audubon strategic plan 2012-2015 A Roadmap for Hemispheric Conservation Contents 2 ExEcutivE Summary The lasting pleasures of contact with the 10 conSErvation StratEgiES natural world are not reserved for scientists 22 Pacific flyway 32 cEntral flyway but are available to anyone who will place 42 miSSiSSiPPi flyway himself under the influence of earth, sea, 50 atlantic flyway and sky and their amazing life. 60 How wE work –rachel carson 76 DirEctory 2012 marks the 50th anniversary of the publication of Silent Spring

On the cOveR: Each spring and fall, billions of migratory birds follow the flyways of the Americas from wintering to breeding grounds and back again. By protecting the web of life that represents the Americas’ richest veins of biodiversity, Audubon is safeguarding our great natural heritage for future generations, preserving our shared quality of life, and fostering a healthier environment for us all.

l U.S. Important Bird Areas l International Important Bird Areas

Prothonotary Shore Birds Sea Birds Land Birds Raptors Waterfowl warbler E x ECUTIv E SUMMa RY

The Case for Change in order to meet today’s unprecedented environmental challenges, Audubon has brought new focus and discipline to this strategic plan. It is the first original, conservation-focused strategic plan for Audubon in more than 20 years, and it reflects the contributions of 150 members of the Audubon family, representing staff, board members, Chapters, and other partners.

the planning team began by following the Atlantic, Mississippi, Central, and Wood Thrush Pacific Flyways to identify bird species with the greatest conservation need. Next we Atlantic Flyway defined the most pervasive and shared threats to these priority birds and their habitats. And then we looked at the cross-flyway strategies and specific projects with the greatest potential to deliver conservation impact. Only strategies that met the following standards were ultimately included in our strategic plan. • Can we achieve impact at range-wide scale across the hemisphere? • Can we add significant value? • Do we have the specific skills and resources? HOW WE SELECTED OUR PRIORTY SPECIES Audubon’s priority bird species are birds of significant conservation need, for which our actions, over time, can lead to measurable improvements in status. Eighteen Prothonotary Warbler are Red WatchList species, 23 are Yellow WatchList species, and 8 are Vulnerable Mississippi Flyway Common Birds. The breadth of this list reflects the dramatic loss of habitat and the pervasive threats that confront birds and wildlife.

METRICS fOR SUCCESS We will measure our success through improved conservation outcomes for each of our priority species. These outcomes will be population increases, reversals or decreases in decline, improvement or expansion of essential habitats, and/or abated threats to populations or habitats. Introduction for more than a century Audubon has protected birds and their habitat for the benefit of humanity as well as the earth’s biodiversity. Our legacy is built on science, education, advo- cacy, and on-the-ground conservation. We bring all of this Sandhill Crane together through our unparalleled network. This combination Central Flyway of expertise and on-the-ground engagement makes Audubon a truly unique and trusted force for conservation. Audubon’s mission is more urgent today than ever before. Natural habitat and open spaces are disappearing at an alarm-

The plight of the Great Egret, ing rate. Protections for wildlife, natural places, and clean hunted for its feathers, air and water are in jeopardy. By protecting birds, we’re also inspired the first Audubon safeguarding America’s great natural heritage for future gen- members more than a century ago. The species remains erations, preserving our shared quality of life and fostering a our symbol today. healthier environment for us all. Snowy Plover Pacific Flyway

Audubon StrA tegic PlA n 3

exeC utive summary How w e w ork: following t H e flyways to HemispH eric c onservati o n Conservation Strategies conServAtion StrAtegieS PAcific flywAy centrAl flywAy miSSiSSiPPi flywAy AtlAntic flywAy transforming the central valley migration corridor bottomland forests eastern forests Audubon will maximize our conservation results by focusing (page 24) (page 36) (*Incubator project) (page 52) on five conservation strategies critical for birds. (page 49) tongass national forest Sagebrush ecosystem eastern grasslands & (page 26) (page 34) Prairie birds (*Incubator project) Shrublands (*Incubator project) Putting Working Lands to Work Putting working lAndS Prairie birds (*Incubator project) (page 40) (page 59) for Birds & PeoPLe to work for birdS & PeoPle (page 40) Best management practices on ranches, farms, and forests hold the key to survival for more than 150 species of threatened grassland and forest birds. By partnering with landowners, Audubon can help ensure a bright future for birds like the Cerulean War- coastal Stewardship: Pacific coastal Stewardship: gulf coastal Stewardship: gulf coastal Stewardship: bler and the Tricolored Blackbird, and a healthy landscape for future generations. (page 27) (page 44) (page 44) Atlantic & gulf (page 54) Saving Seabirds: Pacific sharing our seas & shores (page 30) Saving Seabirds: Atlantic Coastal areas are a magnet for birds and people alike. Unfortunately, overfishing, develop- ShAring our (page 58) ment, and sea level rise put 60 percent of coastal birds at risk. By expanding our successful SeAS & ShoreS coastal stewardship program, Audubon can enlist a growing army of volunteer caretakers of nesting habitat. Seabirds are also vulnerable—they make up close to half the species on Audubon’s WatchList. By incorporating marine sites into our Important Bird Areas Arctic Slope western rivers (*Incubator project) mississippi river delta everglades ecosystem program, Audubon can advance policies and practices that will reduce threats such as (page 28) (page 41) (page 46) (page 56) overfishing and pollution from oil and other causes. long island Sound (page 57) saving imPortant Bird areas SAving Knowing which places are most important for birds is the first step toward conserv- imPortAnt bird AreAS ing them. Audubon has identified 2,544 Important Bird Areas in the United States, covering 378 million acres, and is supporting work in some of the 2,345 IBAs in Latin America, the Caribbean, and Canada. Now we can harness the Audubon network to Across all flyways: Saltmarsh (*Incubator project) protect, restore, and advocate for these landscapes and the birds that depend on them. Improve energy planning/siting to minimize impacts on priority birds and landscapes (page 59) Support climate policy solutions, efficiency policies, and renewable energy incentives; eliminate dirty coal Drive effective policy and practice through expertise about birds shaPing a heaLthy CLimate Help birds adapt to climate change through lobbying, modeling, and adaptation strategy & CLean energy future ShAPing A heAlthy climAte Climate change poses an unprecedented threat not just to birds but to biodiversity & cleAn energy future and our shared quality of life. Audubon is responding to this challenge with an equally unprecedented combination of strategies, from advancing transformational policies that reduce carbon emissions and support well-sited green energy to leading adaptive land Across all flyways: management practices that will mitigate the impact of sea level rise and climate change. Audubon At Home; Urban Oasis; TogetherGreen; Lights Out Citizen-science monitoring (e.g., Christmas Bird Count, Great Backyard Bird Count) Mobilize Chapters and Centers to acquire and restore critical habitats, and to engage a broad audience Creating Bird-friendLy Communities Nurture Important Bird Areas Most Americans live in cities or suburbs, and people can play a critical role in fostering creAting bird-friendly healthy wildlife populations and communities. Rural regions have an outsized opportuni- communitieS ty to contribute. As the leading voice for birds, Audubon can inspire the one in five adults who watch birds to make daily lifestyle choices that add up to real conservation impact. iconic bird species: Snowy Plover, iconic bird species: Sandhill Crane, iconic bird species: Prothonotary iconic bird species: Wood the bottom line: Greater Sage-Grouse Warbler, Black Skimmer Thrush, Piping Plover 118 million Acres Western Sandpiper For full list of Central Flyway priority bird species, For full list of Mississippi Flyway priority bird For full list of Atlantic Flyway priority Look for these icons throughout Open the gatefold at right to see how we are advancing our 64 Priority Species For full list of Pacific Flyway priority bird species, see page 22 see page 32 species, see page 42 bird species, see page 50 the strategic plan. Conservation Strategies in each Flyway of the Americas. 3 *Incubator projects: Projects with clear and significant conservation potential that are pending additional assessment of feasibility and impact. Acre and species metrics for these projects are not included in the Bottom Line totals above. 4 Audubon StrA tegic PlA n exeC utive PACIFIC F lywAy C entrA l F lywAy MISSISSIPPI F lywAy A tlA ntIC F lywAy S ummary

The Audubon Network How We Work Audubon's national and state programs, Centers, Chapters, and Important Bird Alignment: Follow the Flyways and Work as One Audubon Areas come together with an unparalleled wingspan for conservation. The Audubon Plan the flyways traveled by migratory birds each spring and fall inspire our new model By working as One Audubon along the flyways of the Americas, we will for organizational alignment. By connecting the work of the Audubon network— Chapters, Centers, national and state staff, volunteers, partners, and other support- deliver conservation impact at scale. ers—all along each of the flyways of the Americas, Audubon can weave a seamless web Piping Plover of conservation for both migratory and non-migratory species. By working toward Atlantic Flyway common flyway conservation goals, we can have greater impact. And by coordinating resources and expertise, we can increase our efficiency across the network.

State ProgramS Audubon’s 22 state programs give us a presence at statehouses and provide statewide leadership for Chapters and Centers. The state programs are a powerful force for pro- grammatic alignment throughout the flyways.

CenterS Forty-seven Audubon Centers introduce more than a million visitors each year to Black Skimmer the natural world—and inspire them to help protect it. Mississippi Flyway

ChaPterS Audubon’s 467 chapters are more than our face in communities from coast to coast; they are the drivers of our on-the-ground conservation work. Many of the most important Audubon milestones took flight from the dedication and passion for birds and nature of our Chapter members. As full partners in our new strategic plan, Chapters can be an even more powerful force for conservation.

hemiSPheriC PartnerS Audubon works directly with 19 birdlife partners in Latin America and the Caribbean to protect habitat along the length of the flyways.

Engagement: Increase Reach and Diversity greater Sage-grouse Central Flyway By engaging a broader and more diverse audience in our work, Audubon will meet the ● Audubon Chapters: 467 ★ Audubon State Offices: 22 ● Audubon Centers: 47 ● Globally Significant IBAs: 424 complex challenges facing birds. No other conservation organization has Audubon’s wingspan, from the grassroots to the grasstops. As the leading brand in bird conservation, Audubon has the power to unite diverse Pacific Flyway Central Flyway Mississippi Flyway Atlantic Flyway stakeholders to solve even the toughest problems, and the reach to motivate individuals ★ State Offices: 3 ★ State Offices: 6 ★ State Offices: 5 ★ State Offices: 8 and communities to take action for birds and the environment. ● Audubon Chapters: 115 ● Audubon Chapters: 75 ● Audubon Chapters: 120 ● Audubon Chapters: 157 Nevertheless, like the environmental movement overall, we face a challenge: Our ● Audubon Centers: 7 ● Audubon Centers: 9 ● Audubon Centers: 10 ● Audubon Centers: 21 members and supporters do not fully reflect the nation’s changing demographics. Under ● Global IBAs: 161 ● Global IBAs: 65 ● Global IBAs: 59 ● Global IBAs: 139 our strategic plan, Audubon will bring the inspiration of nature to diverse communities through Audubon Centers, our TogetherGreen partnership, and other initiatives. We will extend our reach beyond the 1.8 million who read each issue of Audubon magazine to embrace audiences more likely found on Facebook, Twitter, or the next platform. We will Western Sandpiper Important Bird Areas (IBAs) engage a new generation of conservation leaders while maintaining our core loyal friends. Pacific Flyway An IBA is a place that provides essential habitat for one or more species of bird, and includes sites for breeding, wintering, and/or migrating birds. Audubon, as the U.S. partner of BirdLife International, uses science to identify, as- sess, and monitor IBAs, and enlists communities and individuals to provide stewardship. The 2,544 IBAs in the United States cover 378 million acres; 424 of these sites have been designated as globally significant.

Audubon StrA tegic PlA n 9 conS e R v ATion STRATe G ieS

Putting Working Lands to Work for Birds & People Look for this working lands represent one of the best hopes for conser- icon throughout vation. Ranches and farms cover more than one billion acres the strategic plan of the United States. Forests, many of which are managed to learn about for timber, account for an additional 747 million acres. These programs that working lands add up to more than half of America’s acreage. help us Put Working Lands The Threat to Work for Birds Working lands are central to America’s economic and & People. environmental health. They provide our food, shelter, and even homegrown energy. As our population grows, so does the number of acres devoted to agriculture. Many of the practices used in intensive farming jeopardize declining grassland birds. Forest birds, including the Wood Thrush, the Golden-winged Warbler, and many other neotropical migrants, are losing nesting habitat to agricultural develop- ment, especially in Latin America.

Audubon’s Solution Partnering with landowners is the key to making working lands work for birds, people, and communities.

Forests We help landowners balance forest manage- ment to create forests that work for breeding birds while providing a dependable stream of income from timber. Audubon educates foresters about the needs of birds, and shows them how to factor them into forestry plans.

Agricultural Lands Years of scientific research have helped Audubon field staff share the ways farming can be compat- ible with birds. For example, farmers in California’s Central Valley, by keeping their rice fields wet a few weeks longer, provide habitat for Long-billed Curlews and other Pacific Flyway migrants. Measures to reduce runoff improve water quality; that, in turn, improves ecosystems in agricultural areas. Audubon can partner with small and large-scale farmers throughout the hemisphere to create healthy, safe habitat for shorebirds, waterfowl, and communities. Audubon califor- Grasslands and Ranchlands nia works with The prairie and sagebrush habitats of the interior United farmers in the States are threatened by energy development and other central valley and uses. Audubon works with all stakeholders to foster good elsewhere in the policy and practices for managing these vital habitats. state to create and preserve habitat for a wide range of bird species.

10 Audubon StrA tegic PlA n Audubon StrA tegic PlA n 11 conS e R v ATion STRATe G ieS

Sharing Our Seas & Shores coastal areas have unique importance for many species Look for this of birds, offering breeding sites as well as rich sources of icon throughout food for migratory stopovers. Oceans also support a large the strategic plan number of seafaring birds that depend on healthy waters to learn about for feeding and safe islands for nesting. programs that help us Share our The Threat Seas & Shores. Booming coastal development and recreational use of beaches are rapidly eroding vital habitat for birds and other wildlife. Overfishing threatens the food supply for birds—and, in the long term, for people, too. Sea level rise jeopardizes nesting habitat on beaches and islands at the same time that it puts coastal communities at risk. Beaches are critical nesting and migratory habitat for many species, including Piping Plovers, Snowy Plovers, Least Terns, and American Oystercatchers.

Audubon’s Solution Audubon is committed to protecting the vital habitat along America’s coasts where people and birds intersect.

Shores Audubon’s beach stewardship program enlists local communities to steer beachgoers away from the most important nesting sites. We also empower mem- bers and friends to become a strong voice for sound coastal management practices. By using sound science, including predictive modeling, we can begin to explore potential habitat impacts from sea level rise. This is a vital step toward developing strategies to mitigate and offset habitat loss for coastal birds.

Seas Marine Important Bird Areas hold great prom- ise for stabilizing declining populations of seabirds, including Ashy Storm-Petrels, Kittlitz’s Murrelets, and Roseate Terns. Expanding the IBA program to encompass and study vital ocean sites will provide a foundation for Audubon’s development and promotion of much-needed regulation of overfishing and other threats to ocean birds and wildlife. Sundown island, on the Texas coast. At least 18 species, including Brown Pelicans and Roseate Spoonbills, depend on the island, managed by Audubon.

12 Audubon StrA tegic PlA n Audubon StrA tegic PlA n 13 conS ervATion STr ATegieS

Saving Important Bird Areas many of america’s most beloved and biologically rich Look for this landscapes are in grave danger. From the Arctic Slope in icon throughout Alaska to the Mississippi Delta, and from the Northeast’s the strategic plan Long Island Sound to the wetlands of the Everglades, the to learn about power of Important Bird Areas (IBAs) cannot be over- programs that stated. Audubon is leading the way to protect these iconic help us save places and the birds that depend on them, and mobilizing important Bird our network of Chapters to act as stewards. Areas.

The Threat Birds depend on a diverse range of habitats, and the threats that confront them are equally varied. Grasslands are being replaced by residential development. Forests disap- pear through the overharvesting of timber. Badly planned energy development has grim consequences for many bird species and other wildlife.

Audubon’s Solution As the U.S. partner for BirdLife International, Audubon spearheads an ambitious effort to identify, monitor, and protect the most important places for birds. We also col- laborate with 19 international partners to extend a web of protection throughout the Western Hemisphere. To date Audubon has identified 2,544 IBAs covering 378 mil- lion acres of public and private lands in the United States. Among them are high-priority Global IBAs—places like New York City’s Jamaica Bay, areas within Alaska’s Arctic Slope, and coastal bird sanctuaries in Texas.

