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Foundation secures $500 grant for local Project Owlnet team

  • Writer: Allyson Robinson
    Allyson Robinson
  • Dec 22, 2025
  • 2 min read

Updated: 3 days ago

The Foundation for Geauga Parks (FGP) secured a $500 Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Wildlife Education Grant to support the local Project Owlnet team—Dan Best, Ann Bugeda, and Alison Huey—in purchasing new nets for Northern Saw-whet Owl banding.


Each year, the Geauga County Project Owlnet team captures Northern Saw-whet Owls using specialized nets, collects important biological data, and uploads that information to a nationwide research database. The owls are carefully banded and released to continue their migration, contributing valuable insights into owl movement and population trends.


Founded in 1994, Project Owlnet is an international research initiative that promotes collaboration, innovation, and standardized methods among hundreds of owl migration researchers across North America and beyond. By providing consistent netting protocols, capture techniques, aging and sexing resources, analytical tools, and data archiving, Project Owlnet helps ornithologists better understand owl biology and migration patterns (ProjectOwlnet.org).


According to Project Owlnet, the organization’s three primary goals are to:

  • Support the continued expansion of a network of migratory owl banding stations

  • Promote the use of standardized, comparable netting protocols

  • Improve communication and coordination among owl migration research stations worldwide


As part of its educational outreach, the Foundation for Geauga Parks invites donors to exclusive viewing opportunities during the banding season. These events allow guests to observe the banding process up close and learn more about owls and the scientific importance of banding from local experts. This year, FGP Executive Director Christine Davidson announced that the Foundation’s newly secured $500 ODNR grant will enable the Project Owlnet team to replace nets damaged during the banding process, ensuring the continuation of this important research effort.




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