Old Lyme - Roger Tory Peterson was a giant in his field, and his name resonates to this day as someone who revolutionized the world of birding.There's the Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History in Peterson's hometown of Jamestown, N.Y. The penguin exhibit at the Mystic Aquarium and Institute for Exploration is named after the late ornithologist, naturalist and artist. And in Old Lyme, the state designated Great Island as the Roger Tory Peterson Wildlife Area.

There's the Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History in Peterson's hometown of Jamestown, N.Y. The penguin exhibit at the Mystic Aquarium and Institute for Exploration is named after the late ornithologist, naturalist and artist. And in Old Lyme, the state designated Great Island as the Roger Tory Peterson Wildlife Area.But there's another place in town rich with Peterson history that few know still exists: Peterson's art studio, a green, one-story structure on his property at 131 Neck Road in Old Lyme where Peterson worked on his meticulous illustrations of birds. His drawings, published in numerous field guides, heightened public recognition of Peterson's work and made him a household name.

But there's another place in town rich with Peterson history that few know still exists: Peterson's art studio, a green, one-story structure on his property at 131 Neck Road in Old Lyme where Peterson worked on his meticulous illustrations of birds. His drawings, published in numerous field guides, heightened public recognition of Peterson's work and made him a household name.Inside, the studio remains much the way Peterson left it when he died in 1996 at age 87. Glass jars of paint brushes still sit along the window sill in his drawing space. Pencils stand at the ready, their tips hand-sharpened as if Peterson were going to return at any moment to use them.

Inside, the studio remains much the way Peterson left it when he died in 1996 at age 87. Glass jars of paint brushes still sit along the window sill in his drawing space. Pencils stand at the ready, their tips hand-sharpened as if Peterson were going to return at any moment to use them.For a group of four women, including Peterson's former studio assistant, Elizabeth Gentile, this dated but tidy studio is an invaluable resource that would help further Peterson's work to educate the public about birds and the importance of nature preservation.

For a group of four women, including Peterson's former studio assistant, Elizabeth Gentile, this dated but tidy studio is an invaluable resource that would help further Peterson's work to educate the public about birds and the importance of nature preservation.The Friends of Roger Tory Peterson, as the women call themselves, is organizing as a nonprofit with the leadership of Kathryn Burton, president of the East Lyme and Niantic Land Conservation Trust. The goal is to purchase the studio and its surrounding 2.7 acres, currently on the market for $335,000 as a single-family home, and converting it into an educational center.

The Friends of Roger Tory Peterson, as the women call themselves, is organizing as a nonprofit with the leadership of Kathryn Burton, president of the East Lyme and Niantic Land Conservation Trust. The goal is to purchase the studio and its surrounding 2.7 acres, currently on the market for $335,000 as a single-family home, and converting it into an educational center.The Nature Conservancy owns 56 acres of surrounding land it purchased from the Peterson family in 2002.

The Nature Conservancy owns 56 acres of surrounding land it purchased from the Peterson family in 2002."People don't realize what he did for the birds in this country," Burton said. "He was very instrumental in getting rid of (the pesticide) DDT and so many other things around the world, not just here."

"People don't realize what he did for the birds in this country," Burton said. "He was very instrumental in getting rid of (the pesticide) DDT and so many other things around the world, not just here."Peterson is widely recognized as the man who helped transform the study of birds from that of capturing (read: shooting) and examining to watching or photographing them in their natural setting and then using those observations to create detailed illustrations.

Peterson is widely recognized as the man who helped transform the study of birds from that of capturing (read: shooting) and examining to watching or photographing them in their natural setting and then using those observations to create detailed illustrations.Peterson also helped make the hobby of birding accessible to everyone, not just the wealthy, with his field guides, first published in 1934 by the publishing house Houghton Mifflin.

Peterson also helped make the hobby of birding accessible to everyone, not just the wealthy, with his field guides, first published in 1934 by the publishing house Houghton Mifflin."He gave us the wherewithal, with his guides, to recognize what we were seeing out there," said Kathy Lockwood, who along with friend Janet Cody began garnering interest for the effort to preserve Peterson's studio.

"He gave us the wherewithal, with his guides, to recognize what we were seeing out there," said Kathy Lockwood, who along with friend Janet Cody began garnering interest for the effort to preserve Peterson's studio.As Cody put it, "Once it's gone, it's gone."

As Cody put it, "Once it's gone, it's gone.""Extinct," Lockwood added, as if Peterson's studio were one of the birds Peterson himself used to study. "It's gone. If they buy the place as a home, rip the place apart, it's gone."

"Extinct," Lockwood added, as if Peterson's studio were one of the birds Peterson himself used to study. "It's gone. If they buy the place as a home, rip the place apart, it's gone."Lockwood and Cody, both amateur birders and neighbors, had the right level of enthusiasm to generate interest in the preservation project. Gentile, who worked as Peterson's studio assistant for 18 years and continued to catalogue his work at the studio until September, brought to the table an intricate knowledge of Peterson's work and character.

Lockwood and Cody, both amateur birders and neighbors, had the right level of enthusiasm to generate interest in the preservation project. Gentile, who worked as Peterson's studio assistant for 18 years and continued to catalogue his work at the studio until September, brought to the table an intricate knowledge of Peterson's work and character."Dr. Peterson would be smiling if he knew you were working to save this," Gentile told the group at a meeting in his studio last week. "This would have been his vision as well."

"Dr. Peterson would be smiling if he knew you were working to save this," Gentile told the group at a meeting in his studio last week. "This would have been his vision as well."But it wasn't until Burton, who lives in East Lyme and owns property in Old Lyme, stepped in as someone with experience leading nonprofits, that Friends of Roger Tory Peterson truly began to take shape. Burton filed the paperwork to establish the group as a nonprofit a week ago, meaning the group can begin collecting donations.

But it wasn't until Burton, who lives in East Lyme and owns property in Old Lyme, stepped in as someone with experience leading nonprofits, that Friends of Roger Tory Peterson truly began to take shape. Burton filed the paperwork to establish the group as a nonprofit a week ago, meaning the group can begin collecting donations.So committed is Burton to seeing the property preserved and used an educational tool for new generations of birders that she is prepared to pay the down payment for purchase of the property. She would later be reimbursed with donations the group collects, she said.

So committed is Burton to seeing the property preserved and used an educational tool for new generations of birders that she is prepared to pay the down payment for purchase of the property. She would later be reimbursed with donations the group collects, she said.The studio, which has large windows that overlook the woods on one side and a koi pond adorned with sculptures of frogs, ducks and birds on the other, is a unique place where visitors can feel Peterson's presence, Gentile said.

The studio, which has large windows that overlook the woods on one side and a koi pond adorned with sculptures of frogs, ducks and birds on the other, is a unique place where visitors can feel Peterson's presence, Gentile said."Every time I walk in here, I get this calm," she said. "His spirit is definitely here, and this is where it should stay."

"Every time I walk in here, I get this calm," she said. "His spirit is definitely here, and this is where it should stay."j.cho@theday.com

j.cho@theday.com

HOW TO HELP

Friends of Roger Tory Peterson is a group organizing as a nonprofit to turn the late, famed ornithologist and wildlife artist's studio in Old Lyme into an educational center.

For information and to donate to the cause, contact Friends president Kathryn Burton at (860) 434-8702 or at kburton759@aol.com.