Each priority site requires a specific conservation plan—and that’s a critical piece of the work Audubon does. To imple- ment these plans, Audubon will work with all key stake- holders—landowners, government agencies at every level, Chapters, and communities. A tiered program will guide the scope and level of involvement of the Audubon network, focusing on where conservation actions are possible and where protections can be secured, habitats restored, or threats reduced. This approach works: IBA status is now formally factored into state agency land-use planning in a number of important Bird states, including New York, Minnesota, and Washington. Areas that pro- IBAs are also recognized by major utility grid planners and tect bottomland federal agencies. This pillar of Audubon’s overall approach to hardwood forests conservation is both powerful and simple: By identifying and and other criti- protecting the most important places for birds, we can save cal habitats will species and preserve our natural heritage. benefit a range of species, including the Prothonotary Warbler.

14 Audubon StrA tegic PlA n Audubon StrA tegic PlA n 15 conS e R v ATion STRATe G ieS

Shaping a Healthy Climate & Clean Energy Future the effects of climate change are already being seen, Look for this and they pose profound challenges to conservation. How our icon throughout nation and other nations respond to the unfolding impacts the strategic of temperature rise coupled with our boundless appetite for plan to learn energy will shape the legacy we leave for future generations. about programs that help us The Threat Shape a Healthy This unprecedented threat is already disrupting the natural bal- climate & clean ance and cycles that have sustained birds and other wildlife for energy Future. millennia. Its potential impacts loom, from habitat loss to dev- astating breaks in the delicate links that connect birds, migra- tion, and food sources. Audubon’s research has already revealed a disturbing trend among wintering birds, many of which are shifting their ranges north in response to rising temperatures. While some lucky species will discover suitable habitat in their new location, others will find that the habitat and food sources they depend on have disappeared, leaving them no place to go.

Audubon’s Solution Audubon is focused on four key strategies to reduce and mitigate the impacts of climate change and foster a clean energy future.

Traditional energy The location of transmission lines and drill rigs matters to birds and other wildlife. Audubon will build on its leading-edge science, which has steered 15 million acres of western oil and gas wells and two new eastern transmission lines away from critical bird habitat.

Green energy Alternative sources, like wind and solar, will help meet growing demands for energy with less environmental impact. Audubon can ensure that we get green energy right, by locating wind farms in places with a substantial human footprint, where they will have less impact on birds and wildlife.

emissions Reduction Sound public policy is fundamental; that’s why we mobilize our network in the high-stakes fight on behalf of much-needed legislation to reduce emissions. To meet the chal- lenges of climate Adaptive Management Innovative modeling using GPS change, we must information and data from our Christmas Bird Count balance the need along with other studies is already being used by the for green energy U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to identify specific bird with the impor- habitats and species most at risk from climate change. tance of saving By understanding potential impacts before they occur, birds and other Audubon can provide proactive solutions. wildlife.

16 Audubon StrA tegic PlA n Audubon StrA tegic PlA n 17 conS ervaT ion STraT egieS

Creating Bird-Friendly Communities most americans make their homes in cities, suburbs, Look for this or towns. Fortunately for birds, these urban and suburban icon throughout dwellers can play a critical role in fostering healthy wildlife the strategic plan and communities—and that’s good for kids, pets, and overall to learn about quality of life. Audubon also works with members of more programs that rural communities to support conservation where they live. help us create Bird-Friendly The Threat communities. Residential development often alters and disturbs wildlife habitat. Meadows that once supported grassland birds become disconnected patches, while forests that provided nesting sites for other species disappear from the land- scape. Not only are there fewer places to nest, feed, or rest, human presence and activity can degrade the habitat that remains and create hazards for birds. Collisions with build- ings, ingestion of pesticides, competition with invasive nonnative species, and loss of food sources can make life precarious for the birds that most closely share our own habitat. Coupled with natural environmental threats, these manmade challenges contribute to declines among a broad range of both resident and migratory bird populations.

The Solution People are at the heart of the conservation solution. From the removal of invasive plants to demonstration gardens and habitat restoration programs, Audubon Chapters, Centers, and state programs across the country work with communities to improve urban habitat for birds and other wildlife Programs like Audubon At Home, Urban Oasis, and Lights Out empower people to make bird-friendly lifestyle choices in their homes, backyards, and communities. Audubon Centers and Chapters provide the leadership and resources that can connect a neighborhood’s backyards in a swath of welcoming habitat for many birds, including swifts, swallows, thrushes, woodpeckers, wood warblers, and grosbeaks. Partnership efforts like Toyota and Audu- bon’s TogetherGreen enlist new conservationists to create bird-friendly communities coast to coast. By refining, ex- engaging people panding, and integrating these successful efforts, Audubon in conservation can have more direct impact on thousands of acres where through our net- birds and people live together. work of centers and chapters will be key to creating communities where birds can thrive.

18 Audubon StrA tegic PlA n Audubon StrA tegic PlA n 19 Following the Flyways Working as One Audubon along the Flyways of the Western Hemisphere, we will deliver conservation impact at scale.

by connecting the work of the Audubon network— Chapters, Centers, national and state staff, volunteers, international and other partners, and other supporters—all along each of the flyways of the Americas, Audubon can weave a seamless web of conservation, for our priority bird species and their habitats. King Eiders flock The following flyway sections include a description of during spring migration off Point priority and incubator projects within each flyway and Barrow, Alaska. highlights from Centers and Chapters.

20 Audubon StrA tegic PlA n Audubon StrA tegic PlA n 21 Pacific Flyway Conservation the Length of the Americas

priority species the birds of the Pacific Flyway depend on a diverse chain Ashy storm-petrel of habitats, from Arctic tundra and northwestern rainforest Bar-tailed Godwit Black-footed Albatross to tropical beaches and mangroves. Audubon’s network of Black-necked stilt chapters, volunteers, activists, and members is preserving Black oystercatcher and restoring these vital links along the way. Brant cassin’s Auklet Kittlitz’s Murrelet each year at least a billion birds migrate along the Pacific Laysan Albatross Flyway, which stretches from the north Slope of Alaska Least tern (right) Long-billed curlew to central and South America. but these birds are only a Marbled Murrelet fraction of those that used the flyway a century ago. Some Northern Goshawk species, such as the black-footed Albatross and the least sandhill crane snowy plover tern, are in serious trouble, and even many common birds, sooty shearwater such as the Western Sandpiper, have become far less com- spectacled eider mon. Habitat loss, water shortages due to diversion for ag- spruce Grouse swainson’s Hawk riculture and development, diminishing food sources, and tricolored Blackbird climate change all threaten the birds of the Pacific Flyway. Varied thrush Western sandpiper Xantus’s Murrelet yellow-billed Loon

coNserVAtioN GoALs 12.6 million acres 24 priority bird species

22 Audubon StrA tegic PlA n Audubon StrA tegic PlA n 23 p A cific f L y WAy pacific flyway central flyway mississippi flyway atlantic flyway Audubon in Action for the Western Sandpiper

● Audubon Chapters: 115 ★ Audubon State Offices: 3 ● Audubon Centers: 7 ● Globally Significant IBAs: 161

Audubon Alaska preserves breeding habitat in western and northern coastal Alaska.

HeMispHeric coNNectioNs Audubon Alaska protects watersheds Chile priority species and coastal estuaries in the tongass Audubon and its Chilean Western national Forest. partner, Centro de Estudios y Sandpiper Conservación del Patrimo- nio Natural (CECPAN), work (Calidris mauri) Gray’s Harbor to protect critical wintering Range and Habitat: nests Audubon sponsors an Important Bird Areas for Hud- in western and northern annual Shorebird Festival sonian Godwits (99 percent of Alaska. Migrates in spring and has created a the Pacific population winters mainly in West, but fairly 739-acre wetland. in Chile) and Whimbrels. common on Atlantic coast Agricultural lands provide es- puttiNG WorKiNG LANds to in fall. Frequents mudflats. sential migratory and winter WorK for Birds & peopLe Status: like many sand- Audubon California, habitat. The Chilean team is pipers, its population has Klamath Basin Audubon, using Audubon California’s dropped; species was listed as and the Audubon successful Landowner Stew- Transforming the Central Valley declining on Watchlist 2007. Society of Portland ardship Program as a model Threats/Outlook: loss preserve key wetlands. for developing similar pro- california’s central valley, one of this country’s most important food-producing of nutrient-rich estuarine grams. In California, Audubon areas, offers a good example of the power of Audubon’s partnerships. Audubon Califor- mudflats on migration engages private landowners nia, with its Migratory Bird Conservation Partnership, is collaborating with The routes due to polluted Audubon California to reduce pollution and ero- Nature Conservancy and PRBO Conservation Science to enlist California farmers runoff and other effects restores wetlands habitat in sion, restore riparian habitats, who grow rice, alfalfa, and other crops to manage their farms in bird-friendly ways that of nearby development. San Francisco bay. and protect vital roosting benefit such priority species as the Long-billed Curlew and the Western Sandpiper. Key migration, wintering, and feeding grounds. By col- Audubon and PRBO Conservation Science have guided major investments in public and staging areas need to laborating with groups like funds to make agricultural lands more bird-friendly. The Natural Resources Conserva- be protected. San Diego Audubon CECPAN, this approach can be tion Service, a unit of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, has committed $2.68 mil- safeguards crucial habitat in applied in wintering grounds lion to a three-year pilot program for rice farmers interested in increasing their farms’ Mission bay. throughout the hemisphere. value to migratory birds. To date, 74 farms and more than 28,000 acres have been enrolled in the program. In 2012 the NRCS is committing similar funding to grow the program. In another example of how Audubon California is engaging the agricultural community, 20 alfalfa and other forage-crop farmers recently participated in a pair of Audubon workshops to identify bird-friendly practices on their farms. These methods PAnAmA will be tested over the next several years. national Audubon and Panama Audubon theory of Victory: Audubon will support, guide, and replicate efforts by farmers protect winter habitat and ranchers to modify land management practices on farmland to increase their value in Panama bay. for birds and other wildlife.

the Bottom Line: Conservation impact on 210,000 U.S. acres; improved outcomes for six priority bird species.

24 Audubon StrA tegic PlA n Audubon StrA tegic PlA n 25 P a C ifiC f L y W ay

tHe CHaPter SHARiNg OuR SEAS & SHORES netWork Audubon Society Coastal Stewardship: Pacific of Portland well loved and heavily used, western beaches and rocky intertidal zones are also The Oregon coastline and its home to some of the most vulnerable Pacific Flyway species, including the Black Oys- vast offshore kelp forests are tercatcher (below), Western Snowy Plover, and California Least Tern. As development threatened by global warming, pressure continues to grow, precious shore habitats are vital not only for conservation oil spills, coastal development, but also because they provide an opportunity to help people understand how their own and overfishing. The Audubon actions can help birds and wildlife. Building on innovative and successful stewardship Society of Portland is work- by Audubon California and coastal Chapters, our multi-pronged approach combines THE CHAPTER ing to ensure that common on-the-ground protection with successful outreach programs aimed at increasing NETWORK and imperiled seabirds are numbers and diversity of breeding and wintering sites. In the process, we are also managed as an integral part of protecting numerous other migratory shorebirds that rely on shoreline areas during Bay Area this great conservation legacy. winter and migration. Audubon Chapters Having helped establish Our Ocean, an alliance of organi- Theory of Victory: Audubon will protect key coastal species throughout their lifetimes With some 5,000 turbines, the zations working to promote and migration cycles by restoring and conserving dynamic beach dune habitat for nesting Altamont Pass wind farm, built ecosystem-based manage- birds, and by reducing disturbance and minimizing threats during migration and winter. in the 1980s on the edge of Cal- ment in the Pacific Ocean off ifornia’s Central Valley, is one of Oregon’s coast, the Chapter is The Bottom Line: Conservation impact on hundreds of miles of shoreline, from Baja the biggest in the nation. It has bringing together scientists, California to Alaska; improved outcomes for three priority species. also always been controversial, fishermen, and others to col- Putting Working Lands to Work because it kills thousands of laborate on strategies to pro- for Birds & PeoPLe songbirds and raptors each tect biodiversity and promote year. For years, five Audubon sustainable coastal economies. Chapters—Golden Gate, Santa Chapter representatives are Tongass National Forest Clara Valley, Mount Diablo, also actively contributing to the Ohlone, and Marin—fought Ocean Policy Advisory Council, alaska’s tongass national forest, nearly 17 million acres, includes a significant for improvements at Altamont. supporting recent legislation portion of the world’s last remaining temperate rainforest. This spectacular region sup- Their hard work paid off in an that establishes a network of ports abundant wildlife, including such priority bird species as the Marbled Murrelet. agreement with the state at- critical sanctuary and marine Audubon’s goal is to conserve intact, ecologically significant watersheds in the Tongass torney general and Altamont’s reserves covering nine percent and support the transition of forest management from the harvest of old-growth trees operator, NextEra Energy Re- of Oregon’s territorial seas. One to more diversified uses. Audubon Alaska’s collaborative approach is in full view here, sources, that could reduce bird critical land–sea connection, and its network includes all key stakeholders: conservation groups, the timber indus- strikes by 80 percent. Among between Audubon’s Ten Mile try, commercial fishing groups, tourism officials, Alaska’s Native people, southeastern the changes: huge new tur- Creek Sanctuary and the Cape Alaska communities, the U.S. Forest Service, and Alaska Fish and Game. In partner- bines, each of which replaces Perpetua Marine Reserve and ship with The Nature Conservancy, the state program has used input from dozens of 10 to 30 old ones; an altered Seabird Protected Area, aids scientists to take a watershed-based approach to conservation. Audubon has analyzed, design that’s safer for birds; and protection of the Marbled mapped, and described the Tongass’s coastal forests to identify areas of greatest different siting, away from the Murrelet (below), a species list- ecological value. This will help deflect a current threat from legislation, introduced in saddles or ravines that attract ed as endangered in Oregon. both the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives, that would make a substantial prey and funnel air. Audubon portion of the last remaining very large tree old-growth forest vulnerable to timber Chapters' work in the Pacific cutting. Audubon’s approach protects biodiversity while supporting sustainable Flyway inspired and aligns with economic development. the Site It Right project.

theory of Victory: Audubon will work to conserve intact, ecologically significant water- sheds in the Tongass National Forest and to support transitioning forest management from the harvest of old-growth trees to a more diversified use of the forest, including managing the Tongass for salmon.

the Bottom Line: Conservation impact on 1.8 million acres; improved outcomes for four priority bird species.

26 Audubon StrA tegic PlA n Audubon StrA tegic PlA n 27 p A cific f L y WAy

yellow-billed Loon tHe ceNter NetWorK

Seward Park Audubon Center

Seattle’s Seward Park Audu- bon Center is an important stop along the Pacific Flyway and home to a diversity of tHe cHApter people and birds. Located NetWorK in one of the country’s most racially, ethnically, and socio- Saving Seabirds economically diverse ZIP in California codes, the Center introduces 15,000 people annually to the California Audubon Chapters Pileated Woodpeckers and are playing a critical role in Western Screech-Owls that the creation of a network of make their homes deep in the state marine reserves under old-growth forest. Migration the Marine Life Protection Act stories of Rufous Humming- that will safeguard species birds, Western Tanagers, and and habitats while at the colorful warblers connect same time accommodat- students with a passion for ing the needs of fishing and protecting essential habitat recreation. For each of five in the urban environment. distinct regions, scientists, Center staff also works to conservationists, commer- restore stopover or wintering cial fishing interests, and habitat for shorebirds such recreational users must ne- as Buffleheads, Hooded Mer- gotiate the design of marine sAViNG iMportANt Bird AreAs gansers, and Common Loons protected areas. Leaders from along the park’s 2.5 miles of the Marin Audubon Society, freshwater shoreline. San Fernando Valley Audu- Arctic Slope bon, and Mendocino Coast Audubon are each playing the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), which serves as Bay, the Arctic Foothills and DeLong Mountains, and the Southern Ikpikpuk River). important roles advocating the calving grounds of the Porcupine caribou herd, has long been a high-profile loca- Audubon Alaska, in the effort to safeguard Important Bird Areas and other special for seabird habitat protection. tion in the debate over energy development versus wildlife conservation. To the west of places in balance with responsible energy development, is pursuing permanent wilderness In representing Audubon in the Arctic Refuge, however, is a less well known but even more biologically diverse area designation for the coastal plain of the Arctic Refuge as well as the protection of impor- negotiations, members of critical to birds and other wildlife: the 23-million-acre National Petroleum Reserve- tant ecological areas within the NPRA. To that end, Audubon Alaska has published a these Chapters have contrib- Alaska (NPRA), the largest single tract of public land in the United States. The NPRA “Habitat Conservation Strategy” for the NPRA that identifies appropriate protections for uted a great deal of time and is home to two large caribou herds; exceptional densities of raptors; millions of migra- these “special areas,” with particular emphasis on the Teshekpuk Lake area as a breeding, local expertise to a process tory shorebirds; tens of thousands of molting geese; polar bears; and beluga whales, molting, and staging ground for a range of seabirds, shorebirds, and waterfowl. that will benefit marine birds walruses, and other marine mammals. Audubon believes sound policy can serve our energy needs without jeopardizing areas in this critical stretch of the In 1976 Congress directed the Interior Department to provide “maximum protection” of critical importance to birds and other wildlife. This can mean limiting oil and gas drill- Pacific Flyway for decades. for the area’s significant fish, wildlife, recreational, and other “surface values” in balance ing in sensitive or critical habitat areas (for example, goose molting, caribou calving) and with oil production in the NPRA. To date the Bureau of Land Management (which carefully siting needed infrastructure with wildlife habitat requirements in mind. manages the NPRA) has designated four regions as “special areas” for their exceptional biological values: Teshekpuk Lake (above), the Utukok Uplands, Kasegaluk Lagoon, theory of Victory: Audubon will work to secure the permanent protection of both and the Colville River. The BLM is currently preparing the first-ever comprehensive the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and a series of identified special areas within the area-wide plan to systematically assess all of the reserve’s values. This planning process National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (for example, Teshekpuk Lake). presents an unprecedented opportunity to fulfill the Congressional mandate to balance oil exploration with wildlife preservation by protecting the designated special areas as well the Bottom Line: Conservation impact on 10 million U.S. acres; improved outcomes for as other areas of special ecological significance (e.g., Dease Inlet and Meade River, Peard four priority bird species.

