Back to Nature Through Birding

May 27th and 28th, 2022

Led by the cover feature of Business Alabama Magazine...Christopher Joe
Chris' Bio:
My name is Christopher Joe. I’m a native of Greensboro, Alabama. My parents are Cornelius and Leola Joe. My father is a retired agribusiness educator with 30+ years of teaching experience. I’m a 2007 graduate of Alabama A & M University with a BS in Agribusiness Management. I’m a District Conservationist located in Macon County Alabama with the Natural Resources Conservation Service, an agency under the USDA. I’m married to Christy Joe and have an 18-month-old daughter named Summer Grace and we reside in Montgomery, AL. I have 2 older brothers and a younger sister.

I started Connecting with Birds and Nature Tours, LLC. October 31, 2018 to diversify the family’s Black Angus cattle farm. The property has been in the family since the early 1900s. It is located on 200 acres in Newbern, Alabama. The property consists of pasture, bottomland hardwood, and a creek.

I reached out to Alabama Audubon of Birmingham, Alabama to assess the potential of birding tours on August 26, 2018. I hosted my first birding tour at the property for some of the members of the Alabama Audubon Society and University of Alabama graduate students on February 16, 2019. On July 20, 2019, the first ever Black Belt Birding Tour was hosted on the farm and was the largest group ever with more than 120+ people attending.

Although the focus is on birders, we offer other activities such as nature walks and biking, and even camping. We are accessible to all visitors as we have an 18-foot trailer with a spring-loaded ramp for wheelchairs and people with mobility issues.
Retreat Description:
Our goal is to use the resources at Camp Sumatanga to encounter God through nature...Birding is a great place to start.  Chris is creating a schedule for your Friday evening and most the day Saturday.  Check back soon for the schedule.
Retreat Cost:
Single Occupancy    $200
Double Occupancy  $150