President’s Column

Chet Ogan

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all the members of the board and committee chairs for their hard work this year. Normally a president would step down after serving a year, but since no one accepted the challenge as president-elect last year, I will serve an additional term.

Our Audubon chapter uses a triumvirate presidential system. The president obligates to a three-year term; first year as president-elect, second year as president, and the third year as immediate past-president. This allows someone who has not served on the board of directors to ease into the job and learn how the board works before actually taking over the reins. This also allows the past-president to act as an advisor to the president-elect and current president. If elected, Elias Elias will become president-elect in 2001. Is anyone interested in becoming president-elect in 2002?

We have accomplished several things this past year. When I took over in February 2000 I promised to be more pro-active in finding some property on which to use our Sanctuary Fund. We are currently looking into a piece near Fields Landing. We also are letting community members know that, as a non-profit organization, we will accept donations toward our Sanctuary Fund. We met with a Humboldt Area Foundation advisor to get ideas about how we might set up work with other organizations to put our money to good use. We also are taking a good look at our current investment strategy. Any financial advisors out there who are Audubon members?

Besides giving a scholarship, our Education committee donated over 50 new books in birds to Humboldt and Del Norte County Libraries. Our Conservation Committee has been busy looking into the status of mariculture on Humboldt Bay and land-use practices. Two of our board are active with the California Northern Coastal section of Pacific Coast Joint Venture helping to update its strategic plan. Several of our members attended the Humboldt County General Plan Update meetings, providing input which may guide Humboldt County into the next twenty years. Several of our Del Norte County members have been providing input to their general plan update. Speaking of Del Norte County - we have set up a subgroup with a committee status to work with Friends of Del Norte to coordinate field trips and educational programs in that area. Their goal is to provide at least one field trip or program each month in that area. Don’t forget to support the Aleutian Goose Festival March 23 to 25.

Let’s make this year at least as productive as last year.