Lake Metroparks handles the rehabilitation of injured bats recovered during Lights Out Cleveland.

Metroparks Toledo helps to coordinate the Lights Out Toledo program, part of the Bird-Friendly Toledo movement.

Nature’s Nursery handles the rehabilitation of injured birds and bats recovered during Lights Out Toledo.

ODNR-Division of Wildlife. The mission of the Division of Wildlife is to conserve and improve fish and wildlife resources and their habitats for sustainable use and appreciation by all. In addition to ensuring the continued operation of the Ohio Bird Conservation, the Division of Wildlife was one of the founding organizations in Lights Out Columbus.

Ohio Bird Conservation Initiative (OBCI) is a collaboration of non-profit groups, businesses, state and federal government agencies, and citizens that are participating in or are interested in bird conservation for the state of Ohio. OBCI coordinates the network of Lights Out programs in Ohio

The Ohio State University provides important support for Lights Out both through the School of Environment and Natural Resources (the home offices of OBCI) and the Museum of Biological Diversity, which handles all of the salvage permitting and collections processing of collision birds collected in Columbus.

Ohio Wesleyan University is a private liberal arts university in Delaware, Ohio.

Ohio Wildlife Center helped develop Lights Out Columbus and handles all of our wildlife rehabilitation needs in the Columbus area. They are also in charge of organizing the volunteer collision monitoring program in Columbus

The Ornithology Club at the Ohio State University is a student organization focused on uniting students with common interests of birds and birdwatching. The students organize their own program, Lights Out Buckeyes on the Columbus campus of OSU.

Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge helps to coordinate the volunteer collision surveys for Lights Out Toledo.

Partners for the Environment is an alliance of environmental organizations, government and civic organizations, and public and private educational institutions. These organizations share the common goal of protecting, restoring, preserving, and promoting the environmental and agricultural resources of the Great Miami River and Little Miami River Watersheds – an 18 county region in southwest Ohio.

RAPTOR, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation of birds of prey via rehabilitation, education, research and community service. They rehabilitate over 300 birds of prey annually and deliver over 350 educational presentations each year at schools, libraries, senior centers, and other community events

Stark Parks proudly manages 15 parks, 4 lakes, and over 120 miles of hiking, biking, and equestrian trails, totaling over 8,000 acres of land. Stark Parks prides itself on over 50 years of innovation, creativity, and serving the Stark County community with the best parks, trails, and resources available.

Toledo Zoo helps to coordinate the volunteer collision surveys for Lights Out Toledo.

Western Cuyahoga Audubon Society has a long history of stewardship of Northeast Ohio bird populations, citizen science research activity, spearheading regional organization collaborations, and convening public outreach and education programs and events.