The Adirondack Center for Loon Conservation (ACLC) has unveiled the first set of exhibits in the new “A Year in the Life of a Loon” series. This initial installation focuses on courtship and nesting behaviors of the Adirondacks’ iconic bird.
“We are so excited to introduce the first stage of these museum-quality exhibits,” said Dorothy Waldt, Executive Director of the Adirondack Loon Center. “More than 10,000 visitors came to the center last year, up nearly 20 percent from the year before. The more we can engage visitors in understanding how important this species is to the health of the Adirondacks, the more awareness there will be for protecting loons into the future.”
The new exhibit, designed and installed by Hadley Exhibits, Inc. of Buffalo, NY, will offer interactive features and bright, engaging wall panels with photographs by local photographers. Hadley Exhibits also provided in-kind support for the design and fabrication of the exhibits according to the ACLC.
Dr. Nina Schoch, founder of ACLC and current Director of Science and Conservation, said she has been conceptualizing the exhibits since the organization received nonprofit status in 2017. At the time, the organization was in a much smaller space.
“I felt we should be an education facility where people could come to learn about loon ecology and conservation, as well as our research and conservation programs,” she said. “When we moved to our current location in the summer of 2021, we had more room to begin planning.”
The “Courtship and Nesting” exhibit was funded in part by the Environmental Protection Agency under assistance agreement to New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission in partnership with the Lake Champlain Basin Program.
North Elba Local Enhancement and Advancement Fund (LEAF) and Brookfield Renewable N.A. also funded the project, as well as donations from individual supporters.
ACLC’s winter hours are Wednesdays through Saturdays from 10 am until 5 pm.
The Adirondack Center for Loon Conservation, located at 75 Main Street in Saranac Lake, NY, is a non-profit that conducts scientific research and engages in educational programming to promote the conservation of Common Loons (Gavia immer) in and beyond New York’s Adirondack Park.
Read more about loons in New York.
Photo of Adirondack Loon Center Courtship and Nesting exhibit provided.
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