Located in Vermillion County, the Middlefork Audubon Society was formed in 1995 as a chapter of the Illinois Audubon Society, the oldest conservation organization in the state, established in 1897. Prior to that, the local group was known as the Vermilion County Audubon Society and was originally chartered in 1951 and affiliated with the National Audubon Society until its dissolution.
The Vermilion County Audubon Society supported the passage of the Illinois Conservation District Act of 1963, and local members helped in passing the referendum which formed the local Vermilion County Conservation District. Several Middlefork Chapter members volunteer at events in our county parks and preserves, and the chapter helps provide educational materials for school classes participating in the district’s “Outdoor School Program” which started in 1974.
Middlefork Audubon continues to partner with the Vermilion County Conservation District, and also supports the programs and projects of its parent organization, the Illinois Audubon Society (IAS). The IAS has 17 chapters and 14 sanctuaries around the state and is a well-respected leader in land preservation and conservation education in Illinois.
