President's Column
January 1999
by Hal Genger
The first of their articulated goals was to return to the roots of bird conservation. They are achieving this goal by 1) developing "BirdSource," an Internet data base on New World birds, 2) compiling a "WatchList," which includes a list of 105 species which are experiencing alarming declines, and 3) locating "Important Bird Areas," an identification and protection of critical bird habitats (for more information check http://www.audubon.org/bird). Our chapter is assisting these goals by monitoring bird numbers and we are in our fifth year of compiling a Breeding Bird Atlas. RRAS also has some money set aside to buy property or easements to preserve important habitats. Please get in touch with me or the Conservation Committee if you have any suggestions.
National Audubon’s second goal is getting Audubon staff into the field closer to their grassroots organizers. This is done by localizing administration, and holding more educational gatherings. Our chapter is attending the 1999 Conservation Leadership Conference Jan 29-Feb. 1 (for more information on the conference email:
National Audubon also wishes to enlarge the scope of their educational programs. They have upgraded their "Audubon Adventures" program by making it more inquiry-based, and developed "Birds for a Purpose," a program for urban school children. They are also developing Audubon Centers throughout the country to provide more hands-on, out-of-doors, environmental education. Locally, we are taking another look at Audubon Adventures to see how it fits into the scope and sequence of local schools and are very interested in National Audubon’s desire to expand this education from kindergarten to grade twelve. Also, this year’s scholarship is available to the local schools (see
elsewhere in this issue).
Redwood Region Audubon Society
P.O. Box 1054, Eureka, CA 95502
Last updated January 1999