[chapter-communicator] Audubon Newswire, September 27, 2007

From: "TENNEFOSS, Lynn" <ltennefoss@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "chapter-communicator@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <chapter-communicator@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Thu, 27 Sep 2007 20:37:42 -0400

Volume 5, Number 19

Thursday, September 27, 2007
Circulation: 4,700
In wilderness I sense the miracle of life,
and behind it
our scientific accomplishments fade to trivia.

-- Charles A. Lindbergh, Life, 22 December 1967
Please Note: You can submit your questions about consumer choices and how they
affect the environment to "Ask Audubon" at
cblayer@xxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:cblayer@xxxxxxxxxxx>. Please continue to send your
news and updates to Dianna Parker at
diannaparker@xxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:diannaparker@xxxxxxxxxxx>

In this issue:
* Audubon Urges Congressional Override of Expected Veto
* Agreement Reached on Tricolored Blackbird Restoration
* New Resources for Waterbird Conservation on Agricultural Lands Now on
Audubon.org
* Oklahoma Chapter Gets Approval for Land Stewardship Project
* NYC Audubon "Project Safe Flight" Helping Manhattan Birds

ANNOUNCEMENTS<Newswire%20for%20proofing.htm> AND EVENTS

* 13th Annual Kern Valley Turkey Vulture Festival
* Raptor Migration
* Stories Sought: What You Are Doing to Help Fight Global Warming

ASK AUDUBON
* "What type of portable water bottles are safest for my family to use?"
*

Audubon Urges Congressional Override of Expected Veto
Washington, DC-Congress overwhelmingly passed the Water Resources Development
Act Tuesday night, with more than the 2/3 support needed to override a
presidential veto, which is expected later this week. The $21 billion
legislation authorizes more than $5.5 billion in ecosystem restoration funding.
The President has cited the bill's cost as the reason for his veto.
The legislation would fund several of Audubon's key priorities, giving almost
$2 billion each for the Everglades, Mississippi River, and Coastal Louisiana
restoration, $25 million for Great Lakes restoration, and $166 million for Rio
Salado Oeste.
Audubon has worked on passing a reauthorization of this important legislation
for five years. April Gromnicki, Audubon's Director of Ecosystem Restoration,
had this to say:

"This historic legislation is crucial to assuring the nation continues to make
progress in some of America's most sensitive and valuable ecosystems,"
"The Everglades, Coastal Louisiana, the Mississippi River, and the Great Lakes
have continued to degrade for the last five years waiting for Congressional
action. The President's veto plans are no surprise, but Congress may well
surprise him by standing up for vital ecosystem restoration action."

To learn more about the Water Resources Development Act and how it would help
some of Audubon's priority areas, please visit
http://www.audubon.org/news/press_releases/Ecosystems_Veto_092507b.html#TopOfPage

Agreement Reached on Tricolored Blackbird Restoration
Sacramento-Audubon California was one of 16 environmental organizations to
reach an agreement on efforts to restore the Tricolored Blackbird, a rapidly
declining species in California. The agreement, hammered out over 18 months,
pledges diverse interests to work together as opposed to seeking additional
regulatory protection for this species through the Endangered Species Act.
To learn more about the plan and Audubon California's work on blackbirds, go to
http://ca.audubon.org/newsroom/070910_tcb.html

New Resources for Waterbird Conservation on Agricultural Lands Now on
Audubon.org

Cropland is a large part of our landscape, and its management has critical
implications for birds and other wildlife. For years, Audubon, with support
from the Monsanto Fund, has been engaging agricultural stakeholders, including
commercial growers, conservation and agricultural scientists, industry
professionals, and government agency representatives, in a dialogue exploring
conservation challenges and opportunities. The recently completed process has
greatly enhanced our understanding of how waterbirds are impacted by row-crops,
row-crop landscapes, and row-crop production practices, as well as the overall
status and population trends of waterbirds in agricultural regions. Further, it
has culminated in the development of a suite of recommendations that balance
environmental stewardship with profitability, and is providing a foundation for
on-the-ground projects in Arkansas, Mississippi, and Missouri.

The recommended practices, profiles of 110 waterbird species and nearly 600
habitat sites, across the country, and all project reports and key findings can
be found on Audubon.org in a new Waterbird Conservation microsite,
http://www.audubon.org/bird/waterbirds/. This powerful tool for conservation
will raise awareness and appreciation of waterbirds and their conservation
needs.