28 Audubon StrA tegic PlA n Audubon StrA tegic PlA n 29 pacific flywayatlantic flyway

Sharing our SeaS & ShoreS Saving Seabirds: Pacific

the stretch of land and sea from barrow, on Alaska’s North Slope, to Baja California is home to more than 100 million seabirds that depend on a network of breeding and foraging sites up and down the Pacific Coast. Audubon has the right skills and assets—which includes science-based identification of Important Bird Areas (IBAs), national reach and international partnerships, and expertise in colony restora- the center tion and public policy—to take effective action to stabilize and increase populations of tHe ceNter network at-risk species. We are already working with partners in British Columbia and Mexico NetWorK to designate 250 IBAs along the Pacific Coast. The Audubon Specific goals include conserving food sources for bird species through the passage of Richardson Bay Center at Debs Park international treaties, such as the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels Audubon Center and other legal protections; pressing for the recognition of IBAs and marine IBAs by private and Sanctuary Located in the fourth largest and public organizations seeking to develop offshore and near-shore resources; and using city park in Los Angeles, the the expertise developed during 38 years of successful seabird projects in Maine at additional The San Francisco Bay-Delta, Audubon Center at Debs Park important Pacific coastal sites to make them safe and suitable for use by seabird colonies. a sprawling complex of estua- operates in a densely popu- rine and open-water habitat lated, underserved urban theory of Victory: Audubon will take a broad-ranging approach—working with formed by the confluence of community. With a strong partners, influencing legislation, making full use of our extensive scientific work—to two major rivers and the Pa- focus on youth engagement, maintain a healthy network of breeding and foraging sites for the millions of migra- cific Ocean, is home to more the Center offers programs tory seabirds that use the Pacific Flyway. than a dozen Important Bird based on urban conservation, Areas, at least three of them environmental action through the Bottom line: Conservation impact on marine IBAs; improved outcomes for nine globally significant IBAs. For volunteerism, and outdoor priority bird species. sHApiNG A HeALtHy cLiMAte decades Audubon has had exploration. The Arroyo Green & cLeAN eNerGy future a strong regional presence, Team, the Center’s program safeguarding habitat for a for teens, recently won first anna weinstein, Seabird wealth of migratory birds. place out of 320 entries in conservation Director Audubon operates the area’s for audubon california Site It Right a contest called “Get the largest estuarine reserve at Green.” The regional contest the science is clear: Climate change poses the greatest threat to wildlife and habitat the Richardson Bay Audubon (run by several organizations, in our lifetime. A key strategy for reducing the impacts of climate change is to shift Center and Sanctuary. We including the National Forest how we generate energy from burning fossil fuels to cleaner technologies, including recently created habitat on Service, REI, and the Hispanic wind, solar, and geothermal. Audubon supports properly sited renewable energy proj- Aramburu Island (above) Communications Network) ects that avoid, minimize, and mitigate impact on wildlife and habitat. Site It Right and restored vital habitat in was designed to connect advocates for national, state, and local policies that encourage the permitting of renew- the San Pablo Bay Wetlands; underrepresented youth to able energy projects while protecting the conservation values of our natural environ- we also work with govern- nature. The Green Team won ment and wildlife on public and private lands. ment and NGO partners to for its video “We’re Nature The Pacific Flyway states possess vast renewable energy resources, growing popula- advocate for greater protec- Freaks, We Know It,” which tions, and world leadership in climate change policy, making this one of the world’s tions for bay habitat. As the they produced as a spoof of a fastest-growing renewable energy markets and putting pressure on this key landscape. state now considers a massive well-known song performed In close partnership with Audubon Chapters, Site It Right advocacy efforts will protect investment in water delivery by the popular band LMFAO. Important Bird Areas as well as the migratory pathways that connect them. infrastructure, Audubon The Green Team also par- has remained a consistent ticipated in the Los Angeles theory of Victory: America must simultaneously reduce its dependence on fossil fuels voice for birds. We success- Mayor’s Day of Service, and and protect birds. Audubon will continue to promote a balanced approach to this cru- fully placed a “no-net-loss” has won local accolades for cial issue by supporting wind energy installations that are sited to avoid, minimize, and provision in landmark 2009 their environmental leader- mitigate impacts on wildlife and habitat. legislation ensuring that ship and volunteer work. solutions to the crisis facing the Sacramento/San Joaquin River delta will protect migra- tory bird habitat.

30 a udubon Strategic Plan Audubon StrA tegic PlA n 31 Central Flyway Spanning Mountains, Plains, Deserts, and Coast

priority species the central Flyway extends from the grasslands of American oystercatcher Black skimmer the great Plains, the heartland’s wetlands and rivers, and Brown pelican the majestic rocky Mountains to the western gulf coast. Greater sage-Grouse (right) Many of its migratory bird species winter in central Gunnison sage-Grouse Least tern and South America; some migrate across the Western Lesser prairie-chicken Hemisphere as far north as the Arctic circle and others piping plover south to Patagonia, in southern South America. to survive reddish egret redhead these arduous journeys, they rely on stopover habitat all red Knot along the flyway. the central Flyway region is also ruddy turnstone renowned for its iconic western species, the greater sanderling sandhill crane Sage-grouse and the lesser Prairie-chicken, and their snowy plover spectacular breeding displays. Whooping crane Wilson’s plover Habitat loss and degradation threaten birds of the central Bottom Line Flyway. Water diversions and development are taking 58 million acres a toll on riparian and wetland habitats that many birds, 17 priority bird species including the critically endangered Whooping crane, rely on each spring. energy exploration and extraction has fragmented sagebrush landscapes of the intermountain West, with grim consequences for sage-grouse and other dependent wildlife. grassland birds and habitat are vanishing at an alarming rate as native prairie is erased by agricultural and urban development.

32 Audubon StrA tegic PlA n Audubon StrA tegic PlA n 33 Central flyway pacific flyway central flyway mississippi flyway atlantic flyway

Putting working lands to Audubon in Action for the Sandhill Crane work for Birds & PeoPle ● Audubon Chapters: 75 ★ Audubon State Offices: 6 ● Audubon Centers: 9 ● Globally Significant IBAs: 65 The Sagebrush Ecosystem The Audubon Rockies The Audubon Rockies Audubon’s Rowe the unbroken sagebrush country that provides crucial habitat for the Greater and Gun- program and three program and Colorado Sanctuary is visited each nison Sage-Grouse is one of the most awe-inspiring landscapes of the Rocky Mountain West. Wyoming chapters— chapters build regional spring by 80 percent of the The sage encompasses approximately 120 million acres and stretches from eastern Washing- Meadowlark, Red Desert, support for crane world’s Sandhill cranes. ton to central Wyoming and down to northern New Mexico and Arizona. It is home to a and Murie—monitor ibAs conservation. black canyon All state chapters support plethora of species, including 297 species of birds, 87 species of mammals, and 63 fish species. important to migrating and Audubon protects cranes at crane work. the ChaPter This fertile but fragile landscape has been fragmented, degraded, and, in some areas, nesting cranes. Fruitgrowers reservoir ibA. network completely eliminated by many different human activities. By some accounts, the sage- brush steppe habitat has declined by 50 percent from its levels just a century ago. Houston Audubon Today the biggest threat to the sage ecosystem is energy development. That’s why the Society Audubon Rockies program, working with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), state priority species governments, and other stakeholders, has spurred the adoption of a game-changing strategy For more than 80 years that balances wildlife protection with our nation’s need for energy. This science-based ap- Sandhill Crane Audubon’s coastal wardens proach identifies the best places for wind farms and limits the footprint of oil and gas extrac- (Grus canadensis) have been safeguarding the tion while protecting core habitat areas for sage-grouse. As a result, 15 million acres of sage- birds that live, breed, and nest grouse habitat in Wyoming are now protected, and the BLM has expanded this approach into Range and Habitat: nests on Texas Gulf Coast islands. Nevada, Utah, California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, and the Dakotas. Audu- in various places: across Along the upper Texas coast bon’s pioneering work in one flyway can lead to successes in others; this strategy also holds canada, Siberia, Alaska; in they work closely with the great promise farther south for the Lesser Prairie-Chicken and the shortgrass prairie. Michigan and Wisconsin; Houston Audubon Society. and california to colorado. Today Houston Audubon theory of Victory: By focusing on the threatened conservation status of three species Winters in new Mexico, owns and manages 10 sanc- (Greater Sage-Grouse, Gunnison Sage-Grouse, and Lesser Prairie-Chicken), Audubon texas, oklahoma, and tuaries along the Gulf; two of will ensure a sustainable future for the sage and prairie ecosystems and their wildlife. northern Mexico. uses the managed sites have been various habitats but always designated Globally Impor- the Bottom line: Conservation impact on 57 million U.S. acres; improved outcomes for associated with water. tant Bird Areas by Audubon three priority bird species. Status: currently stable. and BirdLife International. The Population is about Coastal Sanctuary program, 450,000 and spreading in a collaboration between the northeastern united States. Chapter and Audubon Texas, Threats/Outlook: in the constitutes one of the nation’s past, hunting, pesticides, oldest and most successful and habitat loss harmed conservation partnerships. this species. to consolidate Development, especially near conservation success, this wintering grounds, is a major species needs protection threat to healthy populations through the restoration of birds like the Sanderling of habitat—the Platte The Lahontan and Red Audubon New Mexico Audubon Texas’s work and Piping Plover. That’s why river in nebraska and pine Rock Chapters work at three and area chapters address to protect wintering these committed conserva- forests and savannahs on ibAs to protect, improve, threats to riparian wintering habitat on the gulf coast tionists use a creative combi- the gulf coast. and raise awareness about habitat, including the benefits both Sandhill and nation of habitat restoration, habitat for nesting cranes. bosque del Apache national Whooping cranes. monitoring, and outreach Wildlife refuge, an ibA. aimed at minimizing human disturbance to keep Texas’s coastal birds safe.

34 Audubon StrA tegic PlA n Audubon StrA tegic PlA n 35 c entrAL f L y WAy

puttinG WorKinG LAnds to WorK for Birds & peopLe Migration Corridor

north many of north america’s migratory birds, especially Whooping (below) and government agencies and private landowners in the Prairie Pothole region, Audubon Sandhill Cranes and waterfowl like the Redhead, rely on the Central Flyway’s diverse is promoting collaborative solutions to some of the region’s most critical issues facing marsh and wetland habitats for their spring and fall journeys. In the Dakotas, both birds. The upcoming Farm Bill is emerging as one of the most important pieces of on-the-ground conservation strategies and targeted energy-policy work have the legislation for bird conservation, and Audubon’s policy team and dedicated members hemispheric potential to positively impact millions of acres. These vast agricultural lands have are building support for measures that ensure continued on-the-ground restoration, the center connections major implications for many grassland- and wetland-dependent birds. Working with now in jeopardy due to sun-setting federal incentives. netWorK Mexico Spring Creek Prairie Audubon Center Rampant deforestation threatens critical wintering Just outside of Lincoln, and stopover habitat for Nebraska, the Spring Creek millions of migratory birds, Prairie Audubon Center including many raptor species stands among 800 acres of that each year pass through native tallgrass prairie. In ad- Veracruz, on Mexico’s Gulf dition to the prairie, its miles Coast. Cattle ranching and of walking trails introduce agriculture have cleared more visitors to ponds and wet- than 90 percent of central lands, wildflowers, a diverse Veracruz’s natural vegeta- assortment of birds and other tion, leaving little cover, food, wildlife, and historic wagon or roosting sites for birds. ruts left by 19th-century Audubon’s International pioneers. Thanks to education Alliances Program is working and outreach that engages with Pronatura Veracruz to surrounding communities build local stewardship of this and adjacent landown- globally significant Important ers, Audubon is fostering Bird Area. The program helps stewardship, preservation, landowners develop plant and restoration of one of the nurseries, ecotourism busi- last remaining remnants of nesses, and other sustainable the native prairies that once livelihoods from the forests blanketed the Midwest. instead of cutting them down to clear farmland. More than 3,000 acres of remaining Veracruz forest has been officially protected.

36 Audubon StrA tegic PlA n Audubon StrA tegic PlA n 37 c entrAL f L y WAy

the chApter miGrAtion corridor/south netWorK the hourglass widens again as it moves into Texas, embracing a wide range of rich habitats for birds, particularly along the Gulf of Mexico’s coastal plain—prime real estate Grand Valley for such resident coastal birds as the Reddish Egret and to such long-distance migrants as Audubon Society the Red Knot. Audubon and the Houston Audubon Society manage a series of important island nesting colonies throughout south Texas’s 103-mile-long Laguna Madre, which The Birding for Everyone Trail includes 13,000 acres of the largest nesting colonies of Reddish Egrets and Roseate Spoon- brings nature within reach of bills in the world. In collaboration with government agencies and other partners, Audubon every member of the Grand is working to ensure long-term preservation of this biologically unique and valuable region. Valley, Colorado, community, Partnership with other stakeholders is also instrumental in Audubon’s work to regardless of physical abilities. safeguard the health of Texas bays and estuaries, especially those feeding San Antonio The Grand Valley Audubon and Aransas Bays, the wintering home of the only wild flock of Whooping Cranes left the center Society designed the trail in North America. Both the Mitchell Lake Audubon Center in San Antonio and the netWorK with help and support from a Trinity River Audubon Center in Dallas are introducing their diverse communities to number of community part- the importance of protecting the watershed. Trinity River ners—and with all the senses Audubon Center in mind. As a result, visually theory of Victory: Audubon will protect the array of priority habitats and birds that impaired visitors can explore shape the Central Flyway through a multi-pronged approach that engages our network Eight minutes from down- without assistance, listening and our partners all along the way. Together they will shape sound energy policy and town Dallas, the Trinity River to descriptions of the area address other threats. Audubon Center is a gateway and its diverse birds—and re- to the Great Trinity Forest— corded songs as well as actual Bottom Line: Conservation impact on 1 million U.S. acres; improved outcomes for five the largest urban bottomland ones like the Brewer’s Spar- priority bird species. forest in the United States. row (below) and the Common Sited on a former illegal Yellowthroat. It is a powerful miGrAtion corridor/centrAL dumping ground and brown- example of how Audubon is the migration corridor’s hourglass narrows to a “funnel” in Nebraska, at the field, the Center is living proof making nature accessible to Platte River, one of our nation’s most important spring migration staging areas for both of the powers of regeneration new audiences. Whooping and Sandhill Cranes (above). Audubon Nebraska and its partners, includ- with its renewed wetlands ing Big Bend Audubon, have long been instrumental in restoring this key stopover site and ponds, blackland prairie, along the Central Flyway. Working with partners and volunteers, staff from Audubon’s and forested areas. Each year Lillian Annette Rowe Sanctuary are restoring habitat and clearing nearly 14,000 acres of nearly 40,000 visitors learn invasive phragmites, work that will open miles of the Platte River channel vital to nearly about Texas’s rich birdlife and 80 percent of the population of Sandhill Cranes and important for other wildlife. diversity by strolling its paths, In addition to hands-on work to maintain this important river channel, Audubon or participating in workshops builds community and national support for its restoration through sustainable ecotour- that impart valuable lessons ism. Each spring visitors from around the globe witness the amazing spectacle of the in conservation, like what crane migration at the sanctuary’s Iain Nicolson Audubon Center. Emerging threats to people can do to safeguard the corridor include the proposed Keystone XL pipeline, and Audubon has mobilized water quality throughout the its far-ranging network in opposition to the pipeline’s inherent dangers. Trinity River Watershed, a criti- The migration corridor also includes precious prairie grasslands, among them 800 cal resource for residents. acres of native tallgrass prairie at the Spring Creek Prairie Audubon Center near Lin- coln, Nebraska. Audubon is also leveraging additional conservation through collabora- tive efforts with the Mississippi Flyway on the Prairie Bird Initiative, an effort to work at landscape-scale geographies with beef producers and public agencies.

