Chapters & Centers

Florida Power & Light Company Plants for Birds Grants Provide Habitat for Birds and People

Plants for Birds grants funded a variety of activities around the state this past season.

Since 2019, the Audubon Florida/Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) Plants for Birds grant program has infused excitement and inspired creativity among chapter members statewide. In October 2022, FPL announced its support of 12 Florida chapters with $25,000 in grants ranging from $1,025 to $2,500 each.

Now in its fourth year, the program invited Florida chapters once again to submit their proposals and the winners will be announced at the Audubon Assembly Chapter Celebration. 

Plants for Birds grants funded a variety of activities this past season:

A colorful mural featuring patchwork squares of different images on the side of a building.
Pelican Island Audubon Society in Vero Beach planted their second public garden at the Up Against Poverty of Indian River County headquarters. In addition to the goal of planting 100,000 plants, this community partnership illustrates a long-term vision of an inclusive Audubon.
People work on plants surrounding a group of bird feeders.
Peace River Audubon Society volunteers used their grant funds to install native plants at the Charlotte Harbor Environmental Center (CHEC) to improve the habitat behind their bird blind.
A Little Free Library, filled with books, with a South Florida Audubon Society sign hanging from the bottom.
The South Florida Audubon Society butterfly garden is a labor of love requiring regular maintenance after the initial installation was completed. This past season, the Plants for Birds grant enabled them to add plant material, mulch, and supplies for the "little library."
A group of people pose for a photo in the woods.
Four Rivers Audubon in North Central Florida has promoted native plants for more than 10 years. This year, the Plants for Birds grant funded a new program called “Become a Native Plant Ambassador.” The program engaged their Master Gardeners and other plant enthusiasts with tips on how to begin incorporating native plants into the more traditional landscapes they create. Each program participant received a $50 gift certificate to a native plant nursery and a yard sign to inspire others to do the same.
Kids pose in front of a native plant garden at their school.
Southeast Volusia Audubon Society volunteers applied their talents, sweat, and funds to install a native plant garden, complete with solar bird bath, at a nearby elementary school. This project began in 2020 when they won their first Plants for Birds Grant. Three years later, the project has literally flourished.

This article originally appeared in the Fall 2023 issue of The Naturalist magazine. 

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