Philanthropy

University of Miami

Located in Coral Gables, Florida, and approaching the centennial of its founding, the University of Miami is a select-enrollment research university enjoying a strong history in environmental, organismal and marine biology. Supported in part by a Maytag Fellowship, Dr. Kushlan received his PhD at the university under the mentorship of Professor Oscar T. Owre, first holder of the Maytag Chair of Ornithology. His doctorate was a study of the bird that later would be identified as the university’s mascot, the white ibis. He held the position of adjunct assistant professor of biological sciences from 1976 to 1980. Starting in 2008, he has served as a member of the School of Arts and Sciences advisory committee and in 2012 to 2015 co-chaired the college’s capital campaign. He was recognized by election to the Society of University Founders in 2009 and the Merrick Society in 2011. The James A. Kushlan Chair for Waterbird Biology and Conservation was established to encourage continuation of the distinguished history of ornithology at the university begun by Professor Owre and to facilitate research and conservation of aquatic birds, one of Dr. Kushlan’s own professional specialties. The chair provides a joint appointment between the Department of Biology and the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences. The James A. Kushlan Chair’s research and teaching concentrate on waterbirds. The James A. Kushlan Graduate Student Research Grants further support organismal biology more broadly. They are competitively awarded to graduate students by the Biology Department.

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden

Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden is an 80-acre public botanical garden, research and conservation center located in Coral Gables, Florida. Dr. Kushlan has served on the garden’s board of trustees starting in 2011, with a particular emphasis on research and conservation. The garden specializes in tropical plants and botany education. The public garden’s role in providing suburban habitat for birds led to his authorship of the book Birds of Fairchild, illustrated by the photographs of Kirsten Hines. Kushlan and Hines’ book, Attracting Birds to South Florida Gardens, is a guide to the unique opportunities and conservation needs for private gardens in South Florida.   Fairchild’s James A. Kushlan Bird Conservation Program encourages and informs bird conservation through recognition of the importance of plants and gardens to South Florida’s native birds.  Among the program’s features is the Kushlan Bird Trail. The  trail,  the garden’s eBird site, and birding programs provide on-site birding guidance.

Zoo Miami

Zoo Miami is the region’s principal zoological park and has always been an interest of Dr. Kushlan’s since childhood, a connection actually illustrated in his book Key Biscayne. From its origin as a small collection, it has grown into one of the world’s largest and among the most prestigious zoos. Dr. Kushlan’s has had a long-term interest in fostering the role of zoos in conservation and conservation education, particularly their potential role in waterbird conservation. He served on the board of the ZooMiami Foundation from 2012 to 2020, its chair in 2016-2018, and remains an emeritus director. On the foundation board, he focused on long-term financial, policy, and management stability. At the zoo, he encouraged increasing its emphasis on conservation and research on South Florida’s wildlife.

In 2016 Zoo Miami opened Florida: Mission Everglades, its permanent exhibit providing opportunities to learn about South Florida’s wildlife and their habitats. As part of Florida: Mission Everglades, The James A. Kushlan Waterbird Exhibit provides an introduction for zoo visitors to South Florida’s wading birds and their conservation. The Zoo Miami Foundation has also established the James A. Kushlan Wading Bird Research and Conservation Grants  to support conservation research on wading birds.

Waterbird Society

Dr. Kushlan was a founding member of the Colonial Waterbird Group that over the following nearly five decades decades evolved into the Waterbird Society and is now an international professional organization for the study of aquatic birds, one of Dr. Kushlan’s main research and conservation interests. He served in numerous capacities in the society through the years. From 1985 to 1988, he was editor of the society’s journal. Dr. Kushlan helped lead an expansion of the vision and scope of the society and its journal, now known as Waterbirds. He served as the society’s president from 1996 to 1998 and  received its life-time achievement award for waterbird conservation in 2003. The Waterbird Society’s Kushlan Research Award in Ciconiiform Biology and Conservation provides support for studies of herons, storks, ibises and spoonbills.

BirdsCaribbean

BirdsCaribbean is the largest regional organization dedicated to the conservation of wild birds and their habitats in the insular Caribbean. Dr. Kushlan has been involved with the organizations since its founding, 35 years ago. His principal contributions involved waterbird and seabird conservation planning. He also has conducted waterbird and seabird studies through the region and in recovering Caribbean nature though creating habitat for birds. The society provides James A. Kushlan research and conservation grants for Caribbean waterbirds.

Hawk Mountain Sanctuary

Hawk Mountain Sanctuary is a bird sanctuary in eastern Pennsylvania that achieved its fame initially as a place to protect and monitor raptors migrating along the Appalachian Mountains. In recent years, it also developed an internationally-focused research and conservation program housed at the Acopian Center for Conservation Learning. Among the Sanctuary’ successful innovative programs is its intern mentorship program, especially for international students who then are expected to take the skills learned back to their home country to establish conservation programs. In support of this program, the Sanctuary annually gives James A. Kushlan Awards for funding graduate students’ experiences in research and conservation.

Everglades Foundation

Much of Dr. Kushlan’s scholarship has been focused on issues of wildlife and wetland conservation in south Florida’s Everglades. The Everglades Foundation is a leading advocate for restoration of the Everglades.  As a member of the foundation’s board since 2011, Dr. Kushlan has led board engagement with science, science-policy, and education, the latter resulting in the foundation’s Everglades literacy program, a hugely successfully initiative providing educational opportunities to school children throughout South Florida.

Much of Dr. Kushlan’s scholarship has been focused on issues of wildlife and wetland conservation in south Florida’s Everglades. The Everglades Foundation is a leading advocate for restoration of the Everglades.  As a member of the foundation’s board since 2011, Dr. Kushlan has led board engagement with science, science-policy, and education, the latter resulting in the foundation’s Everglades literacy program, a hugely successfully initiative providing educational opportunities to school children throughout South Florida.

John Cabot University

John Cabot University is an American liberal arts university located in Rome, Italy. Dr. Kushlan served on the board from 1993 to 2006 including as vice-chair. For much of that period, Dr. Kushlan chaired the Academic Affairs Committee and led the board’s engagement in securing stand-alone accreditation for the university, developing its library resources, achieving financial stability and growth, establishing study-abroad programs, and campus expansion. The university awarded him an honorary doctorate in science in 1999 and its presidential citation in 2000. He continues engagement as an honorary trustee. In recognition of his contributions to the institution, the college named an academic building for Dr. Kushlan and has established the James A. Kushlan Lecture Series in Environmental Conservation.