July 2025

BIRD HABITAT RECOGNITION PROGRAM UPDATE!

The Pennsylvania Audubon Council Bird Habitat Recognition Program is moving ahead toward the Labor Day relaunch of the program. The first wave of chapters has enrolled in the program. David Arrow, President of the York Audubon Society (YAS), stepped up first, making YAS the very first chapter to formally commit to the relaunch! Their Bird Habitat Recognition sign has been designed. The production and delivery of the signs for York Audubon and other chapters that have enrolled are underway. Similar signs that include the chapter logo are designed for each of the other chapters that have formally enrolled in the program. The formal relaunch of the Bird Habitat Recognition Program is September 1, 2025.

Other important developments include the receipt of a generous donation to underwrite the Bird Habitat Recognition Program! These funds will cover the production of the Bird Habitat Recognition signs, rack cards, and window clings that support the program. We also have a pledge from a generous donor to underwrite the registration fee for property owners in “environmental justice” communities.

The Council has also worked with “Function & Flow” to create the elements on the Council website to support the management of the Bird habitat Recognition Program. The digital application for property owners to enroll in the program will be available on the website. The site is currently developed with restricted access and scheduled to be publicly launched on August 1, 2025.

There is still time for chapters not already enrolled to officially commit to the Bird Habitat Recognition Program. The “Pennsylvania Audubon Council Bird Habitat Recognition Enrollment Form” is provided in the link below. The form outlines the role, responsibilities and assurances of the Council in underwriting the program. It outlines the expectations for chapters that commit to participate in the program. The contact information for the chapter leader who makes the commitment on behalf of the chapter needs to be provided as well as the individual designated as the chapter liaison for the Bird Habitat Recognition Program. Any questions can be directed to Leigh Altadonna at paauduboncouncil@gmail.com.

Upcoming Webinars

What Is Happening in Harrisburg?

July Conservation Updates with Andy Loza, WeConservePA

7:00 PM on Thursday, July 24, 2025

Our third quarterly Conservation Update with Andy Loza, Executive Director of WeConservePA, is scheduled for 7:00 PM on Thursday, July 24, 2025. At the top of the agenda is an update on the state budget with a focus on full funding of DCNR, DEP, and other state environmental agencies and programs! The General Assembly missed the June 30th deadline for adopting a state budget. There are major funding challenges for the state budget that are exacerbated by the funding decisions in Congress.

We will also look at some of the environmental legislation in the General Assembly. Some bills we are tracking have passed out of the House and have moved to the Senate for consideration. Their prospects in the Senate will be touched upon as well. This includes several of the bills associated with the Governor’s “Lightning plan.” We encourage the participation of chapter advocacy and conservation committee members in these calls as well as representatives of some of our conservation partners. Please register for Andy’s Third Quarterly Update and save Thursday, October 23, 2025, on your calendars for the Fourth Quarterly Update!

Chapter Networking for Conservation

7:00 PM on Thursday, August 7, 2025

The Pennsylvania Audubon Council has scheduled a special “Chapter Networking for Conservation” discussion via ZOOM at 7:00 PM on Thursday August 7, 2025. This is the outgrowth of a conversation in June among several chapter advocacy committee and conservation chairs. This meeting was precipitated by joint concerns about actions at the Federal level. These actions have adverse consequences for birds and wildlife. Liz Brensinger and Barbara Malt, Lehigh Valley Audubon Society, triggered the need for this June meeting. They requested permission to post alerts on the Pennsylvania Audubon Council Facebook Page. Their posts expressed concern with proposed Federal legislation. They encourage individuals to reach out to their Congressional representatives to urge them to act on behalf of birds and conservation. Similar posts from other sources were shared on the Council Facebook page.

