He started the program in 2002 with a Service Centennial Challenge Cost Share grant. He takes visually impaired people on bird walks where all the birding is done by ear. It's easy to do, you don't even need to be an expert on bird songs. All you need is an appreciation of nature and a willingness to share it with others. You need to find some good partners. LIFE, Inc. (Living Independently for Everyone) and LINC, Inc. (Living Independent Network Corp.), two of around 400 Independent Living Centers nationwide, helped locate participants and transport them. Idaho Departments of Parks and Recreation and of Fish and Game, and Camas and Minidoka NWRs provided safe sites to hold the events. Portneuf Valley Audubon Society and private individuals provided bird tapes and CDs of bird songs.

"It's an easy program to do, and it does not cost much" Bouffard said. "We managed to do several programs over two summers with the start up grant money we got". With the help of a group in Texas, the Rio Grande Valley Blind and Visually Impaired Birders, and Steve Martin at Benton Lake NWR, the refuge has developed some preliminary guidelines on how to run this program. You should try it at your refuge or hatchery; it's great for the participants, it's great for the leaders, and it's good for the Service. Bouffard is willing to talk to anyone interested in starting a similar program (Minidoka NWR 208-436-3589).

"It's one of the most rewarding programs I've ever done", Bouffard said. "You get a chance to expose visually impaired people to the wonders of nature. This is a group of people that are basically ignored when it comes to outdoor activity. From talking with the participants, you know most of them spend their lives, day after day, sitting in a chair. It takes so little and means so much to them. I've always been thanked for leading bird walks - heaven knows I've led a few, but this was the first time I heard ?thank you so much for the tour, no one ever did anything like this for us before.'"