National Audubon Society Inc

Programs: Conservation: in 2016, audubon adopted a new strategic plan with the goal of protecting birds during every point of their lifecycles throughout the americas. Guided by our science to inform our actions and our policies, audubon maximizes its conservation results by focusing on five strategies critical for birds: 1. Coasts: audubon and its partners in latin america work to build resilient coast lines and strengthen populations of shorebirds, while preserving the breeding, stopover and wintering sites in vital habitats along the coasts of the americas. Audubon and its chapters work in 1,090 coastal sites over more than 100,000 miles for the benefit of shorebirds. In fy17, audubon completed a 13-mile long barrier island system near grand-isle, louisiana creating 1,000 acres of new barrier, dune and beach habitat to offer protection to both birds and property. The $216 million cost of the project was funded largely through criminal fines paid by bp and transcocean. Audubon and its partners in pennsylvania work to rehabilitate presque isle state park, and saw the firtst piping plover nests in the park in more than 60 years. In california, audubon was critical in protecting critical forage fisheries in humboldt bay from the expansion of an oyster farm that would have destoryed eel gass beds critical to pacific herring. 2. Working lands: audubon works with landowners, land managers, private industry and government agencies to create bird friendly, sustainable land-management practices on the millions of acres across the hemisphere that are dedicated to agriculture and grazing. More than half the land in the lower 48 states, more than 1 billion acres, are made up of forests, ranches and farms. Audubons conservation ranching program promotes science-backed, bird-friendly grazing protocols that are now being used on ranches acrorss five states: missouri, colorado, wyoming, north dakota and south dakota. Audubon engaged more than 1,500 landowners to improve management of more than 147,000 acres of forest in vermont, connecticut, new york, north carolina and florida. Our staff in california continue to work cooperatively with central valley farmers to protect all of the tricolored blackbird colonies nesting in agricultural fields - saving one-third of the global population of the species. 3. Water: audubon works to ensure that critical wetlands, in peril due to water allocation and quality issues, get the water they need to remain important wintering and migratory stopover habitats and sustain wildlife. In fy17, aududon published birds in the arid west, which highlights the critical habitat formed by saline lakes like the great salt lake and the salton sea. In california, audubon worked to inform the $383 million state plan to restore habitat around the salton sea benefitting both wildlife and the community impacted by dust from drying lakebeds. In florida, audubon lobbied successfully for senate bill 10, which guides the $1. 6 billion construction of a reservoir south of lake okeechobee recharging the everglades with fresh water. Audubon was a key partner in the negotiaiting for minute 323, an update to the treaty that guides water distribution across the shared u. S. Mexico border that sets aside 210,000 acred-feet of water for environmental purposes 4. Climate: audubon seeks to protect the places birds need in a warming world, and advocate for significant public policy changes by tapping our unparalled network and bipartisan membership to support solutions at the state and local levels. In fy17, audubon advocated for responsibly-sited renewable energy projects to make them safer for birds. Audubon helped negotiate habitat mitigation in california for the antelope valley solar project and successfully negotiated with a wind developer in montana to relocate turbines out of an important bird area. In north carolina, we advocated for the successful passage of a renewable energy bill that will double the amount of large-scale solar in the state, provide more clean energy options for universities and military bases and provide more affordable options for roof-top solar. And more than 600 dedicated volunteers have signed up to lead climate initiatives in their communities, harnassing the energy of the more than 264,000 audubon members who have signed up as climate activists. 5. Bird-friendly communities: audubon's network works in america's cities and towns, the places where birds and people intersect the most, to protect and restore bird populations by providing food, shelter, safe passage and places to raise their young. By the end of fy17, audubons native-plants program has engaged more than 130,000 people to create suitable habitat in backyards, local parks and commercial property to attract and protect birds and other habitat. Chapters, centers and volunteers have planted more than 1,860,000 plants and logged more than 100,000 volunteer hours to create habitat based on native plants. Field conservation programs operate audubon's 23 regional and state offices and combine local policy, science and on the ground conservation efforts to advance audubon's mission and meet todays unrecedented environmental challenges. The field conservation programs also connect the work of audubon chapters, nature centers, volunteers, partners, and other supporters along each of the four migratory flyways. Through this work, audubon weaves a seamless web to achieve full lifecycle conservation for both migratory and non-migratory species. Integrated, shared flyway conservation goals enhance our impact, and coordinated resources and expertise increases efficiency across the network.

