[chapter-communicator] FW: Newswire, #4, October 10
- From: "Lynn Tennefoss" <ltennefoss@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: ltennefoss@xxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sun, 12 Oct 2003 06:37:27 -0400
Audubon Newswire
Volume 1, Number 4
October 10, 2003
In this issue:
-- Audubon At Home Announces Grant from NRCS of $500,000 in Federal
Funds
-- Chapter Activist Named to head Audubon Ohio's Audubon at Home
Program
-- Audubon South Carolina Adds More than 900 Acres to Beidler Forest
Sanctuary
-- Audubon Pennsylvania Names Lower Buffalo Creek an IBA
-- NBC News TODAY to Broadcast Report on Navy North Carolina Airfield
Plan
-- Michigan Audubon Society Kicks off Crane Festival Tomorrow
-- Bird Groups, Mayor Honor Chicagoans for Taking Part in "Lights Out"
-- 'Take Action' Website Praised by Nebraska Activist
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Audubon Partners with Natural Resources Conservation Service --
NRCS Transfers $500,000 to "Audubon At Home" Program Promoting the
Improvement of Backyard Habitat by Bringing Conservation Home
Ivyland, Pennsylvania, October 10, 2003 - With suburban sprawl
increasing by more than 2 million acres every year, America's
backyards and neighborhood green spaces have become, by necessity,
important habitat for birds - but only if they provide the basics of
food, water, cover, and shelter.
In recognition of the increasing importance of backyard habitat to
bird life, it was announced that National Audubon Society and the US
Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service
(NRCS) will work together, engaging the public to improve the health
and habitat value of backyards and neighborhoods across America. As
part of this agreement, NRCS will transfer $500,000 in Federal funds
to Audubon to support and expand Audubon At Home - a recently launched
program that promotes conservation action and environmental
stewardship starting at home.
Funds from this grant will support several different projects
including pilot programs in Virginia and Ohio aimed at engaging
chapters and other groups, as well as the Audubon at Home Educator
position in the item below.
"This is a powerful partnership and represents a tremendous
opportunity to broaden natural resource conservation by engaging
private landowners, one backyard at a time," said Audubon Senior Vice
President of Science Frank Gill. "Birds don't recognize property
lines, so approaches to wildlife conservation must cover both public
and private lands, requiring innovative collaboration among government
agencies, non-profits, and the public. Working together, NRCS and
Audubon can bring conservation home."
To see the full story, visit www.audubon.org <http://www.audubon.org>
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Chapter Activist Casey Tucker To Lead Ohio's Audubon At Home Program.
Columbus, Ohio, October 6, 2003 - Audubon Chapter activist Casey
Tucker has joined Audubon Ohio as its Audubon At Home Educator. Casey
will administer Audubon Ohio's pilot project to bring Audubon At Home
programs and materials to Chapter events and other public venues
around Ohio.
Casey comes to Audubon Ohio from Oxford, Ohio, where he has been
active in the Miami Valley Audubon Chapter for the last seven years.
During that time he has served on the board of directors for two
years, including chairing the conservation committee. He also served
on the education committee and has been field trip coordinator.
During his tenure as Chapter conservation chair, Casey collaborated
with a number of individuals including Hardy Eshbaugh, Vice-Chair for
the Board of Directors of the National Audubon Society, and Ron
Austing, a well-known bird photographer and naturalist, to identify
and promote the protection of 300 acres of grassland-marsh habitat.
This on-going project will result in the restoration and preservation
of an area that once served as breeding habitat for a number of
endangered grassland species, and served as a major migratory oasis
for a now absent species, the Smith's Longspur.
Casey brings a range of talents to Audubon Ohio. Please contact him
at ctucker@xxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:ctucker@xxxxxxxxxxx> for questions
about the Audubon At Home program in Ohio.
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Audubon And Nature Conservancy Work To Add 900-Acre Parcel To South
Carolina's Beidler Sanctuary; Pine Tree Conservation Society Joins
Audubon South Carolina And Nature Conservancy In Raising $1.6 Million
Purchase Price
Harleyville, South Carolina, October 10, 2003 - The Nature Conservancy
has purchased a 909-acre tract in Berkeley and Dorchester counties for
inclusion in the National Audubon Society's Francis Beidler Forest, a
Registered National Natural Landmark, it was jointly announced today
by the Conservancy and Audubon.
The land, which drains into the Edisto River, was sold by Mead
Westvaco Corp. for $1,650,000 and provides much-needed habitat for
South Carolina's forest birds. The site was purchased with funds from
several conservation partners, including the Pine Tree Conservancy,
and a one million dollar grant awarded to Audubon through the North
American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA). NAWCA administrators
considered the site the top coastal conservation priority in the
eastern U.S.
"Today's announcement means that more than 900 acres of irreplaceable
bird and wildlife habitat will be saved for future generations of
South Carolinians to enjoy," said Audubon President John Flicker.
For more information, contact Norm Brunswig at nbrunswig@xxxxxxxxxxx
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Audubon Pennsylvania Names Lower Buffalo Creek Watershed an IBA
Harrisburg, PA, October 10, 2003 -- Today, representatives from the
western Pennsylvania conservation community will join together to
celebrate the naming of the Lower Buffalo Creek Watershed as an
Important Bird Area (IBA). The watershed is being singled out for
providing homes and migratory rest stops for critical numbers and
types of birds based on internationally recognized criteria.