The June conversation included conservation partners like Perri Strawn, Delaware Valley Ornithological Club (DVOC), Jim Mansfield, Bucks County Audubon Society, Shirley Dodson, Valley Forge Audubon Society Advocacy Committee, and Laura Jackson of Juniata Valley Audubon Society. Laura is also the chair of the Pennsylvania Society of Ornithology (PSO) Conservation Committee. Most of our committee work is confined to our individual chapters and partner organizations. The group recognized the need to share our efforts and explore ways we can collaborate. The discussion at this June meeting was recorded in “AI” notes. Access these notes here:

We agreed that a zoom webinar with our chapter leaders and conservation partners was needed to explore this networking proposal. 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. There is a heightened need to act!

Join the conversation on Thursday, August 7, 2025!

Keep the Conversation Going

SUSQUEHANNA RIVERLANDS BIRD SUMMIT:

Friday, September 26, 2025

Register Now!

By Dan Ardia, Franklin & Marshall College

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. In addition, birding events in collaboration with the Lancaster Conservancy and the Lancaster Bird Club will be held on Saturday, September 27 in the Susquehanna Riverlands Conservation Area. 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. If you are interested in participating in and/or helping organize birding events on September 27, please contact Dan Ardia (dardia@fandm.edu).

Council News and Updates

Thank You for Your Votes!

Pennsylvania Audubon Council Officers and Board for 2025/2026

A special note of thanks is due to each of our chapters as all twenty of our chapters participated in the election of our Pennsylvania Audubon Council Officers and Directors for 2025/2026. This maintains the record of full participation by our chapters in every Council election since our formation. The Pennsylvania Audubon Council is a coalition of the Audubon chapters in Pennsylvania with our leadership recruited and elected from the chapters! Our mission is to work together for the conservation of birds and the places they need!

The slate of officers and directors have been elected to serve a one-year term that begins July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026. Congratulations to our slate of officers that include:

President: Leigh Altadonna, Liberty Bird Alliance

Vice-President: Susan Murawski, Presque Isle Audubon Society

Secretary: John Carter, Conococheague Audubon Society

Treasurer: Jim Bonner, Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania

Congratulations are also due to our Directors including Laura Jackson, Juniata Valley Audubon Society; Sally Jeffords, Former National Audubon Society Board Member; Jamie Miller, Presque Isle Audubon Society; Zach Richard, Appalachian Audubon Society; Peter Saenger, Lehigh Valley Audubon Society; Jeffrey Stratford, Greater Wyoming Valley Audubon Society; and Alice Thurau, Seneca Rocks Audubon Society.

We also congratulate Paul Burroughs, Presque Isle Audubon Society designated as a Director Emeritus and Heidi Shiver, President of Bird Town Pennsylvania, as the Bird Town Liaison to the Council.

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

Chapter Elections

Alert Us to Your New Chapter Leaders

Many of our chapters are organized around a “fiscal year” that concludes by June 30th of each year. In many cases there are new board members and officers elected by your members. We request that chapters provide the names and email addresses to the Council so these individuals can be added to the distribution list of the DRUMMER. Special thanks to those chapters that have already provided these updates.

Bird Town Pennsylvania Continues to Grow!

Bird Town Pennsylvania continues to expand across the Commonwealth! There are now eighty-eight Bird Towns in Pennsylvania with North Coventry Township in Chester County and the city of Easton in Lehigh County our two newest Bird Towns. More communities are planning to apply for Bird Town designation. There is a very realistic goal that there will be 100 Bird Towns or more in the Bird Town Pennsylvania Network by the end of 2025! Pennsylvania is among the leading state programs with the most Bird Towns in the American Bird Conservancy Bird City/Bird Town Network! Kudos are due Heidi Shiver and the Bird Town Pennsylvania Board for this growth of the program.

Heidi Shiver, President of Bird Town Pennsylvania, has organized “Bird Town Clutch Meetings” with chapters that have enrolled or expressed interest in the Bird Habitat Recognition Program. Bird Town “Clutches” have already taken place with Appalachian Audubon Society, Lehigh Valley Audubon Society, and the Liberty Bird Alliance. Two others are scheduled in July with Bucks County Audubon Society and Valley Forge Audubon Society Clutches. Thus far, the Bird Town leaders have been enthusiastic about the relaunch of the program.

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.

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.