July 2026

BIRD HABITAT RECOGNITION PROGRAM

Approaching Our First-Year Anniversary!

The first anniversary of the launch of the Pennsylvania Audubon Council Bird Habitat Recognition Program is in just less than two months. The program was officially launched on Labor Day 2025. There have been over five hundred properties recognized across the Commonwealth since the launch. We have eleven chapters that are sponsoring the program with Bird Friendly Habitat Signs that include the chapter logo and web address. Allegheny Plateau Audubon Society is the most recent chapter to sign on as a sponsoring chapter. They join Appalachian, Juniata Valley, Lehigh Valley, Liberty Bird Alliance, Presque Isle, Quitapahilla, Seneca Rocks, Tiadaughton, Valley Forge, and York Audubon Societies that have implemented the program. Bucks County Birders is supporting the program in Bucks County.

There are a substantial number of properties that have submitted successful applications but are in areas that are unassigned to any chapter. Most “unassigned” properties are located outside of any chapter territory. We plan to explore the potential to invite new sponsors to support where a significant number of successful applications have been received.

There are other properties that are located near existing chapter territories and there has been consideration by more than one chapter to expand their chapter territory to include these areas that are proximate to their existing chapter territory. Seneca Rocks Audubon did this successfully last fall as they discovered some properties they enrolled were in zip code areas not officially in their chapter territory.

The Bird Town Pennsylvania network has provided important leadership in promoting the program to property owners in their respective municipalities. Each Bird Town receives a quarterly report of the number of properties that submit successful applications through the program. Outreach through social media, native plant sales, and other community outreach have served to promote participation in the program.

We have scheduled a special “First BHR Anniversary Webinar” for 7:00 PM on Tuesday, September 15, 2026. We will look back to highlight examples of events that have been employed by a few chapters and Bird Towns that have resulted in their successes with the program. It will also be an open forum to help look ahead to continue the growth of the program. We welcome representatives from our chapters and Bird Towns to register for this program.

PENNSYLVANIA AUDUBON COUNCIL

Board of Directors Reorganization Meeting Report

The Pennsylvania Audubon Council Board of Directors conducted their reorganization meeting on the evening of July 9th 2026. This was the first meeting under the umbrella of the new bylaws adopted last spring. The Directors were responsible for the election of the officers of the Council for a one-year term of service. This group of elected officers also constitutes the Executive Committee of the Council.

The Pennsylvania Audubon Council Officers:

President Leigh Altadonna, Liberty Bird Alliance

Vice-President, Sue Murawski, Presque Isle Audubon Society

Secretary, Zach Richard, Appalachian Audubon Society

Treasurer, Jim Bonner, Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania

The original bylaws established one-year terms for the Directors and required that the entire Board be elected each year. The new bylaws established a Board with Directors now serving terms of two years in duration. Going forward only half the Directors will be subject to election each year. To implement this change required the existing Board of Directors to determine the “Class” in which they are subject to reelection. Half the Directors are in the “Class of 2027” and subject to reelection for a two-year term next year. The other half of the Board are in the “Class of 2028” and subject to reelection for a two-year term in 2028. The two Classes of the Board were established at the Board Reorganization Meeting as follows:

Pennsylvania Audubon Council Board of Directors:

Class of 2027

Leigh Altadonna, Liberty Bird Alliance;

Laura Jackson, Juniata Valley Audubon Society

Jamie Miller, Presque Isle Audubon Society

Peter Saenger, Lehigh Valley Audubon Society

Class of 2028

Jim Bonner, Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania

Susan Murawski, Presque Isle Audubon Society

Zach Richard, Appalachian Audubon Society

Alice Thuru, Seneca Rocks Audubon Society

Bird Town Pennsylvania Liaison: Heidi Shiver, President, Bird Town Pennsylvania

Board Member Emeritus: Paul Burroughs, Presque Isle Audubon Society

The Board of Directors will continue to meet on a bimonthly schedule. The meeting also featured discussion on the need to grow the size of the Board and recruit additional Directors from chapters not currently represented on the Board. There also was discussion regarding the possible representation of a Liaison from an allied organization like the Pennsylvania Society of Ornithology.

The Pennsylvania Audubon Council is an independently incorporated coalition supported by the nineteen independently incorporated Audubon Chapters in the Commonwealth. The Council Officers and Directors are dedicated to the work to support and strengthen chapters and to serve as collective voice for our advocacy for birds and their conservation. The Council is served by individuals who are leaders in their respective chapters but still make time to help guide our Council on behalf of all chapters. We value the service of chapter leaders who are willing to share their time and talent to keep the Council a continuing source of support for this mission.

CHAPTER NETWORKING

There has been interest expressed for hosting opportunities for our chapters to engage in conversations centered on organizational issues that present challenges for many of our chapters. Topics that have been informally discussed include recruitment of board members, legal requirements associated with not-for-profit organizations, insurance coverage, chapter membership, chapter territory, and more. The Council has proposed that we work with the chapters to prioritize those issues with the broadest expressions of interest or concern and schedule a series of regular forums that focus on each organizational challenge.



We have launched a survey to solicit topics for our chapters to respond to that have been suggested thus far and suggest areas of concern that have not been listed. We invite any chapter Board member or leader to access the survey and take a few minutes to let us know which topics matter most to you and your chapter.

WHAT IS HAPPENING IN HARRISBURG?

Conservation Updates with Andy Loza!

7:00 PM on Thursday, September 24, 2026

Our next Conservation Update with Andy Loza, Executive Director of WeConservePA, is scheduled for Thursday, September 24, 2026. Andy anticipates limited action in the General Assembly as legislators are expected to spend as little time in Harrisburg as possible to deal only with the highest priorities. Neither chamber is scheduled to be back in Harrisburg before September 28th. We can expect to get a report on our priorities in the budget and an update on the status of some key items of environmental legislation that had been passed in the House and are awaiting action in the Senate. We are entering the final leg of the current legislative session, and we will look at what actions might be contemplated as the end of 2026 draws near.

Council News and Updates

Pennsylvania Audubon Council Advocacy and Conservation “Google Group”

The Pennsylvania Audubon Council Advocacy and Conservation Network “Google Group” was officially launched earlier this year! It is intended to serve as an important communication tool to reach key leaders and conservation or advocacy chairs to provide alerts on conservation issues and action. It is intended as an efficient way to send out information especially when the lead time for action is very short. We welcome each chapter and conservation partner to designate one or two individuals to participate in the Conservation Google Group as a representative. It is a key source of information and direction concerning our Conservation issues of Highest Priority. There has been recent activity related to the issue of “AI” Data Centers and the ongoing threats to birds, wildlife and habitat at the Federal level. If you have not yet participated, you can request to be added through the link below.

WHO’S WHO IN YOUR 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 leadership updates 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.