Oklahoma Chapter Gets Approval for Land Stewardship Project
Oklahoma City-The Audubon Society of Central Oklahoma has received permission
from Oklahoma City officials to restore an 8.5 acre plot of land just south of
Lake Hefner. This permanent agreement will allow the chapter to reestablish
native habitat in the area, which is hoped to attract birds and other wildlife.
Education is also included in the plan. The chapter will install descriptive
signs labeling the restored species, along with other information about the
area's wildlife.
To learn more about the plan, go to
http://www.oklahomaaudubon.org/OklahomaProject.htm

NYC Audubon "Project Safe Flight" Helping Manhattan Birds

New York-The New York City Audubon's efforts to document migratory bird deaths
and injuries after striking the city's buildings is paying off. In July, the
Morgan Processing and Distribution Center, a United States Postal Service site,
retrofitted its windows-like decorative panels with black vinyl film to deter
migrating birds. The Morgan Center announced the change and cited the NYC
Audubon Society's careful recording of hundreds of bird deaths caused by the
building. The chapter currently monitors other buildings in the city that are a
danger to birds, including the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, the
Metropolitan Museum of
Art<http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/m/metropolitan_museum_of_art/index.html?inline=nyt-org>,
Bellevue Hospital Center and the World Financial Center, as a part of its
"Project Safe Flight".
To read about their efforts, go to
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/22/nyregion/22birds.html?_r=1&ref=environment&oref=slogin
and to learn more about NYC Audubon's "Project Safe Flight" please visit
http://www.nycaudubon.org/NYCASBirdWatch/safeflightupdates/

ANNOUNCEMENTS AND EVENTS
13th Annual Kern Valley Turkey Vulture Festival-Come celebrate the height of
turkey vulture migration through California's Kern River Valley. On Sept.
28-30, revelers can enjoy bird walks, field trips, gardening workshops,
educational and interactive exhibits, and live music. Find out how you can get
in on the migration action at http://kern.audubon.org/tvfest_activities.htm

Raptor Migration-It's that time again: raptor migration! Refresh your raptor
knowledge, play games, learn about raptor rehab, and find upcoming celebrations
in your area at http://www.audubon.org/bird/Raptors/index.html.

Stories Sought: What You Are Doing to Help Fight Global Warming - We're looking
for stories from the Audubon family. Tell us what steps are you taking - both
individual actions and chapter or other group initiatives. We will share your
experiences through Newswire and on the Audubon website - inspiring others to
join Audubon in making a difference. Please send your story to
kconnors@xxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:kconnors@xxxxxxxxxxx> - with photos showcasing what
you are doing, if you have them!

ASK AUDUBON

"What type of portable water bottles are safest for my family to use?"
--Submitted by Maura S., Brooklyn, NY

Stainless steel bottles are the safest options. Plastics, which include the
popular Nalgene bottles, have been known to release toxins into the water they
hold. Case Western University's Dr. Patricia Hunt made the 1998 discovery that
Lexan polycarbonate resin (which is used to make Nalgene) can release the
hormone disruptor bisphenol-A (BPA). A 2003 study from the University of
Missouri found that BPA can leach from water bottles when the bottles are
merely sitting at room temperature. Heat or being exposed to direct sunlight
increases the chance of BPA leaching. Children and pregnant women are
particularly vulnerable to hormone disruptors. Stainless steel bottles do not
cause any of these problems, and are lightweight.

Whatever kind of water bottle you use, keeping it clean is integral to having
healthy water. Water bottles should be rinsed regularly with mild soapy water
or a vinegar and water solution (vinegar kills 99% of germs and bacteria.)
Allow the bottle to thoroughly dry before filling it with water. If you are
concerned about the quality of your tap water, you can purchase a filter for
home use. There are various kinds of filters, all of which are more economical
than buying bottled water. In fact, an NRDC study found that 25 percent of
bottled water is really filtered tap water. See
http://www.waterfiltercomparisons.net/WaterFilter_Comparison.cfm or
http://heartspring.net/water_filters_guide.html for more information about
water filters.

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[chapter-communicator] Audubon Newswire, September 27, 2007

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