national conservation programs focus and align audubon's unparalleled network to meet today's unprecedented environmental challenges. National conservation provides strategy, expertise and leadership for audubon's conservation work and ensures efforts are integrated for maximum effectiveness. National programs include: - climate initiative works to protect the places birds need in a warmer world, and advocate for significant public policy changes at the local, state and federal levels. Audubon seeks to create greater demand for change on the climate issue by building sustained grassroots influence among audubon's bipartisan, 1 million members and supporters. Our work includes action to protect and monitor climate strongholds (places where birds will have the best chance to survive), and influence policies and regulations that reduce greenhouse gases and encourage renewable energy. - network works to increase the capacity, diversity, connectedness and effectiveness of audubon's network. Working with audubon staff in state offices and centers, and our 454 independent chapters, network develops tools and programs that advance our shared conservation priorities. The goal is to bring audubon's conservation mission to life in communities through creative and relevant local action that achieves lasting outcomes and builds durable public support for birds and conservation. Audubon nature centers are one of the principle elements of audubon's network, reaching a million visitors each year. - science engages in research and analysis to support the development of our conservation strategies, and build our authority as a science-led thought leader. The science program establishes common metrics to track progress across initiatives and flyways, including biological response of species, and acres of habitat restored, protected or managed. It conducts citizen science bird monitoring and data collection through the christmas bird count and great backyard bird count, and the climate watch program, to gain a unique view on bird trends across the hemisphere to identify and understand threats like climate change. Science's work was at the center of the climate initiative launch, based on an analysis of more than 100 years of observations from our citizen scientists that indicated that more than half of america's 314 bird species are in peril from changing climatic conditions. - policy uses a centrist approach to environmental advocacy that has earned a reputation as a trusted and influential voice. We combine grassroots organizing, advocacy and communication to support large state and multi-state efforts such as: the restoration of large iconic ecosystems, like the arctic slope in alaska, the wetlands of the everglades, and the mississippi river delta; protection of 2,838 important bird areas covering approximately 400 million acres of public and private lands; and safeguarding common sense laws like the clean air act, clean water act, endangered species act and the neotropical migratory bird conservation act. - marketing & engagement builds the size and effectiveness of audubon's network of supporters and volunteers so that more people take action for birds and the environment. We reach supporters through a variety of channels including www. Audubon. Org, social media, email marketing, and audubon magazine, which reaches approximately 1. 5 million readers. In april 2015, audubon acquired the assets of digital applications bearing the audubon branded nature guides. The guides have been downloaded more than 1 million times, and advance audubon's mission of educating people about birds. - hemispheric strategy works through partner organizations as part of birdlife international to deliver concrete, on the ground actions that address critical threats to audubon's priority bird species. Audubon provides science, technical expertise, and policy development tools to build the conservation capacities of in-country organizations. Audubon collaborates with international partners in nine countries on conservation work and five more to foster grassroots action on climate change issues. We are the birdlife international partner for the united states. - diversity and inclusion is a core value and strategic imperative for audubon. Achieving our conservation goals requires authentic representation of all the communities we work in to build a brighter future for birds. Audubon's diversity and inclusion efforts will broaden our network of supporters and increase our staff diversity, inspiring more people to work to conserve more habitats. Audubon is dedicated to providing a work environment that prioritizes fairness and respect, and a workplace free of any kind of discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability, national or ethnic origin, politics or veteran status.