Get to Know Andy Sabin, Naturalist, Environmentalist, Philanthropist

Many probably know the name Andy Sabin from his business in metals that has, as he describes it, “enables me to cover all my overhead and donations to philanthropic causes.”

“My father bought and sold World War II surplus materials,” says Sabin, who lives in Bridgehampton. “I was the one who started the metals business. It has succeeded beyond my wildest dreams.”

Others may know him from the East Hampton-headquartered Andrew Sabin Family Foundation. But, there’s a group of people in the Hamptons who know him as the reptile and amphibian guy.

Sabin, who last year alone gave millions of dollars to 206 charities worldwide, enjoys being known as an environmentalist and philanthropist who can make developers quake in their boots.

“I am passionate about a lot of things,” says Sabin, 80, an avid hiker, who has had 14 species of animals named after him or other family members. “I like teaching people about nature, and the importance of protecting the environment. I remember when I was nine years old catching frogs and tadpoles, and I still

love doing it. I guess I never grew up.”

Sabin, who founded the South Fork Natural History Museum and Nature Center in 1988 with a group of friends, recently led a nature walk in the Long Pond Greenbelt adjacent to SoFo to seine for frogs and salamanders.

Sabin, chairman of Sabin Metal Corporation, established The Andrew Sabin Family Foundation in 2008 in an effort to make his philanthropy more impactful. Today, he mentors and inspires his four sons and six grandchildren to carry on his work. Each year, the foundation gives nearly 200 grants that focus on protecting the environment, strengthening communities and advancing healthcare research. He funds 11 of the top cancer hospitals in the world, including MD Anderson, which is No. 1 in curing cancers that are believed to be incurable.

“I’m not God, I don’t cure cancer, but I do believe in funding research hospitals,” Sabin says of his efforts. All those efforts are vital to his dream of leaving the earth in better shape. A lifelong hiker and nature lover, Sabin believes that if you expose people to nature, they’ll be compelled to take better care of it.

While he is a conservative Republican, he believes in reaching across the aisle to get things done. Multiple times a year he travels to Washington to have dinner with Democrats and Republicans who are part of the Roosevelt Conservation Caucus to strategize about environmental legislation.

“I have been fortunate to have traveled to 112 countries and seen the things I’ve seen,” Sabin says of his environmental and philanthropic work that most recently included stops in Antarctica, the Falkland Islands and South Georgia.

“We saw five or six species of whales and five or six species of penguins,” Sabin says with awe in his voice. “When we were on St. Andrews Island in South Georgia, I saw [250,000] King penguins on the beach.”

While he travels around the world, much of his good works can be seen right here on Long Island.

“We worked to bring the osprey back to Long Island and also bald eagles,” Sabin says of the effort to build nesting platforms for osprey and to make areas more receptive for eagles. Where once neither bird was thought to be on Long Island, both populations are now thriving. Thirty-five years ago, he started what eventually became the South Fork Natural History Museum and Nature Center on land next to his home in Amagansett. They eventually moved to their existing spot along the Sag-Bridgehampton Turnpike. It was the former home of the Bridgehampton Winery. In addition to being the home of the nature center, it also is the location of the first documented sighting of the endangered tiger salamander in 1986.

“I always knew they were on Long Island, but we just had to find them,” he says of one of his proudest moments. They raised the money to buy the former winery, with a half million dollars in assistance from then Gov. George Pataki. When you see the turtle-crossing signs on the highways in the North and South forks, you can also thank Sabin. He just has one request. “If you stop to help a turtle across the road, just take them to the side of the road they were already heading in.”

His big passion now is educating the public. He believes that if you help people appreciate nature, they’ll want to protect the environment. He’s not one of those folks who just writes a check and leaves the work to others. You can often find him leading a hike to hunt for black racer snakes, salamanders and turtles. He can tell you the flocks of turkeys he’s seen and what he has seen on other birding excursions. He’s not afraid to get his hands dirty.

“I want people to understand why we must protect what is left of our open spaces out here,” says Sabin, who has funded turtle rescue centers and touch tanks at the nature center. “Our walks aren’t just for children,” Sabin says. “We want the whole family to participate. We also welcome individuals and couples. We want to educate everyone about the environment.”

Don’t think it will be all talk. Wear comfortable shoes and expect to get your hands dirty if you go walking with Sabin. You never know what he’ll turn up.

While Sabin has the means to singlehandedly fund projects, he says anyone can contribute to saving the environment.

“It isn’t all about money,” Sabin says. “You can volunteer to clean up, pass out books and literature, join a walk, help put up an osprey pole. We just want to help people develop a habit of giving in all kinds of ways.”

SOFO’s 36th  annual Summer Gala, “Champions of the Wild: A New Generation,” will be July 12 from 5:30-10 p.m. at the Nature Center, 377 Bridgehampton-Sag Harbor Tpke. In Bridgehampton. The VIP cocktail reception is 5:30-6:30 p.m., followed by the benefit party at 7 p.m. For more information, call 631-903-7217 or email daceti@sofo.org; or 631-537-9735 or sofo.org/summergala.”

Todd Shapiro is an award-winning publicist and associate publisher of Dan’s Papers.