"The identification of this IBA will help us maintain a north-south
forest habitat corridor for birds as well as a greenway for people to
enjoy," said Steve Hoffman, Audubon Pennsylvania's director of bird
conservation. "The Lower Buffalo Valley IBA will also serve as a
connector for the Enlow Fork IBA to the south and the Raccoon Creek
Valley IBA to the north."
Audubon's work to identify new Important Bird Areas in western
Pennsylvania was made possible by support from the Pennsylvania
Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the Pennsylvania
Wild Resources Conservation Fund. Visit www.audubon.org
<http://www.audubon.org> for the full story.
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NBC'S Today Show to Air Special Report on the Navy's Outlying Landing
Field (OLF) in Washington County, North Carolina
Chapel Hill, NC, October 10, 2003 -- NBC's Today Show is tentatively
scheduled to air a segment on US Navy plans to build a jet landing
field adjacent to a globally significant wildlife refuge on Monday
morning, October 13, between 7 am and 9 am EDT**.
The Today Show feature, reported by NBC News's Chief Pentagon
Correspondent Jim Miklaszewski, will focus on the dangers of and
community reactions to a training field proposed for Washington
County, North Carolina, within miles of the Pocosin Lakes National
Wildlife Refuge. The refuge is winter home to some 100,000 swans,
geese and other large waterfowl that come from as far away as Arctic
Canada and Alaska. Audubon and other conservation groups and local
town leaders were interviewed for this important segment, which should
further strengthen the objections to the Navy's ill-suited plan.
**NOTE: Broadcast date and time are best available at time of issuing
this notice but subject to change by the network.
For more information, contact Chris Canfield, Executive Director,
Audubon North Carolina, 919-929-3899 or ccanfield@xxxxxxxxxxx
<mailto:ccanfield@xxxxxxxxxxx>
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Michigan Audubon Society Presents CraneFest IX:
Ninth Annual Festival Brings Art and Nature Together
Bellevue, Michigan, October 9, 2003 - Michigan Audubon Society
announced that CraneFest IX will be held Saturday and Sunday, October
11 and 12, from noon to 7 p.m. near its Bernard W. Baker Sanctuary in
north central Calhoun County, Michigan.
The Festival will be held at the Battle Creek Kiwanis Youth Area - a
40-acre wetland restoration project adjacent to Baker Sanctuary.
Major attractions include more than one thousand Sandhill Cranes that
return to the sanctuary, and "Sandy" the Sandhill Crane, on loan from
Kellogg Bird Sanctuary. The wild cranes' "Fly-in" typically begins
around 4 p.m., with best viewing for large number of the birds between
5 p.m. and dusk.
The 900-acre Baker Sanctuary is Michigan Audubon Society's first
sanctuary and one of its largest. For more information, go to
www.cranefest.org <http://www.cranefest.org> or call Mike Boyce at
Baker Sanctuary, 269/763-3090.
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Bird Groups Praise Chicago Skyscraper Owners For "Lights Out" --
Chicago Is First U.S. City With Bird-Friendly Skyline
Chicago, Illinois, October 3, 2003 - National Audubon Society,
Partners in Flight, Mayor Richard Daley, and the Building Owners and
Managers Association of Chicago today recognized downtown building
owners and managers for making Chicago the first U.S. city to dim tall
building lights to save birds' lives. Through the "Lights Out"
program, Chicago's tall buildings have begun to turn off the
decorative lights during spring and fall bird migration, putting them
at the forefront of American cities taking action to help birds.
"Chicago is once again leading the way as a green city. In a great
display of civic concern and responsibility, all our buildings
cooperate with the program by dimming their decorative lights for
almost 5 months of the year, making 'Lights Out' a real success" said
Stephen Packard, director of Audubon for the Chicago region.
For the full story, visit www.audubon.org <http://www.audubon.org>
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Wachiska Audubon Member Shares Testimonial on Public Policy's Take
Action Website
Lincoln, Nebraska, October 3, 2003 - Arlys Reitan, a long-time member
of the Wachiska Audubon Chapter in Lincoln, recently sent the attached
e-mail to National Audubon's Director of Grassroots Programs Catherine
Grant and President John Flicker in praise of our website's 'Take
Action' feature.
'Take Action' allows chapter members and other activists the ability
to contact their public officials and others directly on a slate of
featured policy issues. You can visit this section of the site
directly at www.audubon.org <http://www.audubon.org> - just click on
the Capitol dome. We hope after reading the below comments, you'll be
compelled to give it a try yourself:
"Gosh, Catherine, this is just amazing! I haven't used this vehicle
before; even though I found out I had previously registered to do so.
I chose the printed letter, and it came out with my name and addressed
centered at the top, even.
"John Flicker and Desiree will tell you I am a critical person,
hard-to-please; a perfectionist who expects the same excellence from
those with whom I interact. I readily admit here that I am "bowled
over" with this technology Audubon has devised--and it works!
"I'm not going to tell my husband, Ken, about this and will let him
witness first-hand my letter as it appears in the Lincoln Journal Star
in the next few days!
"Thank you all for your help. You REALLY need to publicize -
advertise - toot your own horn on this service to all Audubon members.
Why don't you have Lynn Tennefoss feature this service in an upcoming
Chapter Networker! Run an article in Audubon magazine about it so
others will take advantage of it. John, you could mention it in your
column. People will be impressed.
"If any of you has access to the Lincoln Journal Star, be watching for
your/our letter to appear in the next few days.
"Many thanks, again. If you need a testimonial you have my permission
to use any or all of this message!"
Arlys Reitan
Wachiska Audubon
Lincoln, NE
(402) 486-4846
wachiskaoffice@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
www.wachiskaaudubon.org <http://www.wachiskaaudubon.org>
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