[chapter-communicator] Audubon Newswire: Volume 3, Number 5

  • From: "TENNEFOSS, Lynn" <ltennefoss@xxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <audubon-newswire@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, <nas-chapter@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, <audubon-chat@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, <chapter-communicator@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Mon, 21 Mar 2005 14:32:58 -0500

> Audubon Newswire 
> Volume 3, Number 5
> Friday, March 18, 2005 
> 
> Hooray - It> '> s Nearly Spring! In this Issue:
> -- The Battle For the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Continues
> -- Mike Daulton Discusses Arctic National Wildlife Refuge on NPR
> -- Brian Rutledge Named Executive Director of Audubon Wyoming
> -- Container-breeding Mosquitoes Pose the Highest West Nile Virus Risk For 
> Humans
> -- Audubon Science Announces Spanish Version of > "> Audubon Guide to a 
> Healthy Yard and Beyond> "> 
> -- New York Governor Pataki Announces Two New Bird Conservation Areas
> -- Audubon Ohio Creates Regional Grassroots Coordinator Position
> -- Audubon New York> '> s Spring Council Assembly Highlights 
> -- Audubon Leadership Workshop at Hog Island Camp: August 14-20, 2005
> -- More Press for Recognition of Connecticut's Naugatuck State Forest as an 
> IBA
> -- Election Regions Modification Proposal Available on Audubon Web Site
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> The Battle For the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Continues
> 
> Washington, DC, March 18, 2005 - On Wednesday, the U.S. Senate narrowly voted 
> to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling by a vote of 51 
> to 49.   
> 
> "> This is just one more battle in the long effort to protect the Arctic 
> Refuge that began when President Carter created it,> ">  stated John Flicker, 
> president of the National Audubon Society.  > "> This is one of the last 
> great wilderness areas left on the planet.  We are disappointed but we won> 
> '> t stop working to protect the Arctic Refuge for future generations.  We 
> will win in the end.> ">   Flicker continued, > "> This was a vote against 
> the environment and for global warming.> ">  
> 
> Arctic drilling provisions make an already controversial budget even more 
> contentious.  The budget process is long and complex, and the outcome is far 
> from certain.  The inclusion of Arctic drilling further distances the Senate 
> budget resolution from the House version.  House Budget Chairman Jim Nussle 
> (R-IA) has signaled that the budget bills will be difficult to reconcile in 
> conference committee.
> 
> To read the entire release, visit 
> www.audubon.org/news/press_releases/Arctic_Defeat_3-16-05.html.
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Mike Daulton Discusses Arctic National Wildlife Refuge on NPR
> 
> Washington, DC, March 18, 2005 - In the wake of Wednesday> '> s Senate vote, 
> Mike Daulton, Audubon> '> s assistant director of government relations, along 
> with the Washington Post> '> s energy reporter, the former director of the 
> Alaska State Division of Oil and Gas, and a professor from Boston University> 
> '> s Center for Energy and Environmental Studies, sat down with NPR> '> s > 
> "> On Point> ">  to discuss the future of the Arctic National Wildlife 
> Refuge. 
> 
> To listen to the interview, visit 
> www.onpointradio.org/shows/2005/03/20050316_a_main.asp.
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Brian Rutledge Named Executive Director of Audubon Wyoming
> 
> Casper, WY, March 18, 2005 - Brian Rutledge has been named the new Executive 
> Director of Audubon Wyoming, the state program of the National Audubon 
> Society headquartered in Casper.
> 
> Brian is an innovative conservation leader, with more than 25 years of 
> providing senior-level service in the areas of wildlife conservation, land 
> management and design, board development, institutional advancement, 
> marketing, and finance.  
> 
> A Westerner at heart, Brian managed to maintain his ties to the ranching 
> community even while serving as the director of Zoo New England in Boston, 
> and the Maryland Zoological Society in Baltimore.  Brian> '> s 
> resourcefulness and leadership, as well as his accomplished fundraising 
> skills enabled him to be successful in guiding both of those institutions to 
> greater levels of effectiveness.> 
> 
> For more information on Audubon Wyoming, please visit 
> www.audubonwyoming.com/index.html.
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Container-breeding Mosquitoes Pose the Highest West Nile Virus Risk For Humans
> 
> Ivyland, PA, March 18, 2005 - Different species of mosquitoes have different 
> feeding preferences - some prefer to bite birds, some prefer to bite mammals, 
> and others prefer animals of other kinds.  West Nile virus is primarily an 
> avian pathogen, and is transmitted among birds by ornithophilic (bird-biting) 
> mosquitoes.  Until now, it was presumed that humans are exposed to the virus 
> upon being bitten by > "> bridge-vector> ">  species of mosquitoes - those 
> that take a large fraction of their blood meals from mammals, but 
> occasionally bite birds. 
