Sherri Smith Birds Rise Above It All Fund
The Birds Rise Above It All Fund invites support from anyone who values the vital role birds play in our ecosystem. Contributions are currently being matched up to $50,000. To make a gift in Sherri’s memory, please click here.
The Thousand Islands Land Trust and the Northern New York Community Foundation (NNYCF) are proud to announce the launch of Birds Rise Above It All, a permanent endowment inspired by the life and legacy of Sherri Smith, a cherished local birding expert and devoted advocate for the natural world.
Through this partnership, a lasting fund dedicated to bird conservation, habitat restoration, and environmental education in the Thousand Islands region has been established.
“Sherri’s love for birds was more than a passion, it was a perspective. She believed that birds reminded us to look up, rise above, and to reconnect with nature,” said Spencer Busler, TILT’s Assistant Director. “This fund will carry that vision forward, protecting the places that birds, and people, need to thrive.”
To fully realize the fund’s potential, contributions to the endowment will be matched up to $50,000 by the NNYCF, providing a powerful pathway for donors to help grow the fund and amplify its impact. These resources will directly support habitat restoration, land stewardship, and community engagement initiatives across more than 15,000 acres of conserved land. Efforts will focus on grasslands, wetlands, forests, and other critical habitats, ensuring that nesting, migratory, and overwintering species continue to thrive.