August 2025

JIM BONNER RECEIVES

PENNSYLVANIA AUDUBON COUNCIL

WALT POMEROY CONSERVATION AWARD

Jim Bonner, Executive Director of the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania (ASWP), received the Walt Pomeroy Conservation Award in a presentation ceremony in Villanova on August 7, 2025.

Jim’s nomination was unanimously endorsed by the Pennsylvania Audubon Council Board. The award recognizes Jim’s leadership throughout his twenty-one-year career at ASWP in addition to his leadership in conservation efforts in the greater Pittsburgh region. Under his watch, ASWP expanded their Nature Center at Beechwood Farm and established two additional Centers in Allegheny and Butler Counties. He has been a leader in the protection of the Little Buffalo Creek Watershed and Important Bird Area. His environmental work with economic justice communities has been inspiring and important. Jim was part of the coalition that first established “Lights Out Pittsburgh.” More recently, Jim has contributed to the adoption of several environmentally friendly ordinances by the Pittsburgh City Council including one that permits property owners to use native plants and no longer be threatened by a restrictive “weed ordinance” that discouraged homeowners in the past. Another recent highlight is ASWP’s active role in the expansion of the Bird Town Pennsylvania Program. The work of Jim and his staff at ASWP established many new Bird Towns in Allegheny and Butler Counties. Finally, Jim Bonner is counted among the cadre of chapter leaders that spearheaded the work to reestablish the Pennsylvania Audubon Council. Jim has served as the Council’s Treasurer over the last five years.

(left to right) Nilesh Shah, President of the Liberty Bird Alliance; Heidi Shiver, President of Bird Town Pennsylvania; Leigh Altadonna, President of the Pennsylvania Audubon Council; Jim Bonner, Executive Director of the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania; Lin Pomeroy, Benefactor of the PAAC Walt Pomeroy Fund; Christine DuBois-Buxbaum, Editor of the Bird Town Pennsylvania "Bird Beat;” and Janet Krevenas, Secretary, Bird Town Pennsylvania

This award is built on the tradition inaugurated by the Audubon Council of Pennsylvania (ACP), to honor individuals who had made important contributions to conservation in Pennsylvania. Past recipients of the Conservation Award in the 1990s included: Governor Robert P. Casey; Sr., Congressmen Peter Kostmayer and Jim Greenwood; Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources, Dr. Maurice K. Goddard; and others...

Bird Habitat Recognition Program Ready to Launch

The Pennsylvania Audubon Council Bird Habitat Recognition Program is ready for its official launch on Labor Day, September 1, 2025. BHR program information is now publicly available on the Pennsylvania Audubon Council website, including a digital application for property owners to complete and submit for recognition. The lead contacts for the participating chapters in the BHR program receive a notification that an application has been submitted and enrolled within their chapter territory. The application also indicates if the property is in a Pennsylvania Bird Town.

The participating chapters have received their shipment of 10” X 14” aluminum yard signs that feature the chapter logo and web address on the sign. It is the responsibility of the chapter to make the signs available for “pick up” or delivery to the property owner. The cost of the design and production of the signs is underwritten by the Pennsylvania Audubon Council’s “Bird Habitat Recognition Program Fund.” Each participating chapter has also received “rack cards” and a “poster” to promote the program at community outreach events and native plant sales. The cost of the design and printing of the rack cards is covered by the Council’s BHR Fund. Chapters are encouraged to supplement the program with their own materials and promote the program on their chapter website. Chapters are encouraged to share their materials with other participating chapters and Bird Towns through the Council website.

The program is the result of the hard work of a host of Bird Town and chapter leaders who have helped to shape the program components over the course of the last year. It is also supported by the establishment of the Council’s Bird Habitat Recognition Fund that underwrites the critical costs of the signs, rack cards and decals for each participating chapter. The Bird Habitat Recognition Fund has been designed to be sustainable and continue to underwrite the costs for additional signs for participating chapters and additional chapters that enroll in the program.

The chapters that have already enrolled in the program include Appalachian Audubon, Liberty Bird Alliance, Lehigh Valley Audubon, Presque Isle Audubon, Seneca Rocks Audubon, Valley Forge Audubon, and York Audubon. Each chapter makes their own decisions about their management of the program from distribution of the yard signs, coordination with their Bird Towns, if applicable, inclusion of the program on their website, and other promotional efforts. One of the participating chapters has shared that they intend to offer a “free” chapter membership to each property owner who enrolls. Another chapter is exploring other incentives for folks who enroll in the BHR program. Every property owner who enrolls in the BHR Program is offered the opportunity to “opt in” to receive the Bird Town “Bird Beat” Newsletter and the chapter newsletter.

We look forward to the enrollment of additional chapters in the program and understand consideration of participation in the program is on the agenda of their August or September Board Meetings. The Council welcomes the enrollment of any chapter as there is no deadline to participate in the program. Use the link below to enroll!

