SPOTLIGHT ON: Banding Together: The History and Legacy of Jack Miner (12:00 pm) – May 5

Date and Time: May 5 at 12:00 pm

Location: Visitor Centre Theatre

Fee: Included with park admission

Registration not required

Description: Founded in 1904, the Jack Miner Migratory Bird Sanctuary became one of the first waterfowl sanctuaries in North America, laying the groundwork for modern bird conservation. Its founder, Kingsville naturalist Jack Miner, was once described by the Minneapolis Journal as the “Father of Conservation”–an unlikely title for a self-taught outdoorsman and accomplished hunter. Yet it was precisely his intimate knowledge of wildlife and the land that propelled him into the forefront of the early conservation movement.

A pioneer of waterfowl banding and founder of the Migratory Waterfowl Refuge System, Miner completed the first full banding record of a wild duck and helped influence the development of regulated hunting practices across the continent. He also founded the Outdoor Writers Association of America and was appointed to the Order of the British Empire for what was described as “the greatest achievement in conservation in the British Empire.”

This presentation at the Festival of Birds at Point Pelee National Park invites you to explore the remarkable life and times of Jack Miner–and to consider how his legacy continues to shape conservation today as the Sanctuary honours its history while evolving to meet the challenges of the future.