38 Audubon StrA tegic PlA n Audubon StrA tegic PlA n 39 c entraL f L yway

the center Incubator Projects netWorK putting working Lands to Rio Salado work for Birds & peopLe Audubon Center

The birds of the Sonoran Prairie Bird riparian habitat around the Nina Mason Pulliam Rio As farms and cities in the central United States flourished, prairie grasses disappeared. Tall- Salado Audubon Center grass prairies are now among our most endangered habitats—only about 4 percent remains. are as diverse as the people the chapter Prairie birds have shown the most sustained population declines of any bird group in North who live in its bordering network America. Audubon is partnering with ranchers who own remaining grasslands to develop neighborhoods. The Center market-based management that benefits prairie birds while sustaining the livelihoods of the is located less than two miles Tucson Audubon’s ranchers. A pilot effort starting in Kansas, Nebraska, and Missouri will focus on such species from downtown Phoenix in Bird-Friendly as the Henslow’s Sparrow, Greater Prairie-Chicken, and Upland Sandpiper. Work to advance the heart of the Rio Salado Communities grassland-bird-friendly beef production in the Great Plains is modeled on early efforts in the Habitat Restoration Area—a Southern Cone Grasslands of Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay. 600-acre park space in the Tucson Audubon shows historic Salt River corridor. homeowners how to make the Bottom Line: Conservation impact on 20 million U.S. acres and 2.5 million acres in The River Pathways program homes in the Sonoran Desert South America; improved outcomes for six priority bird species. is only one way that Audubon bird-friendly. Through grant- SAvING IMPORTANT BIRD AReAS is nurturing the next genera- funded projects and educa- tion of conservation leaders tional events, the Chapter’s at Rio Salado. High school Landscaping for Wildlife Western Rivers students participate in a and Sustainability program program that’s part classroom shows people how harvest- The Rio Grande and Colorado Rivers provide life-sustaining waters from the Rocky Mountains education and part field work, ing rainwater and planting to the Southwest’s arid deserts. Water management is one of the most significant challenges and that introduces them diverse native plants results in for western communities as well as for wildlife. With more water diverted for human use, vital not only to Arizona’s birds gardens that are both beauti- riverside forests and wetlands or riparian habitats disappear—habitat critical for feeding and and wildlife like the Western ful and friendlier to birds and breeding. That’s why Audubon is working to identify, protect, and restore priority riparian Yellow-billed Cuckoo, but also people alike. These denser, Important Bird Areas throughout the Southwest. We are employing multiple strategies, in- teaches practical skills, paving shadier landscapes conserve cluding working with water resource agencies, cities, farmers, and ranchers to put water back a way to future careers in water while also reducing in rivers, adopt bird-friendly agricultural practices, and optimize water management for the conservation. runoff pollution, urban heat basin’s urban, agricultural, and ecological needs. island effect, and energy use. In Arizona, the Nina Pulliam Mason Rio Salado Audubon Center is engaging Phoenix resi- For three years Tucson Audu- dents in good water management practices. Audubon New Mexico and Southwestern New bon has developed rainwater- Mexico Audubon are also partnering to protect the riparian corridor of the Gila River, now harvesting gardens with threatened by even more water diversions. residents of the Barrio Kroger Lane. Residents of this largely the Bottom Line: Conservation impact on 536,000 U.S. acres; improved outcomes for Hispanic neighborhood have 12 priority bird species. added edible plants to their native plantings, guiding us in new directions that create edible urban landscapes for people and wildlife.

40 Audubon StrA tegic PlA n Audubon StrA tegic PlA n 41 Mississippi Flyway Tracing North America’s Great Rivers and Crossing the Gulf

priority species nearly half of north America’s bird species, and about American oystercatcher 40 percent of its waterfowl, spend at least part of their Black skimmer (right) Brown pelican lives in the Mississippi Flyway. extending north to canada’s clapper rail tundra and boreal forest, this much-traveled flyway includes Least tern the vast Mackenzie river watershed and then traces Little Blue Heron Mottled Duck the mighty Mississippi river through America’s heartland to piping plover the gulf coast and continues south as far as Patagonia. reddish egret red Knot ruddy turnstone the Mississippi river and its vibrant grasslands, forests, sanderling and wetlands have been compromised by a century of seaside sparrow misguided management. All along its length, the river has short-billed Dowitcher snowy plover been controlled and manipulated to the detriment Western sandpiper of natural systems and the birds and other wildlife that Wilson’s plover depend on them. the upper river is governed by a series

BottoM Line of dams and locks; the lower river is channeled by more 3.5 million acres than 1,600 miles of levees. together these structures 17 priority bird species confine the Mississippi to less than 10 percent of its original floodplain, and the sediment that historically fed the river’s vast delta in louisiana no longer reaches marshes and coastal forests. As a result, 19 square miles of delta wetlands disappear each year.

42 Audubon StrA tegic PlA n Audubon StrA tegic PlA n 43 miSSi SSippi f L yway pacific flyway central flyway mississippi flyway atlantic flyway Audubon in Action for the Prothonotary Warbler The cenTer Sharing Our SeaS & ShOreS neT wOrk ● Audubon Chapters: 120 ★ Audubon State Offices: 5 ● Audubon Centers: 10 ● Globally Significant IBAs: 59 Pascagoula River Coastal Stewardship: Gulf Audubon Center all along the gulf coast, Audubon works with volunteers and partner organiza- Mississippi’s Pascagoula River tions to conserve, restore, protect, and monitor a network of coastal sites for colonial Audubon Minnesota flows unimpeded and largely and beach-nesting birds—including Wilson’s Plovers, Black Skimmers, and Reddish works with private unspoiled thanks to decades Egrets—and to help people and birds coexist and thrive in these sensitive coastal areas. landowners in floodplain of conservation efforts, mak- In some places, Audubon Chapter members and other volunteers adopt beaches, edu- forest ibAs to improve ing it unique in the lower 48 cating beachgoers about the birds and how to keep them, their eggs, and their chicks breeding habitat. states. The Pascagoula River safe. At other sites, professional stewards protect the critical island breeding habitat of Audubon Center in Moss colonial waterbirds. Point, together with the In a good example of Audubon’s citizen science approach, Audubon biologists also Chicago Audubon Mississippi Coast Audubon mobilize networks of volunteers to gather a wealth of data about coastal waterbirds and priority species Society, Audubon Society and the Mobile Bay their habitats through the Audubon Coastal Bird Survey and other research efforts. Chicago Region, and Audubon Society, introduces Our scientists are building a credible, long-term inventory of information on coastal Prothonotary other partners have advo- Gulf Coast residents and waterbirds and their habitats in order to help keep these birds’ populations resilient to Warbler cated for chicago buildings others to the river’s abun- sea level rise and human development pressures. Audubon will continue to augment (Protonotaria citrea) to dim their lights during dant birds and other wildlife. these research and protection efforts by engaging local communities and the public at migration to avoid Hands-on conservation and large through innovative outreach and social marketing in our efforts to reduce human Range and Habitat: window collisions. education activities, includ- disturbance, increase awareness, and broaden public protections for birds that breed, From bottomland hard- ing stewardship of a large winter, and migrate along the Gulf Coast. wood forests in the delta Least Tern colony on a nearby and other forested wet- The Audubon Center beach, provide real-world Theory of Victory: Audubon will develop comprehensive partnership programs lands of the u.S. Southeast at Riverlands promotes experience in the power of to actively monitor, manage, and recover key colonies and nesting sites for beach- to mangrove forests of stewardship of forests used conservation. The Center will dependent Gulf Coast birds. central and northern South by Prothonotary Warblers become an even more im- America. Small breeding on migration and during portant community resource The Bottom Line: Conservation impact on 30,000 U.S. acres; improved outcomes population in canada. breeding season. when its new conservation for 11 priority bird species. Status: endangered in and education facility opens canada, where population in 2013. Located on a 10-acre has dropped by at least Audubon Mississippi, bayou-side property in the 75 percent. by partnering with the Pascagoula River watershed, Threats/Outlook: owners of bottomland the new Center will also play logging and agriculture hardwood forest, promotes a key role in Audubon’s Gulf in u.S. and destruction bird-friendly forest manage- of Mexico and Mississippi of mangroves in South ment in the state. Flyway conservation prior- America have hurt. ity projects, including IBA nest-box programs are stewardship. increasingly common Audubon Louisiana in regional and county helps to protect vital breeding parks and can be helpful habitat at the West Pontchar- if wetland forest habitat is train-Maurepas Swamp ibA. maintained.

Baton Rouge Audubon’s Audubon and Panama Peveto Woods Sanctuary Audubon collaborate to provides a safe haven for protect wintering grounds. resting and refueling.

44 Audubon StrA tegic PlA n Audubon StrA tegic PlA n 45 miSSi SSippi flyway

the chapter network Louisiana Chapter Sanctuaries

In Louisiana, the Orleans Audu- bon Society and Baton Rouge Audubon Society maintain a network of coastal sanctuaries that provide critical habitat for hundreds of bird species, in- the center cluding many of the Mississippi network Flyway priority birds. The coast- al forest habitats that these Audubon Center Chapters actively conserve at Riverlands encompass migratory stopover habitat for countless warblers, Audubon partnered with the vireos, grosbeaks, flycatch- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers ers, hummingbirds, tanagers, to open a conservation and and other species that travel education center near St. across the Gulf of Mexico twice Louis, Missouri, at the heart of each year. The beach, marsh, the flyway and the confluence and riverine forest habitats of the Missouri and Missis- also preserved in this Chapter sippi Rivers. The Audubon sanctuary network are home Center at Riverlands is located to many other species, from within the Great Rivers Con- the Clapper Rail (below) to the fluence Important Bird Area Prothonotary Warbler. but is also near a diverse urban center. In addition to providing essential habitat to resident and migratory birds, it offers unique opportunities for local residents to connect with nature. The Center is Saving important Bird areaS surrounded by 3,700 acres of prairie marsh and forest, which form an important Mississippi River Delta wetlands complex for migrat- ing, nesting, and wintering after the bp oil spill thrust the fragile ecosystem of the Mississippi River Delta into ports more than 170,000 contiguous acres of coastal wetlands and is pioneering new restora- waterbirds. Center staffers are public view, Audubon brought all its resources to bear to help rescue the birds victimized by tion strategies, including development of a new type of dredge to rebuild damaged wetlands. also working toward better the disaster and to support recovery efforts. More than 35,000 people contacted us to vol- The effort expanded with a pace-setting gift from the Walton Family Foundation, which management of 100,000 acres unteer, and we put 2,500 to work helping oil-soaked pelicans and other birds and wildlife. allowed Audubon to bring its unique capacities to bear on the entire coast in partnership of nearby public lands, and In the spill’s aftermath, Audubon’s policy team and grassroots activists were instrumental with the Environmental Defense Fund and the National Wildlife Federation. Now, from the will be engaging birders in a in gaining national support for ongoing recovery work in the delta. This led to the introduc- mouth of the river to the halls of Congress, Audubon and its partners are forging and imple- citizen science effort to un- tion of federal legislation that, if passed, will direct billions of dollars to restoration. menting a new vision for the nation’s relationship with the Mississippi River and its delta. derstand how birds are using In fact, Audubon had been leading the fight to protect and restore the delta for many those habitats and how they years before the spill, through an array of innovative efforts, both science-based and leg- theory of Victory: Audubon will advance groundbreaking science, engage more supporters, respond to positive habitat islative. The goal is to restore this vital and unique ecosystem and reestablish the natural, and pass key state and federal legislation to change Mississippi River management to restore management changes. life-giving cycles of the Mississippi River, from its headwaters to the Gulf of Mexico. the delta and coast for people and birds, and improve the health of the Gulf of Mexico. Audubon’s oldest and largest preserve, Louisiana’s Paul J. Rainey Wildlife Sanctuary, has been conserved since 1924. Audubon staff made the sanctuary into the centerpiece of a the Bottom Line: Conservation impact on 3.5 million U.S. acres; improved outcomes unique and powerful conservation alliance with neighboring landowners. The alliance sup- for 11 priority bird species.

46 Audubon StrA tegic PlA n Audubon StrA tegic PlA n 47 mississippi flyway

creating Bird-friendly communities Lights Out Chicago and Minneapolis

migrating birds face a wide range of manmade threats. One of the most deadly is collisions with tall buildings, which cause millions of fatalities each spring and fall. Audubon and its Chapters are making midwestern cities safer by enlisting building owners to make their nighttime skies bird-friendly by turning unnecessary lights off the chapter during migration. In Chicago alone, where the first Lights Out program originated, the center network researchers estimate that the initiative saves the lives of more than 10,000 migratory netWork land birds each year. Audubon and the Chicago Audubon Society collaborate with the Mississippi Flyway City of Chicago, the Building Owners and Managers Association of Chicago, and the Grange Insurance Action Network Field Museum in this community effort. Audubon Center Farther up the Mississippi, Audubon Minnesota has joined forces with community Chapter leaders and Audubon organizations, Audubon Chapters, government agencies, and other conservationists in Less than a 10-minute walk activists from up and down Lights Out Twin Cities, helping to provide safe passage for migrants like the Cerulean from downtown Columbus, the Mississippi Flyway are Warbler (below). Ohio, on a half-forgotten banding together to form the bend in the Scioto River and Mississippi Flyway Action Net- theory of Victory: By expanding Lights Out programs to more cities within the Mis- set amid an industrial land- work. These leaders are trans- sissippi Flyway and beyond, Audubon can engage people and communities to protect scape, lies a hidden haven for forming Audubon’s approach growing numbers of migratory birds. It is one element of our work to create bird- wildlife and birds: the Grange to grassroots public policy friendly communities. Insurance Audubon Cen- advocacy. By focusing their ter, which brings hands-on efforts on specific, high-im- Incubator Project conservation and nature- pact advocacy activities, they based learning to its urban will become the public faces Putting Working Lands to community. Conservation and voices on behalf of birds Work for Birds & PeoPLe action infuses activities and and bird habitats in public educational adventures, and meetings, in the media, and Bottomland Forests the Center’s location in an in the offices of their elected Important Bird Area gives stu- officials. They will coordinate, Much of this flyway’s forested lands are privately owned and managed for forest products and rec- dents and others a vantage mobilize, and recruit activists reational use, including hunting. Audubon is partnering with landowners to promote bird-friendly point to observe thousands of in their regions, and they will forest management that sustains viable populations of bottomland hardwood-dependent birds migrating birds as they stop represent Audubon to other (breeding and migration), including Prothonotary, Swainson’s, and Cerulean Warblers. along the Scioto River to rest organizations and community Audubon Mississippi has completed a pilot project on 12,000 private acres in the western and refuel during their long groups. They will lead the way part of the state. Audubon Minnesota has launched a pilot to promote best management journeys. The story of the in increasing the power of the practices to private landowners in floodplain forests in and adjacent to the Important Bird Mississippi Flyway and the Audubon network to effect Areas along the Upper Mississippi. As word has spread about Audubon’s collaborative Mississippi River watershed is public policy change. approach, we have been asked to develop a landowner learning network. a tale of hemispheric connec- tions, and Center visitors learn The Bottom Line: Conservation impact on 4 million U.S. acres; improved outcomes for four where they fit in the story priority bird species. and how they can make a difference through their own actions.

