The New River Birding & Nature Festival is located in and around the New River Gorge National River. Administrated by the National Park Service, this area is the heart of the upland, hardwood forests that Cornell Lab of Ornithology has identified as a crucial stopover habitat for the continued survival of species such as Golden-winged,Blue-winged, and Swainson’s warbler, as well as the Scarlet Tanager.

The festival will include a wide array of educational and entertainment opportunities: Guarantee vans, birding by boat, birding in nature, world-class speakers and artists, to name a few.The New River Birding and Nature Festival will highlight over 100 species of birds.

A key component of the New River Birding and Nature Festival is our unique classroom education program that ensures continuing education in our schools concerning the need for preservation of habitat.

Funded through excess festival revenues, our education program also offers a unique opportunity for your company to provide its own conservation and preservation message through handouts we carry into the classroom.While this program is currently limited to schools in our four-county area of southern West Virginia,efforts are now afoot to incorporate it statewide through the state ’s unique Travel West Virginia Curriculum.

To date, well over a thousand students have been reached through this program with the festival and its partners contributing in excess of $15,000.

While all of us are eagerly awaiting the start of the festival in May and the great birding that will come with it, the real focus of the entire New River Birding and Nature Festival has always been on education. In order for us to continue to be a hot-bed for colorful migrants each spring we have to spread the message about preserving critical habitat. Funds from this year's Festival will go directly toward programs in our schools and our communities.

If our education focus is of interest to you, the best way to help is to sign up for as many of the festival events as you can. We can promise an opportunity to learn more about birding, great food at most of the sessions (included in the price), a wonderful time, and a way to tell our young people about the importance of conservation while introducing them to the passion we share in birding.

Kevin Karlson - Cape May, New Jersey
"Of all of the Festivals I have been associated with, none have assembled the talent that New River Biridng and Nature Festival has. You certainly know how to take people to the birds."

Kathy Lott - McMurray, Pennsylvania
"This was the only vacation I've experienced where I had to go back to work to get some rest. But for the 36 life birds I gladly trade in the lack of sleep."

http://www.birding-wv.com/