SUSQUEHANNA RIVERLANDS BIRD SUMMIT:

Friday, September 26, 2025

Franklin & Marshall College and the PA Audubon Council are hosting a summit on the state of birds in the Susquehanna Riverlands Conservation Area (Lancaster and York Counties, PA) on Friday, September 26, 2025, on the campus of Franklin & Marshall College. The summit will bring together state conservation and wildlife management professionals, academics, community members, conservation organizations, public officials, and other stakeholders in order to (1) identify the state of knowledge about avian conservation in the area, (2) increase awareness of key conservation challenges that impact avian biodiversity and conservation, (3) catalyze public-private partnerships and (4) develop priorities for action, including areas for capacity building. The event is free of charge and will include light breakfast, lunch, and a closing reception. Registration information can be found here. All are encouraged to register; if space is a premium, priority will be given to those working actively on avian conservation and research. Contact Dan Ardia (dardia@fandm.edu) with any questions.

Webinars

Pennsylvania Audubon Council Chapter Networking for Conservation

The Pennsylvania Audubon Council hosted the “Chapter Networking for Conservation” zoom discussion on Thursday August 7, 2025. This program continued a conversation initiated by several chapter advocacy committee and conservation chairs and was precipitated by joint concerns about mounting threats to the environment, especially at the Federal level. We agreed that the Council needs to strengthen the network of our chapter conservation and advocacy committee members, other chapter leaders, and our conservation partners. The looming threats in Congress underscore the need for action. There are cuts for funding of bird and wildlife research for the agencies that conduct this research. There are serious threats to attack the “granddaddy” pieces of environmental legislation like the Endangered Species Act, Migratory Bird Treaty Act and more. There are continuing threats to our National Wildlife Refuges and public lands.

The August 7th session included representatives from nine of our chapters and additional participation from the Delaware Valley Ornithological Club, Pennsylvania Society of Ornithology, Defenders of Wildlife, and Audubon Mid-Atlantic. Liz Brensinger, Lehigh Valey Audubon Society Conservation Committee Chair, facilitated the discussion. Liz is drafting the follow up notes from the meeting for review and input from the August 7th participants. Among the anticipated outcomes will be:

• Create a network comprised of our chapter conservation and advocacy committee chairs and include representatives from chapters without established conservation committees.
• Invite and include participants from other conservation minded groups.
• Establish a mechanism for our conservation network to communicate with one another on issues and actions.
• Work with Defenders of Wildlife as they lead efforts to address the threats to eviscerate the Endangered Species Act.
• Work with Audubon Mid-Atlantic to strengthen support for Pennsylvania issues.

We will keep everyone posted on next steps as the plan for effective conservation networking evolves.

Council News and Updates

Audubon Councils in the Audubon Network

The Pennsylvania Audubon Council is one of many Audubon Councils that are established in states throughout the country. We heard from several Council leaders from other states when there was interest and support from our chapter leaders to reestablish a Council here in Pennsylvania. Leaders from the chapter council in New York, Ohio, and Colorado shared their perspectives on the value of Councils in their respective states. These representatives noted that their Councils provided a means for mutual chapter-to-chapter networking and support. They are an important mechanism for the Council to bring forward and act on the conservation issues of highest concern to their chapters. The Pennsylvania Audubon Council was re-formed with the dual mission of fostering chapter-to-chapter support and conservation advocacy.

At the 1998 National Audubon Society National Convention at Estes Park Colorado, a session for Council networking was part of the program. There were workshops for chapter leaders that focused on strengthening organizational effectiveness and promoted Councils as integral to the Audubon Network. Attached is a four-page document from that Convention devoted to the role and function of “State Councils.” It offers an historic insight into the value of Councils to both chapters and the broader Audubon network.

Our New Corporate Address

The Pennsylvania Audubon Council’s corporate address has been maintained by the law offices of SCHIFFMAN, SHERIDAN & BROWN, P.C in Harrisburg. Steve Schiffman, a partner with the firm, has provided the legal support required for our original incorporation of both the Audubon Council of Pennsylvania in 1988 and the Pennsylvania Audubon Council in 2021. Their offices recently moved, and they filed on the Council’s behalf, our new address with the Pennsylvania Department of State, Bureau of Corporations and Charitable Organizations. This is our official address reserved for legal activities and correspondence. Our general communication continues via our Council email address. Our new corporate address is:

Pennsylvania Audubon Council

2805 Old Post Road

Suite 120

Harrisburg, PA 17110

Mark Your Calendars

Below is a summary of upcoming seasonal events and advocacy opportunities. For full descriptions and event links, visit the Summer & Fall Events page on our website.

Join Our Council Facebook Group

The Pennsylvania Audubon Council Facebook Page 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.

Note that the Council Facebook presence is not intended to duplicate each individual chapter’s Facebook presence. Rather, it is intended for chapters to selectively showcase a special event or project and activities. The Council invites chapters to designate an individual(s) to have the authority to access and post to the Council Facebook. The public can view our Facebook page, but only those who are granted permission will be able to post/comment.