48 Audubon StrA tegic PlA n Audubon StrA tegic PlA n 49 Atlantic Flyway On the Wing From Labrador to Tierra del Fuego

priority species the Atlantic Flyway encompasses some of the hemisphere’s American oystercatcher most productive ecosystems, including forests, beaches, American Woodcock Arctic tern and coastal wetlands. From the northern Atlantic coast Bald eagle and through the caribbean to South America, Audubon Black skimmer is working to support this avian superhighway’s 500-plus Black-capped petrel Black-throated Blue Warbler bird species and millions of individual birds. Brown pelican canada Warbler Forty percent of the Atlantic Flyway’s bird species are spe- cerulean Warbler common tern cies of conservation need. these include the Wood thrush, Golden-winged Warbler the most widespread of our eastern forest neotropical Grasshopper sparrow migratory species, whose population has been reduced Least tern piping plover (right) by half in the past 40 years. With only one-tenth of the u.S. prothonotary Warbler landmass, this flyway is home to one-third of the nation’s red Knot people. And dense population carries with it many chal- reddish egret roseate spoonbill lenges for birds and habitat: development and sprawl, roseate tern incompatible agriculture, overfishing, and climate change. ruddy turnstone saltmarsh sparrow sanderling seaside sparrow semipalmated sandpiper snail Kite snowy plover swallow-tailed Kite Western sandpiper Wilson's plover Wood stork Wood thrush

conservAtion GoALs 43.8 million acres 32 priority bird species

50 Audubon StrA tegic PlA n Audubon StrA tegic PlA n 51 atL antic f L y W ay pacific flyway central flyway mississippi flyway atlantic flyway

Putting Working Lands to Audubon in Action for the Wood Thrush Work for Birds & PeoPLe ● Audubon Chapters: 157 ★ Audubon State Offices: 8 ● Audubon Centers: 21 ● Globally Significant ibAs: 139 Eastern Forests

audubon enlists landowners and foresters to help support birds that depend on forested landscapes along the Atlantic Flyway, training them in bird-friendly forestry practices and promoting legislation that provides incentives for forest preservation. This innovative program, pioneered by Audubon Vermont, has trained 80 percent of that state’s foresters. In 2011 the program’s guidelines were adopted by the state as an official the chaPter reference for management plans used by landowners in a tax incentive program for those Audubon Vermont’s netWork who commit to keep their land—more than one million acres to date—in forest. Forest Stewardship Audubon New York has trained Adirondack landowners and foresters responsible Program helps landowners Atlanta Audubon for managing nearly 700,000 acres. In partnership with the Belize Audubon Society, manage their woods Audubon is also working to protect forested winter habitat for the Wood Thrush and to benefit forest birds. The Atlanta Audubon Society other neotropical migrants. Audubon will expand both the reach and scope of this recognizes homeowners pragmatic approach to conservation, including promoting policies that offer economic priority species who create and maintain incentives for forest preservation in both Latin America and the United States. bird-friendly habitat—spe- Wood Thrush cifically food, water, shelter, theory of Victory: Audubon can support viable populations of seven priority bird New York City Audubon’s and nesting sites for birds. species throughout their lifecycles by establishing a protected and properly managed Range and Habitat: nests Project Safe Flight is making The Chapter trains volunteer network of forested landscapes all along the Atlantic Flyway. in moist deciduous and the city safer for migrating backyard “certifiers” who edu- mixed forests in eastern birds. cate and guide homeowners, the Bottom Line: Conservation impact on 35 million acres in the United States and united States and south- emphasizing the value and 140,000 acres in Belize; improved outcomes for seven priority bird species. eastern canada. Winters importance of utilizing native mostly in tropics of southern plantings. The one-backyard- Mexico and central America. Audubon South Carolina at-a-time approach is creating Status: research suggests negotiates conservation a growing mosaic of neigh- a population decline of easements to protect more borhood “sanctuaries.” Atlanta almost two percent a year habitat near Francis beidler Audubon hosts tours of these since mid-1960s; decreases Forest. model sites, inspiring more more pronounced in homeowners to get involved. canada than in the u.S. To date, 500 properties (total- Threats/Outlook: Habitat ing 25,000 acres!) have been loss on both breeding and The Atlanta Audubon recognized as wildlife sanctu- wintering grounds. even Society works to identify aries by Atlanta Audubon. where nesting habitat and conserve key breeding remains, fragmentation has and feeding sites for birds increased threat of cowbird in georgia. parasitism. not in immediate danger, but large-scale habi- tat protection is essential.

belize Audubon and belize Audubon work for better management of central American forests to create wintering habitat for migrating birds.

52 Audubon StrA tegic PlA n Audubon StrA tegic PlA n 53 A t LAntic f L y WAy

the chApter Least tern creAtinG Bird-friendLy communities netWorK Charleston Audubon At Home Natural History Society without protected, welcoming stopover habitat, even the hardiest Atlantic Flyway migrants are hard pressed to complete their spring and fall journeys. Fortu- The Charleston (South Caro- nately, Audubon provides the expertise and resources volunteers need to welcome birds lina) Natural History Society, to their backyards and parks through its Audubon At Home program. Audubon Con- founded in 1905, has a history necticut, for example, engages Chapters, garden clubs, and other groups, through the as long as National Audubon. Urban Oasis program, to promote landscaping with plants that are beneficial to birds. Today the Chapter owns The Cape Fear Audubon Society in Wilmington, North Carolina, introduces “bird- the center and operates the McAlhany scaping” to local residents. As these programs produce encouraging results, Audubon netWorK Nature Preserve, 368 acres of will continue to mobilize its network of Centers and Chapters to empower individuals wide-ranging habitat, includ- and communities to create more bird-friendly habitat all along this flyway. Green Mountain ing bottomland hardwood Audubon Center forest along 1.5 miles of the theory of victory: Audubon can inspire and empower homeowners and communities to Edisto River, longleaf pine for- create healthy habitat in their backyards and neighborhoods, and their actions will pro- The 255-acre Green Mountain est, wetlands, and a nine-acre vide Atlantic Flyway birds with safe places to rest and refuel on their long migrations. Audubon Center is located oxbow lake. within one of Vermont’s prior- In 2005 the Chapter began ity forest blocks for breeding restoring abandoned agricul- neotropical migratory birds. tural lands on the preserve, The Center’s forests, fields, and today those fields are 40 wetlands, and rivers play a acres of longleaf pine forest. shArinG our seAs & shores starring role in environmental Management includes pre- education and workshops scribed burns, and Audubon for landowners and foresters, South Carolina recently pro- Coastal Stewardship: Atlantic serving as demonstration vided equipment and labor sites for a range of bird- for mowing the preserve’s the beaches and saltmarshes of the Atlantic Coast of the United States are of vital friendly habitat management firebreaks. Longleaf pine for- importance to a wide range of birds. Coastal habitats are especially vulnerable to devel- practices. Participants in the est benefits many nesting and opment in this heavily populated part of the country. Global warming and sea level rise low-impact-logging work- migratory species of birds. are other looming threats to coastal habitat. Audubon’s successful beach stewardship shop learn how to conserve The Chapter also engages programs, which enlist Chapters, members, and local volunteers to help protect beach- forest soils and surrounding diverse members of its commu- nesting sites, provide a powerful and practical solution. By engaging more communities trees as they harvest tim- nity, among them cadets from up and down the coast, we can create a web of protection. Already, beaches on New ber—measures that improve The Citadel and students from York’s Long Island and North Carolina’s Cape Hatteras are becoming safer for priority habitat for Canada Warblers the College of Charleston, and birds like the Piping Plover. Audubon currently has active stewardship programs at 61 and many other species. In collaborates with government sites in the Atlantic Flyway. addition to workshops, Center partners, including the U.S. Fish naturalists have created and Wildlife Service and the theory of victory: Audubon can restore populations of eight priority species through educational materials for Natural Resources Conserva- stewardship, habitat maintenance, and threat abatement at key breeding, migration, and landowners and developed tion Service. non-breeding coastal sites used throughout the annual cycle across the flyway. the Foresters for the Birds pro- gram, which has trained more the Bottom Line: Conservation impact on 57,000 U.S. acres and 43,000 acres in than 80 foresters in how to the Bahamas; improved outcomes for 12 priority bird species. assess and improve breeding habitat. Through these efforts, Audubon is helping to foster good forest management on more than a million acres in Vermont.

54 Audubon StrA tegic PlA n Audubon StrA tegic PlA n 55 A t LAntic f L y WAy

sAvinG importAnt Bird AreAs Everglades Ecosystem

as the only conservation organization working throughout the ecosystem, Audubon’s goal for the Everglades is to reestablish colonies of wading birds that have been displaced by drainage, development, and dirty water. Science, grassroots reach, sophisticated policy work, and partnerships with landowners, businesses, and other the chApter stakeholders all drive our success. netWorK Important Bird Areas are central to this effort. One of the first victories in our new Atlantic Flyway IBA strategy was the formation of the Everglades Headwaters New York City the center National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area. This new, 150,000-acre refuge sup- Audubon netWorK ports priority birds like Grasshopper Sparrows and many migratory birds. Focusing on getting the right amounts of freshwater flowing into the remnants of the Everglades, Most birds migrate at night, The Blair Audubon has shaped federal and state policies and secured funding for projects that often navigating by using Audubon Center store, treat, and deliver clean water to the natural system. Audubon Florida and the nature’s lights: the moon and and Corkscrew state’s 44 Chapters collaborate with other partners and local, state, and federal deci- stars. Nighttime holds great Swamp Sanctuary sion makers to marshal much-needed support for the ambitious Everglades restoration peril for migrating birds, which project, the nation’s largest ecosystem project. Among recent successes are measures to get confused by the artificial The Blair Audubon Center and reduce pollution in Lake Okeechobee, improve freshwater flow to Everglades National lights in our cities’ brightly lit boardwalk sit in the heart of Park, and restore 20 miles of the Kissimmee River. buildings. It is estimated that the 13,000-acre Corkscrew more than 100 million birds Swamp Sanctuary, in Florida’s theory of victory: Audubon will harness its full network to restore natural hydrological die each year from striking western Everglades. At Cork- processes, reduce pollution, and advance sound land management practices that buildings. New York City Audu- screw, science points the way, support the health of the full Everglades system. bon is making a difference education engenders sup- for thousands of migrants by port, and advocacy advances the Bottom Line: Conservation impact on 7.7 million acres; improved outcomes urging building owners to dim the conservation action for six priority bird species. sAvinG importAnt Bird AreAs or turn off lights during spring necessary to ensure that the and fall migration. Many of the western Everglades continues city’s most iconic buildings to support birds and other snail Kite Long Island Sound participate in Lights Out, in- wildlife. Perhaps most impor- cluding the Chrysler Building, tant, the beauty of the swamp roughly 10 percent of americans live within 50 miles of Long Island Sound. Rockefeller Center, the Time itself inspires all who walk Audubon is leading an ambitious effort to restore the Sound’s health in a way that Warner Center, and Audubon’s the Center’s famous 2.25- supports populations of priority waterbirds and shorebirds while balancing the needs of home office at 225 Varick mile boardwalk, which winds nature and people. Our national policy team joined forces with Audubon Connecticut Street. Now in its seventh year, through the world’s largest and Audubon New York to rally federal, state, and local lawmakers and other stakehold- Lights Out has been embraced virgin bald cypress forest. ers to endorse Sound Vision, a two-year action plan to protect and restore the Sound. in cities from Boston to Chi- For decades Sanctuary and The plan, developed by the Long Island Sound Citizens Advisory Committee, combines cago and San Francisco. Center programs have helped restoration projects with unified legislative efforts. Science plays a key role in Audubon’s ensure that the full suite of efforts in the Sound, exemplified by Audubon Connecticut’s work to assess breeding species native to the western success and identify optimal nesting locations that will ultimately benefit American Everglades and represented Oystercatchers, Piping Plovers, Saltmarsh Sparrows, Roseate Terns, and other in the Corkscrew watershed priority bird species. have the habitat quantity and quality they need to thrive. theory of victory: Audubon will marshal its network to restore Long Island Sound as a healthy, functioning estuary that supports priority waterbirds and shorebirds in balance with human use and recreation. This includes a network of permanently protected and properly managed coastal and upland habitats that ensure adequate areas for breeding, migrating, and wintering birds, and also strong fisheries to provide food for birds.

Bottom Line: Conservation impact on 875,000 acres; improved outcomes for eight priority bird species.

56 Audubon StrA tegic PlA n Audubon StrA tegic PlA n 57 a T lanT ic flyway

Incubator Projects

Shaping a healthy climate & clean energy future

Saltmarsh hemispheric Audubon Maryland-DC and its partners are working to help imperiled saltmarsh birds adapt connecTions to sea level rise threatening coastal marshes in the Chesapeake Bay. Audubon’s 205,891-acre the center Southern Dorchester County Important Bird Area is globally significant for Saltmarsh Sparrows network Bahamas and provides habitat for Seaside Sparrows. It is anchored by Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, several state wildlife management areas, and private landholdings, including the Chesapeake The Donal C. Audubon’s International Audubon Society’s 750-acre Farm Creek Marsh Sanctuary. Audubon will identify appropriate O’Brien Jr. Audubon Alliances Program partnered sites for protection and restoration to keep marsh migration corridors free of development, and Sanctuary & Center with Audubon North Carolina will protect high-quality existing marshes to bolster bird populations especially susceptible to at Pine Island and the Bahamas National sea level rise. This project will also guide efforts at other Atlantic Flyway sites. Trust to discover where Piping This sanctuary and planned Plovers that breed on the East theory of Victory: Audubon will manage and protect a network of saltmarsh landscapes across Center, named for the former Coast of the United States the Atlantic Flyway to sustain priority bird species in the face of sea level rise and other threats. Audubon board chair, sits and Canada spend the winter. sharing our seas & shores on North Carolina’s beautiful They found their answer in a the Bottom line: Conservation impact on 500,000 U.S. acres; improved outcomes for five Outer Banks. The site encom- Bahamas population census priority bird species. passes marshes along Curri- in February 2011. The count Saving Seabirds Coast to Coast tuck Sound as well as bottom- tallied more than 1,000 land habitat, dry sandy areas, birds—one-eighth of the over the past 38 years Audubon’s Seabird Restoration Program, pioneered in the putting working landS to and upland maritime forests. highly endangered species’ Atlantic Flyway by Steve Kress (above), has restored breeding Atlantic Puffins work for BirdS & people Audubon is partnering with entire population and the and other seabirds to islands off the coast of Maine. Now the program’s innovative the surrounding community majority of the East Coast approach, which uses decoys, mirrors, and recordings to attract birds to suitable nesting to develop programming and breeders. The census also sites, is being implemented in Baja California. The Cassin’s Auklet, Ashy Storm-Petrel, Eastern Grasslands & Shrublands activities that will offer visi- identified two new globally and Xantus’s Murrelet are priority species that will benefit from this collaborative effort tors an array of environmental significant Important Bird involving Audubon and other conservation organizations in the United States and Atlantic Flyway birds that depend on grassland and early successional shrubland habitats experiences, from exploring Areas. As a result of this work, Mexico. It is a living demonstration of how the Audubon network bridges bounda- have experienced significant population declines. The flyway provides essential habitat not the vast expanse of Currituck we now know that the ries on behalf of birds. It is also only one of the ways our Saving Seabirds project will only during the breeding season but as a migratory pathway and wintering area. Audubon Sound to studying the smaller Bahamas is second only to protect seabirds; we will also advance sound fishing and marine practices and policies, and its partners will create a network of private and public grasslands and shrublands that wonders of nature. Pine Island Texas in importance to the and provide rapid response to oil spills and other environmental emergencies. supports viable populations of priority bird species throughout their lifecycles. is also one of the string of survival and recovery of this, vulnerable saltmarsh land- one of Audubon’s highest- Theory of Victory: By advancing measures that ensure food supply and clean theory of Victory: Audubon will develop, deploy, and implement proven management strategies scapes on the Atlantic Flyway priority species. marine habitat, and by restoring and supporting breeding colonies, Audubon will such as modified haying practices, especially on private lands, to improve grassland and shrubland where Audubon is working to protect at-risk seabirds. habitat for priority species throughout the Atlantic Flyway. address a plethora of threats, including the potential the Bottom line: Conservation impact on 5 million U.S. acres; improved outcomes for eight impacts of climate change priority bird species. and sea level rise. The future of such Audubon priority spe- cies as the Saltmarsh Sparrow (top) and the Seaside Sparrow is at stake.

58 Audubon StrA tegic PlA n Audubon StrA tegic PlA n 59 how we work How we work The Audubon Network works from backyards to legislatures across the hemisphere. Through science, education, advocacy, and on-the- ground conservation, we protect birds and their habitat. Where birds thrive, people prosper.

