President’s Column
May 2005
The Redwood Region Audubon Society Board of Directors acknowledges the dedication, imagination, and careful consideration given to the many decisions, issues, and opportunities in the 13 years between the inception and printing of the Humboldt County Breeding Bird Atlas by every officer and board member and many members during the creation of the atlas. On behalf of the RRAS Board of Directors, thank you!
At our Conservation Committee meeting on Thursday, April 21, Chet Ogan read an e-mail forwarded to him about several recent rulings and attempted legislation that are antibird: air pollution standards, drilling for oil in ANWAR, forest practices, and other policies that our current administration claims are “environmental.” Then the author called attention to an organization in England named Royal Society for Protection of Birds (RSPB). Seems that RSPB started at the turn of the 20th century by a group of people concerned about the use and collection of birds and plumage for decorating women’s hats. Currently, the author claims, the RSPB has more political clout than any single political party in England. No party can get anywhere if they run afoul of RSPB, and they really should get RSPB support to assure a successful campaign. The author went on to say that it might be a good idea to form something similar to RSPB in the United States.
The National Audubon Society (NAS) had its roots in the same cause as the RSPB. It was a driving force to change wildlife management from a “hook and bullet” to a conservation philosophy. It remains to be seen whether NAS will match the clout of the RSPB. Do we really need another national organization for protecting and appreciating birds? I hope not. It’s up to the members of local chapters to make the NAS the 800-lb egret that it needs to be.
Perhaps NAS should adopt the Ivory-billed Woodpecker as a symbol of resurrection to the scrappy and radical organization that it once was.