BOISE, Idaho — The Peregrine Fund's World Center for Birds of Prey has launched the public phase of a $3.2 million capital campaign to expand educational opportunities and exhibits at its interpretive center. The campaign, called HATCHED, has raised 84 percent of the funding needed for the project to break ground this summer.
A news release says the Center has seen a 48 percent growth over a four-year period, as well as a need to reinvest in aging infrastructure. Nearly a million guests and around 500,000 children have visited the Center since it opened.
The design will double the capacity to serve students and the public, create STEM learning opportunities and show how we can act on behalf of wildlife and crucial landscapes, according to the release.
“A visit to the World Center for Birds of Prey has become a rite of passage for students across the Treasure Valley, getting nose-to-beak with some of nature’s most inspiring birds while falling in love with our natural heritage,” says Tate Mason, Director of the Center. “We provide children and visitors of all ages the opportunity to see themselves as scientists and, through the lens of raptor conservation, learn how we can all play a role in conserving our wildlife and wild places. This expansion will continue to offer free grant-funded field trips for students and educators while increasing our visitation capacity by 100%.”
The expansion will include a Global Raptor Education Center, landscape-based Peregrine Falcon and Hawk exhibits, a courtyard and an outdoor classroom. The release says there will be elements of play and exploration built into the new facilities and children will engage in hands-on, STEM-based learning.
“Our upcoming education campus will celebrate Idaho’s wildlife and landscapes while exploring the world of raptors and inspiring the next generation of responsible land stewards,” says Dr. Rick Watson, President and CEO of The Peregrine Fund. “We know that saving species requires people to care enough to make changes that not only help the birds, but also to ultimately benefit humans. The new exhibits will focus on raptor and human coexistence through simple common sense actions taken by businesses, governments, landowners, and individuals to protect the lands we cherish and want to safeguard for future generations.”
There will also be new parking facilities and more restrooms to address current and future needs, considering the increase in visits and growing interest from local and national visitors.
The public phase of HATCHED includes the option to buy engraved bricks for the new campus and scholarship opportunities. To learn more about the HATCHED campaign, click here.