Melanie Driscoll, Director of Bird Conservation for the Gulf of Mexico and the Mississippi Flyway, was an unstoppable force for birds during the BP oil disaster, and she exemplifies Audubon’s leadership in long- term recovery for the region.

60 Audubon StrA tegic PlA n Audubon StrA tegic PlA n 61 how we work scieNce

Citizen SCienCe more than a century ago, Audubon pioneered the idea of citizen science with the first Christmas Bird Count. Today the longest-running wildlife census in the world continues to shape and inform our approach to conservation, providing vital information about bird populations and trends, data that alerts us to environmental threats not only to birds but Hemispheric to the larger ecosystems we all depend on. As partners with the Cornell Lab of Ornithol- Partnership ogy in ebird.org, Audubon has helped transform citizen science into an everyday activity for tens of thousands of birders. Their observations, reported online anytime and from BirdLife International is the anywhere throughout North America, provide an ongoing assessment of bird populations world’s largest partnership that is fast becoming an invaluable resource for conservation. of bird conservation orga- nizations. As its U.S. partner, oPen StAnDArDS For the PrACtiCe oF ConServAtion Audubon is part of a global New tools and resources are amplifying the impact and influence of Audubon’s scien- network that spans 120 coun- tific work and driving conservation impact. These include the adoption of an adaptive tries and territories and pro- management tool, the Open Standards for the Practice of Conservation, for conserva- vides an international safety tion planning and implementation. Using this results-driven methodology throughout net of people and places the Audubon network will make us more agile and nimble, and support a continuous (Important Bird Areas) that improvement model of assessment and refinement. help conserve birds. Audubon works directly with 19 BirdLife iMPortAnt BirD AreAS partners in the Americas, am- Science is the foundation of Audubon’s Important Bird Areas program. As partner of plifying local conservation ef- BirdLife International, we use science to identify, assess, and monitor the most essen- forts and helping to educate tial habitat for birds. To date, 2,544 IBAs, covering 375,000 acres, have been identified and empower local citizens in the United States. These sites help us focus our conservation efforts where they are and decision makers. Accord- most needed. ing to BirdLife, 12 percent of bird species in the Western CliMAte ChAnGe Hemisphere are currently By increasing our use of GIS-based modeling, Audubon can provide clear pictures of threatened with extinction, changes in bird abundance and distributions through space and time. It enables us to and many more are in decline. predict the impacts of climate change on particular species or habitats—and design These include priority species conservation approaches that will mitigate them. like the Cerulean Warbler and the Piping Plover that nest in the United States every sum- mer. The power of the BirdLife partnership holds the key to their survival.

Gary langham, Audubon’s Chief Scientist, is pioneering the use of predictive modeling to anticipate the effects of climate change on habitat and to help birds adapt to those changes.

62 Audubon StrA tegic PlA n Audubon StrA tegic PlA n 63 how we work educATioN ANd ceNTers our eDuCAtion leGACy a commitment to education is at the heart of the Audubon tradition. By inspiring more people in more places to value and protect the natural world, we are laying the Audubon At Home foundation for future conservation. Audubon Centers are one of the principal elements of our education work. They have inspired more than 10 generations of Americans to This popular program has learn about and protect birds, other wildlife, and the natural world. Our network of already proven its power to nature Centers now reaches more than a million visitors each year. mobilize people in urban, suburban, and rural areas MovinG PeoPle to ConServAtion ACtion to make environmentally Under our new strategic plan, Audubon will strengthen and refine Audubon Center friendly choices in their own programming and activities with the goal of making visitors more active participants in backyards. The new strate- our conservation work. This model for engaging people in conservation, based on five gic plan will further focus years of rigorous research in partnership with other major conservation organizations, its activities on vulnerable breaks new ground with its focus on measurable conservation results. It is how we will and at-risk species in each transform Audubon Centers into more robust hubs for saving birds and protecting flyway—enlisting a growing habitat and advancing the objectives of our priority projects in each flyway. share of the 50 million bird- watchers across our nation BuilDinG DiverSity to protect and enhance the Education also plays a pivotal role as Audubon engages new, more diverse audiences. It habitat these vulnerable birds is why many of our most recently developed Centers are found in urban neighborhoods depend on. Audubon Chap- in such cities as Los Angeles, Phoenix, Columbus, Seattle, Dallas, and New York. Each ters and Centers will expand Center is a vital community resource, with innovative programming that introduces workshops and demonstra- people of all ages and backgrounds to nature and conservation. By aligning our pro- tion sites, while our com- gramming with our conservation goals, we can build on this solid foundation to expand munications and outreach both reach and influence even further. will provide new resources for homeowners, apartment/ ProGrAMS with iMPACt condo dwellers, and park Programs like Audubon Adventures, which reaches more than 100,000 children a year, stewards. Audubon's strategic along with newer additions like Urban Oasis, which enlists urban communities to pro- plan is just the catalyst tect city parks that serve as rest stops for migrating birds, extend Audubon’s education needed to grow this already impact beyond Centers. By recasting these successful programs to better support our successful initiative. conservation priorities, we will generate more conservation actions.

Audubon educators like the Grange insurance Audubon Center’s tori Strickland in Columbus, ohio, are inspiring a new generation of conservation leaders in communities coast to coast.

64 Audubon StrA tegic PlA n Audubon StrA tegic PlA n 65 how we work policy exPertiSe AnD CreDiBility audubon is a respected and influential voice on public policy issues, from town halls to the U.S. Capitol. We have the power to convene diverse stakeholders to solve even the toughest problems—like energy planning. The balanced approach to energy exploration and extraction siting we spearheaded in sagebrush country has protected 15 million acres and is expanding to protect millions more. We used the same balanced approach to advance new federal guidelines for wind energy that will keep clean energy Marshaling the truly green by steering development away from critical habitat. Audubon Network A network oF inFluentiAlS AnD ACtiviStS It had never happened Audubon’s members are four times as likely to be opinion leaders, with interest and before. As the U.S. House of involvement in policy issues. Thousands take action as Audubon Activists. We mobilize Representatives considered this formidable force through communications outreach and Chapter-based grassroots the budget in spring 2011, training. It is how we bring the full power of Audubon to bear on behalf of legislation landmark conservation addressing issues such as bird conservation, ecosystem restoration, and clean air and programs were simply zeroed water. And as we further align and strengthen our network, Audubon will become an out. Gone were things like even more powerful advocate for birds and the environment. state wildlife grants. The Land and Water Conservation Fund the voiCe For BirDS suffered deep cuts. The EPA’s From clean air and water to support for the nation’s iconic national parks and national budget was in tatters. Audu- wildlife refuges, many of the same issues that touch people also touch birds. In addition, bon stepped in and mobilized protections for birds conferred by such milestone legislation as the Neotropical Migratory our Chapter network, getting Bird Conservation Act and the Endangered Species Act have long-term implications for 325 Audubon Chapters to people along with more immediate impact on birds. By safeguarding our great natural sign a letter to the U.S. Senate heritage, we protect our nation’s distinctive ways of life, from the Mississippi Delta to the urging restoration of these high plains of Wyoming. That’s why Audubon’s policy team works tirelessly on behalf of tried-and-true conservation a healthy environment, rich in biodiversity. Now the sharper focus and clear goals in our programs. Restore them strategic plan will amplify our voice for birds and people alike. they did, holding the line on budget cuts that would have devastated bird and wildlife conservation. Says Audubon President David Yarnold, “It’s all about the network . . . our network enables us to work from the halls of Congress to anyone’s backyard.”

As vice President for Audubon rockies, Brian rutledge spear- heads our successful efforts to promote a balanced approach to wind and other energy devel- opment in the region.

66 Audubon StrA tegic PlA n Audubon StrA tegic PlA n 67 how we work eNgAgemeNT

A PowerFul BrAnD audubon has been introducing birds, nature, and the importance of conserva- tion to generations of Americans since Bird Lore, the precursor to Audubon magazine, published its first issue in 1899. As the leading brand in bird conservation, we are a well-known, trusted, and influential messenger on behalf of birds and the environment.

GrowinG reACh AnD DiverSity Like the environmental movement overall, Audubon faces a challenge: Our members and supporters do not fully reflect the nation’s changing demographics. And there is proof in our network and all around us that our conservation and education efforts are more effective when we have a broader base of cultural knowledge and when we better Birding the Net reflect the groups we call our partners—whether they represent business, government, communities, members, or friends. Audubon, the original social network, has built a hundred- Our strategic plan recognizes that reaching a broader and more diverse audience is year legacy of conserva- critical to building a more effective, transformational Audubon. It calls for a new, tion success by mobilizing sophisticated approach to communication that reaches beyond the 1.8 million who our members. In late 2011 read each issue of Audubon magazine, to embrace audiences more likely found on Audubon let 34 species of Facebook, Twitter, and other social media platforms. Our new approach will provide animated birds loose on opportunities for volunteers, friends, Center visitors, Chapter members, and other more than 100 websites in supporters to shape their own relationship with Audubon, even as we work to deepen an unprecedented campaign their connection and commitment to our work. developed by leading ad agency Goodby, Silverstein & This new donor- and audience-centric model for engagement will be as much a key Partners. Nearly 10,000 online to our success as our strategic conservation planning. By extending our brand through birders competed for prizes, corporate partnerships, we will broaden both awareness and support. By expanding our donated by corporate part- membership model, we will attract new, more diverse audiences to our work. And by ners, in a virtual “Big Month.” utilizing social media and other new communications platforms, we will engage a new The viral campaign intro- generation of conservation leaders. duced a new audience to Audubon and birding, boost- ing our web traffic by 50 per- cent and nearly doubling the size of our Facebook commu- nity. Audubon.org featured profiles of each species, open- ing a window onto conserva- tion and encouraging online birders to get outside and see birds in the real world. Birding the Net is just one of the ways we’re getting more people involved in taking action to new communications tools are protect birds and the planet vital for introducing new audi- we share with them. ences, including these students at the richardson Bay Audubon Center outside San Francisco, to the wonder of birds and the importance of conservation.

68 Audubon StrA tegic PlA n Audubon StrA tegic PlA n 69 how we work TogeTHergreeN togethergreen is changing lives and communities around date, TogetherGreen has supported the creation of America. The passion and authenticity that fuel the Audubon 1,550 partnerships. network become even stronger when paired with Toyota’s TogetherGreen has also been one of most effective powerful brand and commitment to the environment. Toyota’s Audubon initiatives to strengthen our group identity as generous $20 million, five-year grant to Audubon helped us One Audubon with Chapters and across the network. And shape TogetherGreen, which has funded people-powered con- under our new plan, TogetherGreen will deliver even more servation through fellowships, grants, and volunteer activities. engagement and conservation impact. Together, Toyota and Audubon have protected 250 spe- Four years of the TogetherGreen partnership have cies of birds, improved 10,000 acres of habitat, mobilized kick-started hundreds of successful projects—as well as 220,000 volunteers, collected 2 million pounds of recycla- impressive results—across all five Audubon conservation bles, and captured $5 million worth of volunteer time. To strategies. The following are only a few examples.

PuttinG workinG lAnDS to ShAPinG A heAlthy CliMAte & work For BirDS & PeoPle CleAn enerGy Future

Audubon Rockies, the Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory, The Klamath Basin Audubon Society and its partners in and the Natural Resources Conservation Service are work- the Klamath-Siskiyou Bioregion in Oregon are creating an ing together to help landowners foster bird habitat on their affordable renewable heating energy program for rural resi- properties by providing them with technical assistance, dents, in which they restore forest habitat and convert the conducting workshops on Farm Bill programs and man- by-products into firewood for heating and cooking. agement practices, and helping enroll landowners in Farm Bill conservation programs. CreAtinG BirD-FrienDly CoMMunitieS ShArinG our SeAS & ShoreS The Milwaukee Audubon Society, along with other Wis- consin conservation groups, launched Bird City, modeled Cornell University’s Robin Hadlock Seeley is using her on the Tree City USA program. To date, 50 Wisconsin fellowship to inspire shore-land owners, land trusts, and cities, villages, towns, and counties have received the Bird other citizens to make an investment in their local envi- City designation for their highly public commitment to ronment by working to conserve marine habitat vital to creating a better place for people, birds, and other wildlife. coastal birds in Maine.

SAvinG iMPortAnt BirD AreAS

The Nevada Important Bird Areas program, along with the Yomba Shoshone Tribe, the Great Basin Bird Obser- vatory, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, teamed up to launch the Sagebrush Celebration Project to conserve endangered wildlife populations dependent on sagebrush on the Yomba Shoshone reservation.

togetherGreen, a collaboration between toyota and Audubon, has supported the creation of more than 1,500 partnerships.

70 Audubon StrA tegic PlA n Audubon StrA tegic PlA n 71 how we work Our Partners What We're Not Doing

no single organization can meet all the environmental challenges facing birds, strategic thinking means making informed decisions about what we will not do as habitat, and people. That’s why Audubon collaborates with partners throughout the well as what we will do. We owe it to our funders and supporters, as well as to birds, to United States and beyond to shape a healthy, vibrant future for all of us and the planet make sure we manage all of our resources for the highest conservation return. In that we share. The following are only some of the many international, national, state, and spirit of discipline and focus, here is some of what Audubon will no longer do. local nonprofit partners we worked with this year. We will stop investing in nonessential or unsustainable organizational administrative units and operations: Alaska Wilderness League Island Conservation • We will consolidate Audubon Colorado and Audubon Wyoming into a more efficient Alianza Para las Aras Silvestres Land Trust Alliance Audubon Rockies Region program, with one board and one executive director. American Bird Conservancy National Fish and Wildlife Foundation • We will close The Mississippi River Institute, which is no longer core to our growing American Farmland Trust National Geographic Mississippi Flyway program. Appalachian Mountain Club National Wildlife Federation • We will consolidate the Missouri State program, relocating state-oriented activities BirdLife International and 19 partners National Wildlife Refuge Association into the Riverlands Center. Armonia Natural Resources Defense Council Aves & Conservación Oceana We will stop spending scarce dollars on headquarters overhead. Aves Argentinas Ocean Conservancy • We will reduce these costs through technology, by eliminating redundancies, Aves Uruguay Point Reyes Bird Observatory and by outsourcing. Bahamas National Trust Rainey Conservation Alliance Belize Audubon Society RARE We will stop Education programs that do not serve our conservation agenda. Bird Studies Canada Sierra Club • We will discontinue prescribing Nature for Kids. Centro Nacional de Áreas Protegidas Tejon Ranch Conservancy • We will discontinue the Youth Conservation Corps. CODEFF The Nature Conservancy • We will discontinue camp scholarships. Falklands Conservation The Wilderness Society Foundation for Nature Conservation in Trout Unlimited We will stop small-scale federal invasive species policy work. Suriname Trust for Public Land Grupo Jaragua Western Resources Advocates We will stop allocating substantial policy resources to general environmental policy at Guyra Paraguay World Wildlife Fund the expense of specific bird-related policy work. Nature Canada Panama Audubon Society We will stop conducting retrospective Christmas Bird Count analyses as the effort does not Pronatura justify the outcomes. Salva Natura SAVE Brazil We will stop pursuing funding that is not aligned with our priorities. Sociedad Ornitológica Puertorriqueña, Inc. We will stop committing staff time or other resources to participation in non-strategic California Rice Commission conservation initiatives. Centro de Estudios y Conservación del Patrimonio Natural (CECPAN) We will stop investing in projects if they do not pass a basic Clean Water/Jobs Coalition “fitness” test, which includes: Conservation Measures Partnership • Relevance for our flyway-based conservation plan. Cornell Lab of Ornithology • Sufficient return on investment/financial sustainability. Defenders of Wildlife • Critical support for our core engagement tactics. Ducks Unlimited Earth Justice EarthShare El Jaguar Environmental Defense Fund Fauna and Flora International Fundación Cocibolca Garden Club of America Gulf Renewal Project

72 Audubon StrA tegic PlA n Audubon StrA tegic PlA n 73 What SucceSS lookS like Conservation Impact at Scale

Conservation Results 64 priority bird species saved 118 million acres conserved

Working as "One Audubon" Broader Reach and Diversity • Network-wide focus on critical • More members, supporters, conservation priorities and friends • Flyways framework and integration • Support for strategic conservation and strategies

