February 2025

Our Conservation Issues of Highest Priority 2025/2026

Two years ago, the Council scheduled a series of participatory webinars to solicit the broad range of conservation issues that were of concern to our chapter leaders and members. Phil Witmer from Valley Forge Audubon facilitated the “brainstorming” and open-ended zoom sessions with “breakout rooms” that resulted in a broad list of conservation issues identified by our chapters. Jim Bonner, Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania, used that list and generated the framework that organized these issues into a format we pursued through the legislative session of 2023-2024. We published most of these issues in a collection of “Education and Outreach Statements” to guide our work and posted them on our Council website.

The new legislative sessions in Harrisburg and Washington, D.C. have begun. It is time for our chapter network to review and update our Conservation Issues of Highest Priority for 2025/2026. We have prepared a survey that is more streamlined to provide opportunities for ideas, opinions, and input from each chapter. Chapters are free to undertake the review in any procedure that works best. Engage your conservation committees, boards, executive committees, or members as each chapter deems appropriate. Please respond by Saturday, March 15, 2025.

Keep the Conversation Going

The Strength of Our Chapter Network!

Andy Loza, Executive Director of WeConservePA provided his first quarterly update and advocacy report to the Pennsylvania Audubon Council in January. His outlook on the prospectsvof success for environmental issues in the new two-year session of the General Assembly will be a challenge. In his presentation he noted that our chapters have a good bit of latitude in communicating with elected officials on a range of issues including voicing support for selected items of legislation. Andy outlined the most effective ways to communicate and have an impact with your state representative and state senators.

The effectiveness of our chapter network is enhanced because we have a statewide presence. He underscored the importance of contact with the District Offices of our legislators and building a relationship with the representatives and their staffs. They need to know what you care about and to share your interest in birds and their conservation. Here are several concrete actions you can take to build a relationship:

• Get to know them! -- Invite them to participate in a bird walk your chapter has scheduled.
• Attend local “town meetings” that your elected representatives may schedule.
• Invite them to talk with your Board or come to a chapter meeting to share their positions.
• Thank them when they support an item of legislation in which you are invested!

Add your state legislators and Congressional Representative to your chapter’s mailing

list! Please note that the Pennsylvania Audubon Council website has links that reflect your chapter’s territory and overlay with the legislative districts of your state representative(s), state senator(s) and Congressional representative. Their contact information is provided as well!

CREATING A SYSTEM OF MUTUAL SUPPORT FOR CHAPTERS!

The first in a series of programs by chapters and for chapters took place via ZOOM on the evening of January 29, 2025. Entitled “One Chapter’s Story,” we heard from Pat Nastase from Valley Forge Audubon Society (VFAS). She shared how VFAS was able to successfully navigate some considerable organizational challenges and revitalize the chapter.Valley Forge Audubon was on the verge of closing their chapter in 2018. The presentation shared the problems they faced and the steps they took to revitalize their chapter.” This presentation provided some ideas and approaches that other chapters may find helpful in their quest to remain vibrant and effective. The presentation is recorded and available on the Council’s YouTube. We encourage any chapter leader who may have missed the original program to access the recording.

There was a positive response to this presentation and several requests to provide similar“chapter to chapter” presentations dealing with issues that are often encountered or shared by many chapters. There were multiple issues that were raised at last autumns chapter gatherings that lend themselves as topics for future “workshops.” Suggested topics include:

• Chapter Maintenance of Records
• Establishing Viable Committees
• Successful Recruitment of Officers and Board Members
• Effective Use of Social Media
• Chapter Friendly Fundraising Initiatives
• And More!!

Check out some of the many other ideas that were shared by chapter leaders in the “Report of the Chapter Gatherings” that chronicle the Pennsylvania Audubon Council’s three successful fall chapter gatherings. The Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania, Appalachian Audubon Society and Lehigh Valley Audubon Society were the host chapters. These gatherings included substantial time for discussion and input around several areas of interest or concern for chapters and the Council. Heidi Shiver,President of Bird Town Pennsylvania and a former President of Bucks County Audubon Society, attended all three gatherings and recorded extensive notes to help to document the discussions.

