January 2026

The Pennsylvania Audubon Council

WALT POMEROY CONSERVATION AWARD

A Call for Nominations for 2026!

This is the official call for nominations of worthy individuals for the Pennsylvania Audubon Council Walt Pomeroy Conservation Award. The nomination window will be open through May 31, 2026. The Council Executive Committee will review the nominations and a selection for the Pennsylvania Audubon Council Walt Pomeroy Conservation Award will be announced. The award is in the form of a framed print with a commemorative plaque. The print is “Return to Penn’s Woods,” a beautiful depiction of a Peregrine Falcon perched on a branch overlooking the Susquehanna River. The Lycoming Audubon Society donated the print, which is attractively framed and features a commemorative plaque funded by the Council’s “Walt Pomeroy Fund.” It has been our tradition to present the award in an informal basis at a chapter designated location or event. The award has been presented in simple ceremonies and not intended to be given as part of a fundraising event.

The first Pennsylvania Audubon Council (PAAC) “Walt Pomeroy Conservation Award” was presented in 2022 to Cindy Adams Dunn, Secretary of the Department of Natural Resources (DCNR), and took place on October 26, 2022. Cindy was the clear choice as the recipient of this award. Her long association with the Appalachian Audubon Society, the Audubon Council of Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania Audubon Council, and her long record of conservation made her an outstanding honoree! Other recent recipients include Dr. Dan Klem at Muhlenberg College and Lehigh Valey Audubon Society and Jim Bonner, former Executive Director of the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania.

The Council Executive Committee sought to ensure that this award filled a niche that will distinguish us from the many other worthy recognition programs that are already out there. Our focus is on the chapter network to identify nominees associated with their chapters who have worked to provide significant leadership associated with our “Conservation Issues of Highest Priority” as identified by our chapters. This award is not necessarily intended as a “lifetime” achievement award for a beloved chapter leader. Rather it is intended for a leader that has worked on issues. The individual may not have served as an officer or board member of a chapter but led an extraordinary conservation effort.

The Pennsylvania Audubon Council Executive Committee reinaugurated its conservation award in 2022 in honor of Walt Pomeroy, a great friend of Audubon. Additional background and information about the history of the award and Walt Pomeroy can be found on the Council ‘s website. We encourage chapters to consider submitting a nomination for this recognition. The link to the nomination form can be found here:

CHAPTER NETWORKING FOR CONSERVATION

7:00 PM Tuesday, January 27, 2026

The next zoom meeting in support of the Council’s initiative to establish a Chapter Network for Conservation is scheduled for 7:00 PM on Tuesday, January 27, 2026. We will be joined by Arly Henniger-Voss from Defenders of Wildlife for an update on the Endangered Species Act. Be sure to read her article included in this edition of the DRUMMER. Jim Brown, Policy Director, and N. Scott Parkhill, Senior Forest Program Manager with Audubon Mid-Atlantic, will provide us with policy updates. Finally, Tess Wilson. Network Engagement Manager, Audubon MidAtlantic, and Leigh Altadonna, Pennsylvania Audubon Council, will provide an introduction on how to use the new Audubon membership report as a tool to identify individuals in your chapter territories that have an interest in advocacy.

Pennsylvania Audubon Council’s “Advocacy and Conservation Committee” includes Liz Brensinger, Lehigh Valley Audubon Society; Laura Jackson, Juniata Valley Audubon Society; Perri Strawn, Delaware Valley Ornithological Club; and Nilesh Shah, Liberty Bird Alliance. Leigh Altadonna, Pennsylvania Audubon Council and Tess Wilson, Chapter Network Specialist, Audubon MidAtlantic will participate with this committee.

This Committee will coordinate the Pennsylvania Audubon Council Conservation Network “Google Group.” This will serve as a principal communication tool to reach key chapter leaders, chapter conservation or advocacy chairs, and/or another chapter designee to provide alerts on conservation issues and action. We request that each chapter and conservation partner designate one or two individuals to participate in the Conservation Google Group. Use the link below to add your chapter’s name(s) to participate in the Council’s Conservation Google Group.

ADD YOUR CHAPTER TO THE GOOGLE GROUP

We have also just been alerted in the January 9th Chapter leaders Update from Kim Brand that National Audubon has scheduled an Audubon Community Chapters’ event, “Audubon Policy Community Call” for 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM immediately preceding our Council event. Consider registering for this offering that is scheduled immediately in advance of our program. You can register for that event below:

Endangered Species Act Update

Tracking the Continuing Threats to ESA

Arly Henniger-Voss/Defenders of Wildlife

The largest looming Congressional threat to wildlife is the “ESA Amendments Act of 2025” proposed by Rep. Westerman of Arizona. This bill would eviscerate the Endangered Species Act if passed. The bill was marked up out of committee shortly before the holiday break, meaning that it could now be put to a vote on the House floor at virtually any time.  