> 
> In a recent analysis of 10 northeastern species of mosquitoes1, researchers 
> found that up to 80% of the risk of human WNV infection comes from two 
> species of ornithophilic mosquitoes, both of which breed primarily in 
> backyard and neighborhood sources of stagnant water, such as discarded tires, 
> unused swimming pools, catch basins, gutters, and birdbaths.  The 
> surprisingly high risk comes from the two species> '>  abundance, infection 
> prevalence, and ability to replicate and transmit the virus, which compensate 
> for the relatively small fraction of blood meals taken from mammals by these 
> bird-biting mosquitoes.
> 
> This finding suggests that control efforts should be focused on reducing 
> breeding habitat for these species - getting rid of sources of stagnant water 
> in yards and communities - rather than the current emphasis on the use of 
> insecticides and water flow management.
> 
> For more information on West Nile virus, please visit Audubon> '> s website: 
> www.audubon.org/bird/wnv.
> 1Kilpatrick, AM, LD Kramer, SR Campell, et al. 2005. West Nile virus risk 
> assessment and the bridge vector paradigm - 
> www.cdc.gov/ncidod/EID/vol11no03/04-0364.htm. Emerging Infectious Diseases 
> 11:425-429.
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Audubon Science Announces Spanish Version of > "> Audubon Guide for a Healthy 
> Yard and Beyond> "> 
> 
> Ivyland, PA, March 18, 2005 - Audubon Science is proud to announce the 
> availability of the Spanish version "Audubon Guide to a Healthy Yard and 
> Beyond,"-- "Guia Audubon Para un Jardin Saludable y Mas."  The printing of 
> 150,000 of these brochures was made possible by the USDA Natural Resources 
> Conservation Service (NRCS).
> 
> The English version of the poster, first published in 2001 and now in its 
> third edition, has been wildly popular with over 300,000 copies finding their 
> way into every corner of the country.  More than 600 requests have been 
> filled for these brochures and are favorites for chapter events, native 
> plants sales, master gardener gatherings, municipalities, and retail stores.  
> Last week, 10,000 of the brochures were supplied to a local college 
> horticulture department for distribution at the world famous Philadelphia 
> Flower Show.  
> 
> With this Spanish version, Audubon hopes to reach a wider audience who shares 
> a passion for gardening and in creating a healthier place for birds, 
> wildlife, and people by eliminating toxic substances and creating harmonious 
> spaces with native plants.
> 
> The guides are free and can be shipped in cartons of 500 from the printer, or 
> in quantities under 100 from Science.  (Donations are requested from 
> non-Audubon entities to offset printing and shipping costs.) Please email 
> AudubonAtHome@xxxxxxxxxxx for more information.
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> New York Governor Pataki Announces Two New Bird Conservation Areas
> 
> Albany, NY, March 18, 2005 > - On Monday, Governor George E. Pataki announced 
> the designation of two new Bird Conservation Areas (BCAs) at state parks, one 
> at Clay Pit Ponds State Park Preserve on Staten Island and the other at > 
> Joseph Davis State Park in Lewiston, Niagara County.  The two designations 
> are the first of 20 new BCAs the Governor has pledged to create over the next 
> several years.  Designation as a BCA provides for the protection of birds and 
> bird habitat, and expands opportunities for New Yorkers and visitors to enjoy 
> bird watching and the great outdoors.
> 
> In his 2005 State of the State address, Governor Pataki, marking Audubon New 
> York's 100th anniversary, committed to adding 20 new Bird Conservation Areas 
> across New York.  The state's BCA Program, modeled after the National Audubon 
> Society's Important Bird Areas Program, was signed into law by the Governor 
> in 1997.  The program is designed to safeguard and enhance bird populations 
> and their habitats on selected State-owned lands and waters.
> 
> For more information on the New York State Bird Conservation Program, please 
> visit 
> www.dec.state.ny.us/website/dfwmr/wildlife/bca/index.html.
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Audubon Ohio Creates Regional Grassroots Coordinator Position
> 
> Columbus, OH, March 18, 2005 - Audubon Ohio is pleased to announce the 
> appointment of Marnie Urso as Regional Grassroots Coordinator, a new position 
> created within Audubon Ohio through a generous grant from the Joyce 
> Foundation.  Urso will begin her duties immediately, and will be based out of 
> Cleveland.
>  
> In her new position, Urso will work primarily on policy issues related to the 
> protection of ground and surface waters and their watersheds.  Her 
> responsibilities will include developing key partnerships with legislators 
> and state agencies, hosting advocacy training and workshops for Audubon 
> chapters and the public, and galvanizing public involvement in Ohio's 
> watershed planning process.  Many of Audubon Ohio's Important Bird Areas 
> (IBAs) are situated around waterways, and protecting the quality of the 
> watershed is an important step in protecting IBAs.  
> 
> For more information on Audubon Ohio, visit www.audubon.org/chapter/oh/oh/.
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Audubon New York> '> s Spring Council Assembly Highlights
> 
> Saratoga, NY March 18, 2005 - Last weekend, Audubon New York and the Audubon 
> Council of New York State flocked to historic Saratoga Springs New York for 
> the 18th annual spring Assembly.  From March 11-13, members of 22 Chapters 
> from across the state joined together to celebrate and plan for Audubon> '> s 
> centennial, the release of the 2nd edition of > "> Important Bird Areas of 
> New York State> "> , and to finalize Audubon> '> s Legislative Agenda.  
