Dallas County Audubon Society Inc
About Dallas County Audubon Society Inc
If you want to back conservation you can actually see and walk through, Dallas County Audubon Society gives you that. It manages Cedar Ridge Preserve, a 633-acre natural sanctuary in North Texas with trails, bird habitat, native prairies, woodlands, and butterfly gardens, and it hosts about 500,000 visitors there each year. Beyond the preserve, it brings the Dallas community into birding, citizen science, youth nature programs, and habitat restoration, so the work stays close to home.
What sets Dallas County Audubon Society apart is how rooted it is in Dallas itself. Its work centers on Cedar Ridge Preserve and the Songbird Sanctuary, with volunteers helping lead stewardship, education, and habitat restoration. That means a gift supports both the land and the people learning how to care for it.
Programs
The concrete work this nonprofit runs. Each program may later become a fundable project.
Cedar Ridge Preserve stewardship
Manages and maintains the 633-acre Cedar Ridge Preserve, a natural sanctuary with hiking trails, native prairies, woodlands, butterfly gardens, and bird habitat.
Birding field trips
Offers guided field trips to birding locations in North Texas and beyond, including local lakes, urban rookery sites, and the Texas Gulf Coast.
Bird surveys and citizen science
Coordinates Christmas Bird Counts, Great Backyard Bird Count participation, Climate Watch, breeding bird surveys, and other bird monitoring projects.
Educational programs and nature walks
Provides educational programs for children and adults, bird identification classes, nature walks, and outreach events.
Habitat restoration workshops and projects
Supports prairie restoration, post-oak forest restoration, pollinator garden workshops, milkweed workshops, and other habitat improvement projects.
Youth nature programs
Includes the Young Naturalist Program, Junior Ranger and Advanced Jr. Ranger expeditions, Summer Nature Camp, and High School Nature Stewards.
Volunteer conservation workdays
Includes Conservation-in-Action workdays, trail maintenance, habitat restoration, and other volunteer projects at the preserve.
About this work
In their own words — what they do, who it reaches, and what your dollars actually fund.
Mission
Our mission is to support and promote the conservation of birds and other wildlife, the protection of habitat and biodiversity, and the provision of education and opportunities for our entire community to observe and appreciate nature.
Who they serve
Birders, nature lovers, children and adults, volunteers, and the North Texas community.
Their impact
- Hosts about 500,000 visitors annually at Cedar Ridge Preserve.
- Purchased a 60-acre tract west of Cedar Ridge Preserve in 2025 for the Songbird Sanctuary.
- Manages the 633-acre Cedar Ridge Preserve.
How your donation helps
- Stewardship of Cedar Ridge Preserve
- Maintenance of hiking trails
- Restoration of native ecosystems
- Educational programs for children and adults
- Protection of habitat for threatened and migratory bird species
Our story
Dallas County Audubon Society was founded in 1973 as a local chapter of the National Audubon Society. It is volunteer-run and manages Cedar Ridge Preserve, taking over the preserve’s management and education responsibilities in 2003 from the Dallas Nature Center. In 2025, it purchased a 60-acre tract west of the preserve for the Songbird Sanctuary, which is planned to open in 2026.
Events
Conservation-in-Action Workdays
1st and 3rd Saturdays of the monthGroup volunteer days focused on habitat restoration and trail maintenance at Cedar Ridge Preserve.
Young Naturalist Program
September 2026 through May 2027A hands-on program for grades 4 and 5 that combines classroom learning, field experiences, and service projects at Cedar Ridge Preserve.
Summer Nature Camp at Cedar Ridge Preserve
July 2026A summer camp with hikes, birding, insect lessons, animal visitors, fossil making, planting, journaling, and painting.
Advanced Jr. Ranger Expeditions
MonthlyMonthly nature programs for youth that focus on topics such as aquatics, snakes and herpetology, fossils and geology, and bioblitz biodiversity activities.
The Story of Merlin
July 16, 2026An online webinar about Merlin, Sound ID, and birding technology.
Ways to help
Concrete needs and volunteer roles Dallas County Audubon Society Inc has shared.
Volunteer opportunities
- Habitat restoration at Cedar Ridge Preserve
- Trail maintenance workdays
- Christmas Bird Count participation
- Great Backyard Bird Count participation
- Emerald ash borer monitoring
- Monarch butterfly tagging
- Bioblitz events
Recognition & press
Partners & funders
In the news
Articles featuring Dallas County Audubon Society Inc from the Love What You Fund newsroom.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about this nonprofit and how its work happens.
What kinds of programs does Audubon Dallas offer?
It offers birding field trips, bird identification classes, nature walks, educational programs for children and adults, outreach events, habitat improvement projects, and bird surveys.
How does Conservation-in-Action work?
Conservation-in-Action workdays are group volunteer days on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of the month. Volunteers help with habitat restoration and trail maintenance at Cedar Ridge Preserve.
What is Cedar Ridge Preserve?
Cedar Ridge Preserve is a 633-acre natural sanctuary managed by Audubon Dallas. It has about nine miles of trails through native prairies, woodlands, and butterfly gardens.
What youth programs are available?
Youth programs include the Young Naturalist Program, Junior Ranger and Advanced Jr. Ranger expeditions, Summer Nature Camp, and High School Nature Stewards.