UPCOMING PROGRAMS AND WEBINARS!
“LOOKING FORWARD TO PENNSYLVANIA’S 3RD BREEDING BIRD ATLAS ”
Amber Wiewel, Pennsylvania Bird Atlas Coordinator
7:00 PM, Friday, September 22, 2023
Pennsylvania’s Bird Atlas is a 5-year long community science project conducted every 20 years to improve understanding of the distribution and abundance of breeding and wintering birds across the state. Pennsylvania’s 3rd atlas begins January 1, 2024 and will run through winter 2028-29. This presentation will be an overview of the need for atlases, how the 3rd atlas will differ from previous atlases, and how birders of all skill level can participate! Amber Wiewel, the Coordinator for the Pennsylvania’s Bird Atlas, will present this program. Amber will explain the role and the work of atlas volunteers as part of the Atlas Project. Pennsylvania Audubon chapters and their members have been instrumental in the success of the first two atlas projects and will be important to the work of this 3rd atlas! SHARE WITH YOUR INTERESTED MEMBERS AND SAVE THE DATE!
This is Wyncote Audubon’s regular September monthly program. All Wyncote programs are “hybrid” in nature. Participants from the Pennsylvania Audubon Council are invited and encouraged to participate “in person” or remotely via ZOOM. Registration via Eventbrite is required in order to participate via ZOOM. The ZOOM link is sent to registrants on the day of the presentation.
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“TAKING ACTION ON SINGLE USE PLASTICS!”
Heidi Shiver, President of Bird Town Pennsylvania &
Sue Murawski, President of Presque Isle Audubon Society
7:00 PM, Thursday, October 19, 2023
This is a special webinar to focus on actions our chapters can consider regarding this conservation issue of highest priority that our chapter network has identified. We will briefly review the Pennsylvania Audubon Council’s Education and Outreach Statement for “Elimination of Single use Plastics” with Sue Murawski, the lead author for the statement. Heidi Shiver will spotlight some local successes from several Bird Town Pennsylvania municipalities. These efforts will be profiled and amplified by panelists that include Richard Metz and Faran Savitz, PennEnvironment’s Zero Waste Advocate.
This webinar will reinforce that the most effective efforts at this time are at the municipal level and are the best pathway for success. SHARE WITH YOUR INTERESTED MEMBERS AND SAVE THE DATE!
This is a Pennsylvania Audubon Council virtual program and all are invited to participate via ZOOM. Registration via Eventbrite is required in order to participate via ZOOM. The ZOOM link is sent to registrants on the day of the presentation.
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“CREATING A SYSTEM OF MUTUAL SUPPORT FOR CHAPTERS!”
A Virtual Full Council Meeting!
7:00 PM, Thursday, November 9, 2023
A primary purpose of the Pennsylvania Audubon Council has been to establish a means to foster mutual learning and support among our Pennsylvania chapters. All chapters need to address organizational issues that include recruiting and supporting chapter leaders, attracting members, funding activities, providing education and outreach to the communities within our chapter territories, and more. Most of our chapters have functioned for decades but not without challenges. We have lost some chapters over the years including the Bucktail Audubon Society, Unami Audubon Society, and Wapati Audubon Society. Nearly all chapters experience organizational struggles from time to time.
This meeting will be an open forum for all chapter leaders to identify enduring organizational challenges and to share ideas on how our chapter network can provide consider support. SHARE WITH YOUR CHAPTER BOARD MEMBERS AND SAVE THE DATE!
This is a Pennsylvania Audubon Council virtual program and all are invited to participate via ZOOM. Registration via Eventbrite is required in order to participate via ZOOM. The ZOOM link is sent to registrants on the day of the presentation.
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UPDATE ON SOLAR FOR SCHOOLS
As you know, the Solar 4 Schools bill passed the House with broad bipartisan support 134-69 in late June. The Council is reaching out to the state representatives who supported the legislation with a note of thanks. We encourage our chapters to reach out, via phone, email, or letter, to the state representatives in their chapter territories who supported the legislation. It is not too late to do so as a word of thanks can go a long way.