We are currently looking for folks willing to write letters to the editor to inform our communities and urge our Representatives to defend wildlife. Your voice on this issue is particularly critical if you live in PA congressional districts 1, 7, and 8 or NJ congressional district 7. 

One week before Christmas, the House passed a bill that strips gray wolves of their protections under the Endangered Species Act. This bill, H.R. 845, ignores clear evidence that such an action will have a catastrophic effect on wolf populations that serve as a keystone species for their ecosystems. Unfortunately, this is just one of a series of Congressional attacks on the Endangered Species Act, which has so far stood as one of the most popular and successful federal laws on the books.  

Of the four key districts in PA and NJ, Representatives Mackenzie, Bresnahan and Kean voted for the bill and Rep. Fitzpatrick voted against. Thank you to everyone who mobilized against this anti-wolf and anti-wildlife bill. Even when the votes don’t go our way, we are building a pattern of vocal concern and advocacy that makes it much harder for legislators to ignore constituent interest in protecting wildlife.

To end on a piece of good news, you may be aware that we had been concerned about the many anti-ESA riders on the proposed House Interior Appropriations bill. These riders sought to weaken the Endangered Species Act by attaching anti-ESA segments onto a must-pass funding bill. I am delighted to update you that after the proposed bill was rolled into a mini-bus funding bill all anti-ESA riders (apart from stubborn legacy riders that have been passed in previous years) were dropped!

If you would like to get in touch to learn more about efforts to protect our most vulnerable species please contact Arly Henniger-Voss at ahenninger-voss-contractor@defenders.org.

Council News and Updates

Bird Habitat Recognition Program

News and Updates

The Pennsylvania Audubon Council welcomes the Greater Wyoming Valley Audubon, Quitapahilla Audubon, and Tiadaughton Audubon Societies as the newest chapters to enroll in the Bird Habitat Recognition Program (BHR). They have received their shipments of Bird Friendly Habitat signs and “rack cards” tailored with each chapter’s logo. There are now twelve chapters statewide enrolled in the program with 250 properties recognized as Bird Friendly Habitats since the program was launched last September with many more anticipated as we move into spring 2026.

Representatives from the participating chapters met in December to share information and recommend potential adjustments to the BHR Program. We also received suggestions from the Appalachian, Bucks County, Lehigh Valley, Liberty Bird Alliance and Valley Forge Bird Town Clutch Meetings that took place through the fall. The list of recommendations was reviewed and approved at the January Board Meeting of the Council Board. These recommendations are:

• Elimination of Application Fees for Environmental Justice Communities
• Production of Materials in Espanol at the Request of Chapters
• Addition of Information on the Council Website in Spanish
• Elimination of Application Fee for State Parks, Land Trusts, and Important Bird Areas
• Enhancement of Avenues for Bird Towns to Participate in the BHR Program

The Council will work with Function and Flow through the coming weeks to implement these recommendations in advance of the anticipated spring demand for property recognitions.

Pennsylvania Bird Atlas Funding Request

The Pennsylvania Audubon Council and Bird Town Pennsylvania Boards approved a joint donation of $1000 to support the work of the Pennsylvania Bird Atlas Project. This was in response to the critical need for financial support to help sustain the project through to the end of the current fiscal year. We have been advised that Appalachian, Lehigh Valley, and Juniata Valley Audubon Societies have made donations. Other chapters indicated that they will be considering donations at their next chapter Board meetings. The Council encourages each of our chapters to consider a donation of any size to support this important project. Please use this link to the Council’s appeal letter to our chapters to step up and consider a financial contribution to PBA3.

VIEW THE COUNCIL'S LETTER

Donate today and help continue the legacy of bird conservation that began with the First Atlas in 1983.

Who's Who In You Chapter

Keep Us Apprised of Your Leadership Changes!

Special thanks to those of you who have sent us the names and contact information of new board and/or committee members for additions to our DRUMMER mailing list. Some of our chapters operate on a fiscal year and conduct elections in May and June. Others operate on a calendar year and conduct elections in December or January. Please provide the names and email contacts for changes or updates of your officers and board members so that they can be added to the mailing list for the DRUMMER. Send contact information to paauduboncouncil@gmail.com.

PENNSYLVANIA AUDUBON COUNCIL FACEBOOK PAGE!

Share Your Chapter’s Highlights

The Pennsylvania Audubon Council has a Facebook Page that is available for the public to view. Permission to post to the Council Facebook is restricted but we provide access to individuals from chapters to share chapter Facebook posts with the Council. We look to share their Facebook posts about upcoming chapter programs and events. We encourage posts that document chapter activities like field trips, community outreach, educational programs, and similar items. Chapter newsletter editors, webmasters, social media captains, officers, or others may request permission to post through our Facebook. Please take the time to request access! We want our Facebook to demonstrate the vibrancy and breadth of the work our chapters are doing! Send Facebook access requests to paauduboncouncil@gmail.com.