Program & Advocacy Updates

Bird Habitat Recognition Program Update

An important outcome of the chapter gatherings was broad support for a proposal to have the Bird Habitat Recognition (BHR) Program reestablished under the umbrella of the Pennsylvania Audubon Council. The BHR program originally set up over a decade ago by Steve Saffier when he was with Audubon Pennsylvania. The program was updated a few years ago by Kelly McGinley when she was with Audubon MidAtlantic. Last year, Audubon MidAtlantic notified chapters that it would no longer administer or manage the Bird Habitat Recognition Program. Several chapter representatives have met as a “task force.” The group is undertaking a review of the application, designing a new BHR Program property sign, creating a link to the program for the Pennsylvania Audubon Council and Bird Town Pennsylvania websites. They will present a proposal for consideration by chapters interested in participation in this redefined program by later this winter. The program goals are to educate, engage and enroll community members in the effort to promote bird friendly practices at their homes and places of work and worship through an emphasis on native plants in landscaping and bird safe practices like mitigating bird collisions with windows.

Special thanks to Task Force participants Leigh Altadonna, Pennsylvania Audubon Council; Valerie Barnes, Conococheague Audubon; Steve Cottrell, Delaware Audubon; Laura Jackson, Juniata Valley Audubon; Jason Porter, Liberty Bird Alliance; Steve Saffier, Bird Town Pennsylvania; Heidi Shiver, Bird Town Pennsylvania; and Alice Thurau, Seneca Rocks Audubon.

Solar for All! (HB 362)

In April 2024, the Environmental Protection Agency awarded the Pennsylvania Energy Development Authority (PEDA) $156 million for a low-income residential solar installation program under the federal Solar for All grant competition. The funding would be used to increase the availability and accessibility of solar energy to low-income homes in rural, suburban and urban areas across the Commonwealth, lowering household energy bills by at least 20% and creating Pennsylvania jobs. The newly established House Energy Committee held a public hearing on February 4, 2025 to consider legislation (H.B. 362) introduced by Committee Chairwoman Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler, D-Phila., authorizing a Solar for All program.

The Pennsylvania Audubon Council is tracking (HB 362), one of the early bills introduced in this new session of the General Assembly. In a manner similar to the Solar for Schools” legislation passed in the last session, we recognize that the expansion of solar energy on homes and properties provides another step to reduce the use of fossil fuel electricity generation. It places solar on homes without impacting bird habitat. In addition, we recognize that programs like this reduce actions that contribute to changes in climate that will have adverse impact on birds.

The Council will continue to see how (HB 362) moves forward and be prepared to issue a “Conservation Alert” if it becomes timely for our chapters to reach out to their state representatives to encourage action on this proposed legislation.

The Susquehanna Riverlands Bird Summit!

The Pennsylvania Audubon Council has partnered with Dan Arida at Franklin and Marshall College to host a “Bird Summit” to address major bird conservation issues in the Susquehanna Riverlands. Dan shared the goals of the summit at our chapter gathering at Fort Hunter last year. He received good feedback from the chapter representatives in attendance at the gathering. A major suggestion from the chapters was to schedule the Bird Summit for the fall of 2025. The first meeting of the Bird Summit planning team identified Friday, September 26, 2025, as the tentative date for this daylong Bird Summit at Franklin and Marshall College. Please “Save the Date” on your schedules. A confirmation of the date and more details will be forthcoming.

We invite chapter leaders to identify individuals who may be worthy recipients of the Pennsylvania Audubon Council Walt Pomeroy Conservation Award. We seek the nomination of individuals who have worked to promote the conservation issues of highest priority identified through their chapters and in their communities. This award is not intended as a “lifetime” achievement award for a beloved chapter leader. It is intended for a leader that has worked on conservation projects and issues. The individual may have served as an officer or board member of a chapter but may also have led a noteworthy conservation effort. More information and the nomination form can be found here on the Council website.

The actual award has taken the form of a framed print and a small dedication plaque. The 2024 award presented to Dan Klem was the Mark Anderson signed and numbered print “Return to Penn’s Woods” that features a Peregrine Falcon perched above the Susquehanna River. This print has significance in that the Lycoming Audubon Society commissioned the art to help raise funds for its Peregrine Falcon reintroduction efforts in Williamsport. There is added significance in that a framed print of this same art was presented to Walt Pomeroy with a plaque that reads: “In Appreciation for Friendship and Dedicated Service to Audubon Members in Pennsylvania.” The Pennsylvania Audubon Council is pleased to announce the gift of five copies of “Return to Penn’s Woods” from the Lycoming Audubon Society. These will be used to honor future awardees of the conservation award named in Walt’s honor.

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