Birmingham, Mich. (Oct. 15, 2026) — Don Burlett of Oakland Chicken Alliance, an Audubon affiliated chapter in Oakland County Michigan, was introduced with Audubon Nice Lakes’ 2026 Alan Dolan Nice Lakes Conservation Advocacy Award in the course of the 2026 Audubon Nice Lakes Chapter Chief Gathering held October 2-4 in Dayton, Ohio.
The award acknowledges one excellent Audubon chief throughout the Nice Lakes community chosen for his or her group service, environmental advocacy and deep dedication to defending birds and their habitats. The award is known as in honor of the late Alan Dolan, a conservation chief who served because the President of Canton Audubon Society in Ohio for 30 years and the Nationwide Audubon Society board of administrators for eight years.
Burlett, former President and present Program Chair for Oakland Chicken Alliance, is acknowledged for his chook information, and management in rising Oakland Chicken Alliance by bringing chapter members, volunteers and the larger Oakland County group collectively to study extra about birds and have interaction of their conservation.
“Don has made Oakland Chicken Alliance a welcoming and joyful place for each longtime birders and people new to birding and conservation,” mentioned Izabela Grobelna, Engagement Supervisor for Audubon Nice Lakes. “By increasing the flock, Don has created alternatives for members to understand birds and participate of their safety.”
“I’m deeply honored to be chosen for this honor,” mentioned Burlett. “The legacy of Alan Dolan and the nice work and achievements of my fellow Audubon leaders have impressed me for a few years. Everybody main Audubon chapters within the Nice Lakes area deserves this recognition and I hope to proceed my work advocating for birds.”
Burlett is a retired analysis scientist with a PhD in natural chemistry, who served as President of Oakland Chicken Alliance for 18 years. An excellent birder and world traveler, Burlett led quite a few subject journeys that grew in reputation on account of Burlett’s chook ID information. He helped revive Oakland Chicken Alliance’s Younger Birders Membership, a program that engages youth in studying alternatives and chook outings. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Burlett launched “Lockdown Birding,” which inspired chapter members and volunteers to trace native chook sightings from their backyards and share them with each other. Some volunteers shared a whole bunch of sightings. Exterior of Oakland Chicken Alliance, he teaches a Birding 101 persevering with training course at Schoolcraft School in Livonia, Michigan, additional sharing his love of birding.
Burlett can be acknowledged for his contributions to conservation. He created and helped fill a Conservation/Atmosphere Officer position at Oakland Chicken Alliance, increasing his chapter’s involvement in native native plant gross sales, natural-area-improvement workdays and different actions to assist birds and the setting.
A chapter committee representing the Nice Lakes area chosen Burlett for the award on the bi-annual Chapter Chief Gathering which brough greater than 30 Audubon chapter members and leaders from throughout the Nice Lakes area collectively.
The award itself was created from a clay sculpture, created by artist Carmen Ostermann, Administrative and Venture Coordinator for the Columbus Audubon Society, that was on show on the Lake County Audubon Society’s “By means of the Eyes of the Piping Plover” exhibit at Lake Forest School in Grayslake.