A Mobilized Network

74 Audubon StrA tegic PlA n Audubon StrA tegic PlA n 75 Audubon directory

NATIONAL AND Gulf of Mexico Conservation and Centers and Sanctuaries Fairchild Wildflower Garden Centers and Sanctuaries MISSISSIPPI NEW YORK Centers and Sanctuaries PROGRAM OFFICES Restoration Office Little Rock Audubon Center Caldwell Sanctuary Paul J. Rainey Wildlife Sanctuary State Office State Office Edward M. Brigham III Sanctuary AUDUBON HOME OFFICE 51 Park Lane 4500 Springer Boulevard Gimbel Sanctuary P.O. Box 187 Audubon Mississippi Audubon New York 2646 90 R. Avenue SE Audubon Folsom, LA 70437 Little Rock, AR 72206 Oneida Marsh Perry, LA 70575 285 Plains Road 200 Trillium Lane Spiritwood, ND 58481 225 Varick Street, 7th Floor (504) 344-4328 (501) 244-2229 Hemlock Gorge (225) 768-0820 Holly Springs, MS 38635 Albany, NY 12203 (701) 298-3373 New York, NY 10014 Wood Duck Swamp (662) 252-1155 (518) 869-9731 (212) 979-3000 International Alliances Program CALIFORNIA c/o Audubon Center in Greenwich MAINE Frederick L. Wicks Prairie Wildlife www.audubon.org 1150 Connecticut Avenue NW State Office 613 Riversville Road State Office Program Office Centers and Sanctuaries Sanctuary Suite 600 Audubon California Greenwich, CT 06831 Maine Audubon Audubon Mississippi Beaver Meadow Audubon Center 118 Broadway North, Suite 512 Audubon Licensing Washington, DC 20036 4225 Hollis Street (203) 869-5272 20 Gilsland Farm Road 1208 Washington Street 1610 Welch Road Fargo, ND 58102 (212) 979-3065 (202) 861-2242 Emeryville, CA 94608 Falmouth, ME 04105 Vicksburg, MS 39183 North Java, NY 14113 (701) 298-3373 (510) 601-1866 Guilford Salt Meadows Sanctuary (207) 781-2330 (601) 661-6189 (585) 457-3228 Audubon Magazine PUBLIC POLICY 330 Mulberry Point Road OHIO Editorial (212) 979-3151 Audubon Centers and Sanctuaries Guilford, CT 06437 Centers and Sanctuaries Centers and Sanctuaries Buttercup Farm Audubon Sanctuary Centers and Sanctuaries Subscriptions (800) 274-4201 1150 Connecticut Avenue NW Audubon Bobcat Ranch (203) 458-2582 Borestone Mountain Sanctuary Strawberry Plains Audubon Center Ramshorn-Livingston Audubon Center Aullwood Audubon Center and Farm Suite 600 25929 County Road 34 East Point Sanctuary 285 Plains Road and Sanctuary 1000 Aullwood Road Audubon Travel Washington, DC 20036 Winters, CA 95694 FLORIDA Hamilton Sanctuary Holly Springs, MS 38635 Rheinstrom Hill Audubon Center Dayton, OH 45414 (212) 979-3066, (800) 967-7425 (202) 861-2242 (530) 795-0660 State Office Josephine Newman Sanctuary (662) 252-1155 and Sanctuary (937) 890-7360 Audubon of Florida Mast Landing Sanctuary P.O. Box 1 Development Bequests SCIENCE Audubon Center at Debs Park 444 Brickell Avenue Todd Audubon Sanctuary Pascagoula River Audubon Center Craryville, NY 12521 Grange Insurance Audubon Center and Charitable Trusts Audubon 4700 North Griffin Avenue Suite 850 c/o Maine Audubon 7001 Frank Griffin Road (518) 325-5203 505 W. Whittier Street (212) 979-3033 545 Almshouse Road Los Angeles, CA 90031 Miami, FL 33131 20 Gilsland Farm Road Moss Point, MS 39563 Columbus, OH 43215 Ivyland, PA 18974 (323) 221-2255 (305) 371-6399 Falmouth, ME 04105 (228) 475-0825 Constitution Marsh Audubon (614) 545-5475 General Inquiries (215) 355-9588 (207) 781-2330 Center and Sanctuary (212) 979-3000 Kern River Preserve Conservation Office MISSOURI P.O. Box 174 PENNSYLVANIA Christmas Bird Count P.O. Box 1662 308 North Monroe Fields Pond Audubon Center State Office Cold Spring, NY 10516 State Office Membership Important Bird Areas Weldon, CA 93283 Tallahassee, FL 32301 216 Fields Pond Road Audubon Missouri (845) 265-2601 Audubon Pennsylvania (800) 876-0994 545 Almshouse Road (760) 378-2531 (850) 222-2473 Holden, ME 04429 201 W. Riviera Drive, Suite A 100 Wildwood Way Ivyland, PA 18974 (207) 989-2591 Joplin, MO 64804 Jamestown Audubon Center Harrisburg, PA 17110 CHAPTER SERVICES (215) 355-9588 Richardson Bay Audubon Centers and Sanctuaries (417) 626-8842 and Sanctuary (717) 213-6880 Audubon Center and Sanctuary Audubon Center for Birds of Prey Gilsland Farm Audubon Center 1600 Riverside Road Building 30 Seabird Restoration Program 376 Greenwood Beach Road 1101 Audubon Way 20 Gilsland Farm Road Centers and Sanctuaries Jamestown, NY 14701 Centers and Sanctuaries Fort Missoula Road (September–May) Tiburon, CA 94920 Maitland, FL 32751 Falmouth, ME 04105 Audubon Center at Riverlands (716) 569-2345 John James Audubon Center at Missoula, MT 59804 159 Sapsucker Woods Road (415) 388-2524 (407) 644-0190 (207) 781-2330 301 Riverlands Way Mill Grove (800) 542-2748 Ithaca, NY 14850 West Alton, MO 63386 Kaler’s Pond Audubon Center 1201 Pawlings Road (607) 257-7308 Starr Ranch Sanctuary Blair Audubon Center at Corkscrew Hog Island Audubon Center (636) 899-0090 P.O. Box 865 Audubon, PA 19403 EDUCATION & CENTERS (June–August) 100 Bell Canyon Road Swamp Sanctuary c/o Seabird Restoration Program Center Moriches, NY 11934 (610) 666-5593 Audubon 12 Audubon Road Trabuco Canyon, CA 92679 375 Sanctuary Road West 159 Sapsucker Woods Road Wildcat Glades Conservation and (631) 878-5576 1150 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 600 Bremen, ME 04551 (949) 858-0309 Naples, FL 34120 Ithaca, NY 14850 Audubon Center Waggoner’s Gap Hawk Watch Washington, DC 20036 (207) 529-5828 (239) 348-9151 (607) 257-7308 201 W. Riviera Drive Montezuma Audubon Center c/o Audubon Pennsylvania (202) 861-2242 COLORADO Suite A 2295 State Route 89 North 100 Wildwood Way STATE OFFICES, CENTERS, Regional Office Florida Coastal Islands Project Puffin Visitor Center Joplin, MO 64804 Savannah, NY 13146 Harrisburg, PA 17110 Audubon Adventures AND SANCTUARIES Audubon Rockies Region Sanctuaries 311 Main Street (417) 782-6287 (315) 365-3580 (717) 213-6880 225 Varick Street, 7th Floor ALASKA 105 Montana 410 Ware Boulevard, Suite 702 Rockland, ME 04841 New York, NY 10014 State Office Fort Collins, CO Tampa, FL 33619 (May–Dec.) (207) 596-5566 NEBRASKA Prospect Park Audubon Center SOUTH CAROLINA (212) 979-3184 Audubon Alaska (970) 416-6931 (813) 623-6826 (Jan.–April) (607) 257-7308 State Office 95 Prospect Park West State Office 441 West Fifth Avenue Audubon Nebraska Brooklyn, NY 11215 Audubon South Carolina Audubon At Home Suite 300 CONNECTICUT Lake Okeechobee Sanctuaries Scarborough Marsh Audubon Center P.O. Box 117 (718) 287-3400 336 Sanctuary Road 1150 Connecticut Avenue NW Anchorage, AK 99501 State Office P.O. Box 707 Route 9/Pine Point Road 11700 SW 100th Street Harleyville, SC 29448 Suite 600 (907) 276-7034 Audubon Connecticut Lorida, FL 33857 Scarborough, ME 04074 Denton, NE 68339 Theodore Roosevelt Sanctuary (843) 462-2150 Washington, DC 20036 613 Riversville Road (941) 467-8497 (May–Sept.) (207) 883-5100 (402) 797-2301 and Audubon Center (202) 861-2242 ARIZONA Greenwich, CT 06831 (Oct.–April) (207) 781-2330 134 Cove Road Centers and Sanctuaries State Office (203) 869-5272 Tavernier Science Center Centers and Sanctuaries Oyster Bay, NY 11771 Audubon Center and Sanctuary at Great Backyard Bird Count Audubon Arizona 115 Indian Mound Trail MARYLAND-DC Iain Nicolson Audubon Center at (516) 922-3200 Francis Beidler Forest 1150 Connecticut Avenue NW 3131 South Central Avenue Centers and Sanctuaries Tavernier, FL 33070 State Office Lillian Annette Rowe Bird Sanctuary 336 Sanctuary Road Suite 600 Phoenix, AZ 85040 Audubon Center at Bent of the River (305) 852-5318 Audubon Maryland-DC 44450 Elm Island Road NORTH CAROLINA Harleyville, SC 29448 Washington, DC 20036 (602) 468-6470 185 East Flat Hill Road 2901 East Baltimore Street, Box 2 Gibbon, NE 68840 State Office (843) 462-2150 (202) 861-2242 Southbury, CT 06488 ILLINOIS Baltimore, MD 21224 (308) 468-5282 Audubon North Carolina Centers and Sanctuaries (203) 264-5098 Program Office (410) 558-2473 400 Silver Cedar Court, Suite 240 Silver Bluff Audubon Center and FIELD OPERATIONS Appleton-Whittell Research Ranch Audubon of the Chicago Region Spring Creek Prairie Chapel Hill, NC 27514 Sanctuary Audubon 366 Research Ranch Road Audubon Center in Greenwich 1718 Sherman Avenue, #210 Centers and Sanctuaries Audubon Center (919) 929-3899 4542 Silver Bluff Road 194 Woodlawn Avenue HC1 Box 44 613 Riversville Road Evanston, IL 60201 Patterson Park Audubon Center P.O. Box 117 Jackson, SC 29831 Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 Elgin, AZ 85611 Greenwich, CT 06831 (847) 328-1250 2901 East Baltimore Street 11700 SW 100th Street Centers and Sanctuaries (803) 471-0291 (518) 424-2979 (520) 455-5522 (203) 869-5272 Box 2 Denton, NE 68339 Donal C. O’Brien Jr. Audubon KENTUCKY Baltimore, MD 21224 (402) 797-2301 Sanctuary and Center at Pine Island TEXAS 7400 North Oracle Road, Suite 202 Nina Mason Pulliam Sharon Audubon Center Centers and Sanctuaries (410) 558-2473 c/o Audubon North Carolina State Office Tucson, AZ 85704 Rio Salado Audubon Center 325 Cornwall Bridge Road Clyde E. Buckley Wildlife Sanctuary and NEW MEXICO 300 Audubon Drive Audubon Texas (520) 617-0607 3131 South Central Avenue Sharon, CT 06069 Audubon Center Pickering Creek Audubon Center State Office Corolla, NC 27927 510 South Congress Avenue Phoenix, AZ 85040 (860) 364-0520 1305 Germany Road 11450 Audubon Lane Audubon New Mexico (252) 453-0603 Suite 102 Upper Mississippi Flyway (602) 468-6470 Frankfort, KY 40601 Easton, MD 21601 1800 Upper Canyon Road Austin, TX 78704 Programs Office Edith Leopold Sanctuary (859) 873-5711 (410) 822-4903 Santa Fe, NM 87504 NORTH DAKOTA (512) 782-0895 201 West Riviera Drive , Suite A ARKANSAS 182 Rengerman Hill Road (505) 983-4609 State Office Joplin, MO 64804 State Office East Hartland, CT 06027 LOUISIANA MINNESOTA Audubon Dakota Centers and Sanctuaries (417) 626-8842 Audubon Arkansas (860) 364-0520 State Office State Office Centers and Sanctuaries 118 Broadway North Dogwood Canyon Audubon Center 4500 Springer Boulevard Audubon Louisiana Audubon Minnesota Randall Davey Audubon Center Suite 512 1206 West FM 1382 Lower Mississippi Flyway Little Rock, AR 72206 Emily Winthrop Miles 6160 Perkins Road 2357 Ventura Drive and Sanctuary Fargo, ND 58102 Cedar Hill, TX 75104 Programs Office (501) 244-2229 Wildlife Sanctuary Suite 135 Suite 106 1800 Upper Canyon Road (701) 298-3373 (469) 526-1980 34 East Center St. 99 West Cornwall Road Baton Rouge, LA 70808 St. Paul, MN 55125 Santa Fe, NM 87504 Fayetteville, AR 72701 Sharon, CT 06069 (225) 768-0820 (651) 739-9332 (505) 983-4609 (479) 527-0700 (860) 364-0520

