About Us

Our mission is to conserve and protect natural ecosystems, birds, and other wildlife.

In the mid-1970s, a Great Blue Heron rookery was discovered right in the path of a planned freeway off-ramp. Tom Shaver, his students from a Green River Community College birding class, and Federal Way resident Thais Bock began working with the state Department of Transportation to see if it would be possible to re-route the ramp. Their efforts were successful; the ramp was re-routed and the rookery preserved. Tom was honored with an Environmental Excellence Award for his work.

The need for another Audubon chapter emerged, as the area was right between the Seattle and Tacoma chapters, and its population was in a kind of “no man’s land.” In 1978, the Rainier Chapter was granted existence by National Audubon. Tom Shaver was elected the first president.

Since that time, Rainier Audubon has been active in the south King County community, offering free monthly programs at the Federal Way United Methodist Church on the third Monday of each month, September through June; as well as field trips for members around the south King County area. We also participate in local conservation and birding activities, such as the annual Tukwila Backyard Habitat Festival, bird censusing at Kent Ponds, and ocean clean-up day.

Rainier Audubon publishes a monthly newsletter, The Heron Herald, sent to all subscribers via email upon publication.

View our draft Strategic Plan.