Although the state budget was passed, work on the budget code bills remain. Negotiations for resolving the remaining budget code bills have started with the goal to finalize the budget by the last day of September. State Representative Elizabeth Fiedler is advocating with Senate Leaders and with the Administration in the hope that the Solar 4 Schools program could be included in a code bill. Chapters can help with this effort by voicing their support with their State Senators! The Council will reconnect with those selected chapter leaders whose chapter territories include State Senators critical to move Solar 4 Schools forward.
In addition, we have learned that conversations have taken place with the Administration about a couple of pilot projects that could be funded and constructed almost immediately. This is still in the planning stages, and while the financing is not guaranteed, our expectation is that the money will come through. If all goes well, we should be able to announce the pilots this fall.
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ANTHRACITE RIDGE
Our Council and Chapters Were Heard!!!
Last year, the Pennsylvania Audubon Council worked with a coalition of organizations that included Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, the American Bird Conservancy, Save Our Allegheny Ridges (SOAR), and others to express concern with the proposal to construct a utility scale wind farm on “Anthracite Ridge.” You may recall that “Anthracite Ridge” is located just west of Hawk Mountain and the Kittatiny Ridge. The Kittatiny Ridge is an Important Bird Area (IBA) of Global Significance and a major migratory pathway for raptors. The proposed site is also proximate to Fort Indiantown Gap, a major training facility for military helicopter pilots. The Pennsylvania Audubon Council provided chapters the opportunity to “sign on” to our letter that addressed our concerns with this project. Our letter cited the need for significant studies to be undertaken in advance of any further consideration and approvals for the project to proceed. The letter included the support of fourteen of our Pennsylvania Audubon chapters. Our letter underscored the importance and our support for appropriately sighted renewable energy projects. We are pleased to share a report we received from Laurie Goodrich that the developer for this project has withdrawn their request. Laurie citied the importance of the work of our Council and chapters in this outcome!
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AUDUBON LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE
The National Audubon Society Leadership Conference is scheduled to take place on November 2, 3, 4, and 5, 2023 at Estes Park Colorado. Information and details on registration have been included in the recent Chapter Leader Updates. This will be the first Audubon gathering or “convention” in over three years. The Pennsylvania Audubon Council Executive Committee is anxious to learn if any of our chapter leaders are planning to register and attend this event. Please let us know if you or other colleagues from your chapter have considered attending the conference. Let us know via email at: paauduboncouncil@gmail.com.
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Share Your Chapter Posts on the Council Facebook Page!
The Pennsylvania Audubon Council Facebook Page is active! It was established as a means for our Pennsylvania Audubon Chapters to share posts that spotlight special projects, events, and other significant activities. The goal is to demonstrate the contributions that our chapter network makes to benefit the conservation and protection of birds and the environment. It is a public Facebook group intended as a vehicle to highlight our important work in communities throughout the Commonwealth.
The Council issued invitations for chapter representatives to post to the Council Facebook. Only those who are directly invited or granted permission will be able to post/comment. Please provide us with contact information for any specific individuals you would like to have your authority to post to the Council Facebook! Let us know at: paauduboncouncil@gmail.com
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We Need Your Updated Chapter Contacts!
Please continue to share your updated list of chapter contacts to be added to the DRUMMER mailing list. Similarly, contact us if individuals whose names are on the current distribution list should be removed. Members of the Council Executive Committee will also follow up as needed to confirm any changes, additions, or deletions to the contacts listed for your chapter. Please send your most current and updated list to: paauduboncouncil@gmail.com
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Manage Your Email In Box!
A Recommendation:
The Pennsylvania Audubon Council uses a Gmail address for many routine communications. Because Gmail uses a “.com” in its address, many recipients will find messages routed to a “junk” or “spam” folder. This can be avoided by a simple step as you manage your email at home or work. Simply add paauduboncouncil@gmail.com to your email mailbox and future messages will appear in your regular “inbox” of incoming emails.
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