> 
> Friday night> '> s program consisted of a desert presentation by Gerry 
> Barnhart, Director of Fish and Wildlife Programs for the New York State 
> Department of Environmental Conservation. 
> 
> On Saturday, the morning was devoted to the approval of Audubon New York> '> 
> s Conservation Policy Resolutions, the afternoon focused on Audubon New York> 
> '> s Important Bird Areas program, specifically the release of the new 2nd 
> edition of > "> Important Bird Areas of New York: habitats worth protecting> 
> "> , and workshops on Communications, Advocacy, and Education.
> 
> Saturday evening included the annual dinner and awards presentation.  Bob 
> Budliger, a longtime Audubon Member and founding member of the Audubon 
> Council, received the Norman Stotz Award, and Bernadette Castro, Commissioner 
> of the New York State office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation, 
> was awarded the prestigious William Hoyt Environmental Award.   
> 
> For more information, and to see pictures of the event, please visit 
> <http://ny.Audubon.org>.
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Audubon Leadership Workshop at Hog Island Camp: August 14-20, 2005> 
> 
> Hog Island, ME, March 18, 2005 - Maine Audubon invites you to its inaugural 
> "Audubon Leadership Workshop" at the Hog Island Audubon Camp from August 
> 14-20, 2005.  Endorsed by National Audubon's Ad Hoc Chapter Committee and 
> Office of Chapter Services, this session is designed especially for active 
> Chapter leaders, to build and deepen your expertise and ability to enhance 
> Audubon> '> s effectiveness at all levels. Led by top-level State and 
> National Audubon program staff and thoroughly experienced Chapter staff and 
> volunteers, participants will enjoy a combination of daily workshops, special 
> presentations, and lively discussions, as well as the traditional Maine field 
> trips, serenity and fine food that are hallmarks of the Hog Island Camp. 
> Daily sessions will include an in-depth focus on key Audubon conservation 
> programs including IBAs, Audubon at Home, Centers and Education and citizen 
> science, as well as State-Chapter partnership opportunities, fundraising, 
> leadership development and training. Among the featured workshop presenters 
> are: 
> 
> Craig Breon, Former Executive Director, Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society
> Kevin Carley, Executive Director, Maine Audubon 
> John Cecil, Director, Audubon Important Bird Areas Program
> Les Corey, Chief Field Operations Officer
> Rob Fergus, Director, Audubon at Home Program
> Joyce King, President, St. Petersberg Audubon Society and Coordinator, 
> Florida> '> s Audubon Academy
> Steve Kress, Director, Seabird Restoration Project
> Brooke Langston, Director of Field Support, Centers and Education
> Bill McQuilkin, Southeast Regional Director, National Audubon Society Board 
> of Directors
> 
> A special National scholarship of $200 per person is available to the first 
> fifteen registrants with a matching scholarship from her/his local Chapter. 
> (A $250 tuition reduction by Maine Audubon is already included in the price 
> to all workshop registrants.)
> 
> Dates: August 14-20, 2005
> Session fee: Per participant without National/Chapter scholarship aid: $700
> Session fee: Per participant with National Scholarship and Matching Chapter 
> Scholarship: $300
> To register: Call Maine Audubon> '> s registrar, Linda Ledoux, toll free at 
> 888/325-5261 x215.
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> More Press for Recognition of Connecticut's Naugatuck State Forest as an IBA
> 
> Bethany, CT, March 18, 2005 - Audubon Connecticut has recognized the central 
> and western sections of Naugatuck State Forest, including a 509-acre section 
> in Bethany, as an Important Bird Area (IBA).
> 
> The Connecticut IBA program is part of a global effort to develop an 
> inventory of key sites that support a significant abundance and diversity of 
> birds. Sites must meet one or more standardized scientific criteria developed 
> by a panel of bird experts in the state.
> 
> The state forest, whose western blocks lie in Beacon Falls/Oxford/Naugatuck, 
> was chosen because it has a wide variety of quality habitat for nesting, 
> migrating and wintering birds. This includes early successional habitats from 
> grasslands to shrublands to young forest, especially for several bird species 
> of high conservation priority, according to CT Audubon.
> 
> To read the entire article, visit 
> www.oregonlive.com/gardencenter/oregonian/bill_monroe/index.ssf?/base/homes_gardens/1110970544110991.xml.
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Election Regions Modification Proposal Available on Audubon Web Site 
> Chapter leaders and others within Audubon have asked the Board to better 
> equalize the numbers of Chapters and members included in each Regional 
> Director election region. In response, at the January 2005 Board Meeting, the 
> Governance Committee of the Board proposed a new configuration of election 
> region boundaries. The Board discussed the realignment proposal and 
> recommended that it be circulated to all State Offices and Chapters for 
> review and comments prior to a final review and decision at the May 2005 
> Board of Directors Meeting. > 
> The proposed changes, including maps of current and proposed regional 
> boundaries, will be mailed to all State Offices and Chapters for their 
> review, and are also now available online at 
> www.audubon.org/nas/board/regional/changes.html.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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