76 Audubon StrA tegic PlA n Audubon StrA tegic PlA n 77 Audubon directory

Coastal Sanctuaries AUDUBON CHAPTERS Yolo Audubon Society GEORGIA LOUISIANA NEW JERSEY OKLAHOMA Travis Audubon Society c/o Audubon Texas ALABAMA Yosemite Area Audubon Society Albany Audubon Society Acadiana Audubon Society Atlantic Audubon Society Audubon Society of Central Oklahoma Twin Lakes Audubon Society 510 South Congress Avenue Birmingham Audubon Society Atlanta Audubon Society Baton Rouge Audubon Society Bergen County Audubon Society Cleveland County Audubon Society Tyler Audubon Society Austin, TX 78704 Cullman Audubon Society COLORADO Augusta-Aiken Audubon Society Orleans Audubon Society Monmouth County Audubon Society Deep Fork Audubon Society (512) 782-0895 Mobile Bay Audubon Society Aiken Audubon Society Coastal Georgia Audubon Society Washington Crossing Audubon Society Grand Lake Audubon Society UTAH Shoals Audubon Society Arkansas Valley Audubon Society Columbus Audubon Society MAINE Indian Nations Audubon Society Bridgerland Audubon Society Mitchell Lake Audubon Center Tennessee Valley Audubon Society Audubon Society of Greater Denver Ocmulgee Audubon Society Downeast Chapter NEW MEXICO Payne County Audubon Society Great Salt Lake Audubon Society 10750 Pleasanton Road Black Canyon Audubon Society Oconee Rivers Audubon Society Fundy Chapter Central New Mexico Audubon Society Tulsa Audubon Society Red Cliffs Audubon Society San Antonio, TX 78221 ALASKA Boulder County Audubon Society Ogeechee Audubon Society Merrymeeting Audubon Mesilla Valley Audubon Society Wasatch Audubon Society (210) 628-1639 Anchorage Audubon Society Evergreen Audubon Society Mid-Coast Audubon Sangre de Cristo Audubon Society OREGON Arctic Audubon Society Fort Collins Audubon Society GUAM Penobscot Valley Chapter Southwestern New Mexico Audubon East Cascades Audubon Society VERMONT Sabal Palm Audubon Sanctuary Juneau Audubon Society Grand Valley Audubon Society Marianas Audubon Society Prouts Neck Audubon Society Society Audubon Society of Corvallis Ascutney Mountain Audubon Society P.O. Box 5169 Kodiak Audubon Society Platte and Prairie Audubon Society Western Maine Audubon Audubon Society of Lincoln City Green Mountain Audubon Society Brownsville, TX 78523 Prince William Sound Audubon Society Roaring Fork Audubon Society HAWAII York County Audubon NEW YORK Audubon Society of Portland Northeast Kingdom Audubon Society (956) 541-8034 Weminuche Audubon Society Hawaii Audubon Society Audubon Society of the Capital Region Cape Arago Audubon Society Otter Creek Audubon Society ARIZONA MARYLAND Bedford Audubon Society Kalmiopsis Audubon Society Rutland County Audubon Society Trinity River Audubon Center Desert Rivers Audubon Society CONNECTICUT IDAHO Audubon Society of Central Maryland Bronx River-Sound Shore Audubon Klamath Basin Audubon Society Southeastern Vermont Audubon Society 6500 Great Trinity Forest Way Huachuca Audubon Society Audubon Greenwich Coeur D’Alene Audubon Society Chesapeake Audubon Society Society Lane County Audubon Society Taconic Tri-State Audubon Society Dallas, TX 75217 Maricopa Audubon Society Housatonic Audubon Society Golden Eagle Audubon Society Prince George’s Audubon Society Buffalo Audubon Society Rogue Valley Audubon Society (214) 398-8722 Northern Arizona Audubon Society Litchfield Hills Audubon Society Portneuf Valley Audubon Society Southern Maryland Audubon Society Central Westchester Audubon Society Salem Audubon Society VIRGINIA Prescott Audubon Society Mattabeseck Audubon Society Prairie Falcon Audubon Society Chemung Valley Audubon Society Siskiyou Audubon Society Audubon Society of Northern Virginia UTAH Sonoran Audubon Society Menunkatuck Audubon Society Snake River Audubon Society MICHIGAN Delaware-Otsego Audubon Society Umpqua Valley Audubon Society Cape Henry Audubon Society Centers and Sanctuaries Tucson Audubon Society Naugatuck Valley Audubon Society Detroit Audubon Society Eastern Long Island Audubon Society Northern Neck of Virginia Audubon Society Gillmor Audubon Sanctuary and South White Mountain Audubon Society New Canaan Audubon Society ILLINOIS Michigan Audubon Society Four Harbors Audubon Society PENNSYLVANIA Northern Shenandoah Valley Audubon Shore Preserve Yuma County Audubon Society Potapaug Audubon Society Champaign County Audubon Society Genesee Valley Audubon Society Allegheny Plateau Audubon Society Society 3868 Marsha Drive Quinnipiac Valley Audubon Society Chicago Audubon Society MINNESOTA Great South Bay Audubon Society Appalachian Audubon Society Richmond Audubon Society West Valley, UT 84120 ARKANSAS Decatur Audubon Society Agassiz Audubon Society Hudson River Audubon Society of Audubon Society of Western Virginia Beach Audubon Society (801) 966-0464 Audubon Society of Central Arkansas DELAWARE John Wesley Powell Audubon Society Albert Lea Audubon Society Westchester Pennsylvania Garland County Audubon Society Delaware Audubon Society Lake County Audubon Society Audubon Chapter of Minneapolis Huntington-Oyster Bay Audubon Bartramian Audubon Society WASHINGTON VERMONT Hot Springs Village Audubon Society Northwest Illinois Audubon Society Austin Audubon Society Society Bucks County Audubon Society Admiralty Audubon Society State Office Little Red River Audubon Society DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Peoria Audubon Society Brainerd Lakes Area Audubon Society Jamestown Audubon Society Conococheague Audubon Society Black Hills Audubon Society Audubon Vermont Northwest Arkansas Audubon Society Audubon Society of the District of Columbia Prairie Woods Audubon Society Central Minnesota Audubon Society New York City Audubon Society Gifford Pinchot Audubon Society Blue Mountain Audubon Society 255 Sherman Hollow Road Three Rivers Audubon Society Sinnissippi Audubon Society Duluth Audubon Society North Fork Audubon Society Greater Wyoming Valley Audubon Central Basin Audubon Society Huntington, VT 05462 FLORIDA Thorn Creek Audubon Society Minnesota River Valley Audubon Chapter North Shore Audubon Society Society Discovery Coast Audubon Society (802) 434-3068 CALIFORNIA Alachua Audubon Society Mississippi Headwaters Audubon Society Northern Catskills Audubon Society Juniata Valley Audubon Society Eastside Audubon Society Altacal Audubon Society Apalachee Audubon Society INDIANA St. Paul Audubon Society Northern New York Audubon Lehigh Valley Audubon Society Grays Harbor Audubon Society Centers and Sanctuaries Buena Vista Audubon Society Audubon of Martin County Amos W. Butler Audubon Society Wild River Audubon Society Onondaga Audubon Society Lycoming Audubon Society Kitsap Audubon Society Grammas Island, Hen Island, Central Sierra Audubon Society Audubon Society of the Everglades Dunes-Calumet Audubon Society Zumbro Valley Audubon Society Orange County Audubon Society Northeast Pennsylvania Audubon Kittitas Audubon Society Popasquash Island, Rock Island Conejo Valley Audubon Society Audubon Society of Southwest Florida Evansville Audubon Society Putnam Highlands Audubon Society Society Lower Columbia Basin Audubon Society c/o Audubon Vermont Eagle Lake Audubon Society Bay County Audubon Society Knob and Valley Audubon Society MISSISSIPPI Rockland Audubon Society Presque Isle Audubon Society North Cascades Audubon Society 255 Sherman Hollow Road Eastern Sierra Audubon Society Choctawhatchee Audubon Society Potawatomi Audubon Society Jackson Audubon Society Saw Mill River Audubon Society Quittapahilla Audubon Society North Central Washington Audubon Society Huntington, VT 05462 El Dorado Audubon Society Citrus County Audubon Society Robert Cooper Audubon Society Mississippi Coast Audubon Society South Shore Audubon Society Seneca Rocks Audubon Society Olympic Peninsula Audubon Society (802) 434-3068 Fresno Audubon Society Clearwater Audubon Society Sassafras Audubon Society Okatibbee Creek Audubon Society Southern Adirondack Audubon Society Seven Mountains Audubon Society Palouse Audubon Society Golden Gate Audubon Society Collier County Audubon Society South Bend-Elkhart Audubon Society Oktibbeha Audubon Society Sullivan County Audubon Society South Mountain Audubon Society Pilchuck Audubon Society Green Mountain Audubon Center Kern Audubon Society Duval Audubon Society Stockbridge Audubon Society Pine Woods Audubon Society Tiadaghton Audubon Society Rainier Audubon Society 255 Sherman Hollow Road Kerncrest Audubon Society Eagle Audubon Society Sycamore Audubon Society NORTH CAROLINA Valley Forge Audubon Society San Juan Islands Audubon Society Huntington, VT 05462 La Purisma Audubon Society Flagler Audubon Society Tippecanoe Audubon Society MISSOURI Audubon Society of Forsyth County Wyncote Audubon Society Seattle Audubon Society (802) 434-3068 Laguna Hills Audubon Society Florida Keys Audubon Society Wabash Valley Audubon Society Burroughs Audubon Society Cape Fear Audubon Society York Audubon Society Skagit Audubon Society Los Angeles Audubon Society Four Rivers Audubon Society Columbia Audubon Society Elisha Mitchell Audubon Society Spokane Audubon Society WASHINGTON Madrone Audubon Society Francis M. Weston Audubon Society IOWA East Ozarks Audubon Society High Country Audubon Society SOUTH CAROLINA Tahoma Audubon Society State Office Marin Audubon Society Halifax River Audubon Society Big Bluestem Audubon Society Greater Ozarks Audubon Society Highlands Plateau Audubon Society Charleston Natural History Society Vancouver Audubon Society Audubon Washington Mendocino Coast Audubon Society Hendry-Glades Audubon Society Cedar Rapids Audubon Society Midland Empire Audubon Society Mecklenburg Audubon Society Columbia Audubon Society Vashon-Maury Island Audubon Society 5902 Lake Washington Boulevard S. Monterey Audubon Society Hernando Audubon Society Dubuque Audubon Society Ozark Gateway Audubon Society New Hope Audubon Society Hilton Head Island Audubon Society Whidbey Audubon Society Seattle, WA 98118 Morro Coast Audubon Society Highlands County Audubon Society Loess Hills Audubon Society Ozark Rivers Audubon Society T. Gilbert Pearson Audubon Society Piedmont Audubon Society Willapa Hills Audubon Society (206) 652-2444 Mount Diablo Audubon Society Kissimmee Valley Audubon Society Northern Iowa Prairie Lakes Audubon River Bluffs Audubon Society Wake Audubon Society Waccamaw Audubon Society Yakima Valley Audubon Society Mount Shasta Area Audubon Society Lake Region Audubon Society Society St. Louis Audubon Society Centers and Sanctuaries Napa-Solano Audubon Society Manatee County Audubon Society Prairie Rapids Audubon Society NORTH DAKOTA SOUTH DAKOTA WEST VIRGINIA Dungeness River Audubon Center Ohlone Audubon Society Marion County Audubon Society Quad City Audubon Society MONTANA Dakota Prairie Audubon Society Missouri Breaks Audubon Society Mountaineer Audubon Society Railroad Bridge Park Palomar Audubon Society Oklawaha Valley Audubon Society Southeast Iowa Audubon Society Bitterroot Audubon Society Fargo-Moorhead Audubon Society Prairie Hills Audubon Society Potomac Valley Audubon Society 2151 West Hendrickson Road Palos Verdes/South Bay Audubon Society Orange Audubon Society Tallgrass Prairie Audubon Society Five Valleys Audubon Society Grand Forks Audubon Society Sequim, WA 98382 Pasadena Audubon Society Peace River Audubon Society Upper Iowa Audubon Society Flathead Audubon Society TENNESSEE WISCONSIN (360) 681-4076 Peregrine Audubon Society Pelican Island Audubon Society Last Chance Audubon Society OHIO Cumberland-Harpeth Audubon Society Aldo Leopold Audubon Society Plumas Audubon Society Ridge Audubon Society KANSAS Mission Mountain Audubon Society Appalachian Front Audubon Society Warioto Audubon Society Chequamegon Audubon Society Seward Park Environmental and Pomona Valley Audubon Society Sanibel-Captiva Audubon Society Jayhawk Audubon Society Pintlar Audubon Society Audubon Miami Valley Coulee Region Audubon Society Audubon Center Redbud Audubon Society Santa Fe Audubon Society Kanza Audubon Society Sacajawea Audubon Society Audubon Society of Greater Cleveland TEXAS Fond Du Lac County Audubon Society 5902 Lake Washington Boulevard S. Redwood Region Audubon Society Sarasota Audubon Society Leavenworth Audubon Society Upper Missouri Breaks Audubon Society Audubon Society of Mahoning Valley Audubon Dallas Green-Rock Audubon Society Seattle, WA 98118 Sacramento Audubon Society Seminole Audubon Society Northern Flint Hills Audubon Society Yellowstone Valley Audubon Society Audubon Society of Ohio Bastrop County Audubon Society Hoy Audubon Society (206) 652-2444 San Bernardino Valley Audubon Society South Florida Audubon Society Sand Hills Audubon Society Black River Audubon Society Bexar Audubon Society Lakeland Audubon Society San Diego Audubon Society Southeast Volusia Audubon Society Smoky Hills Audubon Society NEBRASKA Black Swamp Audubon Society Big Country Audubon Society Madison Audubon Society WISCONSIN San Fernando Valley Audubon Society Space Coast Audubon Society Southeast Kansas Audubon Society Audubon Society of Omaha Blackbrook Audubon Society Central Texas Audubon Society Milwaukee Audubon Society Centers and Sanctuaries San Joaquin Audubon Society St. Johns County Audubon Society Sperry-Galligar Audubon Society Big Bend Audubon Society Canton Audubon Society Coastal Bend Audubon Society El Paso Northeastern Wisconsin Audubon Society Schlitz Audubon Nature Center Santa Barbara Audubon Society St. Lucie Audubon Society Topeka Audubon Society Wachiska Audubon Society Clark County Audubon Society Trans Pecos Audubon Society Sheboygan County Audubon Society 1111 East Brown Deer Road Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society St. Petersburg Audubon Society Wichita Audubon Society Wildcat Audubon Society Columbus Audubon Fort Worth Audubon Society Winnebago Audubon Society Milwaukee, WI 53217 Santa Monica Bay Audubon Society Tampa Audubon Society Dayton Audubon Society Golden Triangle Audubon Society Wisconsin Metro Audubon Society (414) 352-2880 Sea and Sage Audubon Society Tropical Audubon Society KENTUCKY NEVADA East Central Ohio Audubon Society Houston Audubon Society Sequoia Audubon Society Venice Area Audubon Society Buckley Hills Audubon Society Lahontan Audubon Society Firelands Audubon Society Huntsville Audubon Society WYOMING WYOMING Sierra Foothills Audubon Society West Pasco Audubon Society Daviess County Audubon Society Red Rock Audubon Society Greater Akron Audubon Society Llano Estacado Audubon Society Bighorn Audubon Society Audubon Center at Garden Creek Stanislaus Audubon Society West Volusia Audubon Society Frankfort Audubon Society Greater Mohican Audubon Society Monte Mucho Audubon Society Cheyenne-High Plains Audubon Society 101 Garden Creek Road Tulare County Audubon Society Henderson Audubon Society President R. B. Hayes Audubon Society Prairie and Timbers Audubon Society Laramie Audubon Society Casper, WY 82604 Ventura Audubon Society Jackson Purchase Audubon Society Tri-Moraine Audubon Society Rio Brazos Audubon Society Meadowlark Audubon Society (307) 473-1987 Whittier Audubon Society Little River Audubon Society Western Cuyahoga Audubon Society Rio Grande Delta Audubon Society Texas Murie Audubon Society Wintu Audubon Society Louisville Audubon Society Panhandle Audubon Society Red Desert Audubon Society

78 Audubon StrA tegic PlA n Audubon StrA tegic PlA n 79 board of directors Whooping Chair of the Board crane B. Holt Thrasher Vice-Chairs Lloyd Semple Allen J. Model Alan Wilson Treasurer David Hartwell Secretary Margot Ernst Assistant Secretaries Peggy E. Montaño Michael Stolper directors Leigh Altadonna Jon A. Anda A. Peter Cannon Jr. Mary McDermott Cook Alan R. Dolan Joseph H. Ellis editor: Nancy Severance Roylance David B. Ford design director: Kevin Fisher Managing editor: Jerry Goodbody Frank Gill Photo editor: Lila Garnett Joy Hester Production Manager: James Logan Jane-Kerin Moffat bird illustrations: David Allen Sibley Hector E. Morales, Jr. Illustrations from the National Audubon Society: Sibley Jess Morton Guide to Birds, by David Allen Sibley, published by Alfred Kristi Patterson A. Knopf, Inc. Copyright © 2000 by Andrew Stewart Pub- lishing, Inc. and The Sibley eGuide to the Birds of North Terry L. Root America smartphone application. All rights reserved. David Roux Reproduced with permission of the copyright holder. Hugh Simmons flyway maps: Peter Hoey Photo credits: (Page 1) Peter Frank Edwards; Marina Skumanich (2) Arthur Morris; (5) Jim Urbach/www.jimurbach.smug- Douglas Varley mug.com; (10-11) Brown W. Cannon III; (12-13) Randal Victor Vidales Ford; (14-15) Joel Sartore; (16-17) Chip Simons; (18-19) Kevin Keith; (20-21) Steve Kaslowski; (23) Wil Hersh- Alexander E. Zagoreos berger; (24) Brown W. Cannon III; (26, from left): Ewan Burns; Michio Hoshino/Minden Pictures; (27, from ceo aNd PresideNt left) Jeff Larsen;Harrison Shull/Aurora Photos; (28, from left) Robert Royse; Subhankar Banerjee; (29, from David Yarnold left) JohnnyJohnson/Photographer’s Choice/Getty Images;TogetherGreen; (30, from left) Andy Anderson; Ewan Burns; (31, from left) Amanda Friedman; Brown W. Cannon III; (33) Rick A. Brown; (34, from left) Houston Audubon Society; Andrew Geiger; (36) Joel Sartore; (37) Michael Forsberg; (38, from left) Robert Royse; Joel Sartore; (39, from left) Michael Lyon; TogetherGreen; (40, from left) www.bluegranola.com; Joel Sartore; (41) Bill Timmerman (2); (43) Michael D. Stubblefield; (44) Rob Howard; (46, from left) Robert Royse; Annie Griffiths Belt/Corbis; (47) ©Trivers; (48, from left) Kim Hubbard; Robert Royse; (49, from left) Clint Farlinger; Eric Lipschutz; (51) Tom Vezo/Minden Pictures; (52, from left) © JoAnn Jordan and Cathy Harmans; TogetherGreen; (54, from left) Andrew Kornylak/Aurora Photos; Walker Golder; (55, from left) Ann Cutting/Botanica/Getty Images; Kim Hubbard; (56, from left) Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary; Jim Neiger; (57, from left) John Huba; Urban Green Council; (58) Alexandra Daley-Clark/The New York Times; (59) Robert Royse; (61) Ericka Larsen/Redux Pictures; (62) Ewan Burns; (63) Ericka Larsen; (64) Jules Frazier; (65) Ian Londin; (66) TogetherGreen; (67) Matt Slaby; (69) Angela Wyant; (71) TogetherGreen; (74-75) Randal Ford (2); (inside back cover) David Littschwager

Printed on 30 percent post-consumer recycled fiber. Elemental chlorine-free.

the audubon Mission to conserve and restore natural ecosysteMs, focusing on birds, other wildlife, and their habitats for the benefit of huManity and the earth's biological diversity.

Audubon | 225 Varick Street | New York, NY 10014 | 212-979-3000 | www.audubon.org