October 2024

THE PENNSYLVANIA AUDUBON COUNCIL

CHAPTER GATHERINGS

A Report on the Success of the Western Chapter Gathering!

The Pennsylvania Audubon Council Western Chapter Gathering took place on Saturday, October 5, 2024. The Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania served as the host chapter for this gathering at the Beechwood Farms Nature Reserve in Pittsburgh. This was the first of three-chapter gatherings scheduled for this fall. Representatives from four of the five western Pennsylvania Audubon chapters participated in the gathering. This included Allegheny Plateau Audubon Society, Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania, Presque Isle Audubon Society, and Seneca Rocks Audubon Society. Additional participants included Heidi Shiver, President of Bird Town Pennsylvania, and Leigh Altadonna, Council President and President Emeritus of the Liberty Bird Alliance, formerly known as the Wyncote Audubon Society.

The gathering was broadly interactive with chapter leaders sharing ideas and thoughts around a range of topics that included shared challenges and solutions around organizational challenges related to attracting new members, diversity, recruiting chapter leadership, conducting successful and effective programs and activities, and much more. Each chapter also spotlighted some of their most successful events and projects.

 “It was an informative and uplifting day. Thank you for all of your careful planning and work to organize the day. It was very worthwhile for us. And especially nice to meet … in person!” Alice Thurau, President of Seneca Rocks Audubon Society

There were extended conversations around Bird Habitat Recognition. A focus on advocacy with suggestions for support through the Council, Audubon MidAtlantic, National Audubon, and other conservation partners were part of the discussion. A look ahead to the process to review and expand our “conservation issues of highest priority” in advance of the new legislative session in the General Assembly and Congress was foreshadowed.

We are looking forward to the next scheduled chapter gatherings. Consider having two, three or more representatives register for the Harrisburg or Muhlenberg College events. Any of your chapter leaders interested in advocacy and Bird Habitat Recognition are encouraged to attend as well as any officer!

REGISTER HERE:

Saturday, October 19, 2024, Fort Hunter, Harrisburg

Central: https://aswp.app.neoncrm.com/np/clients/aswp/event.jsp?event=492820&

Saturday, November 2, 2024, Muhlenberg College, Allentown

Eastern: https://aswp.app.neoncrm.com/np/clients/aswp/event.jsp?event=492815&

SUSQUEHANNA RIVERLANDS

BIRD CONSERVATION SUMMIT

The Pennsylvania Audubon Council is pleased to report that the grant we cosponsored with Franklin and Marshall College for the Susquehanna Riverlands Bird Conservation Summit has been awarded! We are pleased to work with Dan Arida, Charles A. Dana Professor of Biology, Associate Dean of the Faculty at Franklin & Marshall College, who was the lead author on this grant application with support from Peter Saenger, Muhlenberg College, and Jeffrey Stratford, Wilkes University, the members of Council’s Bird Friendly Building Committee.

The participation of our chapters in support for the grant was an important factor in this project being funded and moving forward. We received critical support from our chapter network that lent their names to endorse this grant application. Special thanks are due to Zach Richard, Appalachian Audubon Society; Michael Celec, Bucks County Audubon Society; Valerie Barnes, Conococheague Audubon Society; Bonnie Yuscavage, Greater Wyoming Valley Audubon Society; Michael Kensinger, Juniata Valley Audubon Society; Peter Saenger, Lehigh Valley Audubon Society; Bruce Buckle, Lycoming Audubon Society; Jim Fiorentino, Quittapahilla Audubon Society; Bill Tyler, Seven Mountains Audubon Society; Liz Kreger, Tiadaughton Audubon Society; Nilesh Shah, Wyncote Audubon Society; and David Arrow, York Audubon Society for signing on to the Council letter of support with very short notice! You helped to make a difference! Nearly all of these chapters are located in the Susquehanna River watershed and have the opportunity to participate in the Bird Summit!

Dan Arida will be joining us at the Pennsylvania Audubon Council Chapter Gathering at Fort Hunter on Saturday, October 19th. Dan will provide more background and information about the Bird Summit and look for the thoughts and ideas of the chapter leaders as we look ahead to 2025 when the Summit will take place.

We look forward to your ideas for the Susquehanna Riverlands Bird Conservation Summit at the upcoming Chapter Gathering in Harrisburg.

Working With WeConservePA:

Brad Barkdoll, the Advocacy Manager

The Pennsylvania Audubon Council and Bird Town Pennsylvania have appreciated opportunities in the past to work with WeConservePA. We have enjoyed the support of Carol Grayshaw, Director of Education for WeConservePA, to cosponsor workshops and webinars. Together we have focused on topics of mutual interest for Bird Town leaders and the Council Conservation Issues of Highest Priority. Our work on guidelines related to utility scale solar developed by our Council’s Renewable Energy Committee is just one such example. We also were represented on a panel that addressed the effects of light on migrating birds and efforts to support “lights out” legislation with the Pennsylvania Dark Skies Association.

The Council has recently begun important work with Brad Barkdoll, the Advocacy Manager for WeConservePA. We look to further engagement with Brad for his support and guidance as we pursue our priority conservation issues as we head into the next legislative session in the General Assembly. Brad is a presence in the state capital when our state representatives and state senate is in session. A recent example is his counsel as we issued our most recent “Conservation Alert” in support of Community Solar Legislation, HB 1842 in an effort to get it considered before the current legislative session comes to an end. 

Brad will provide us with his counsel and updates on legislation related to our priority issues. He will help us to track the status of legislation in the Pennsylvania General Assembly related to our Issues. Brad will be one of our points of contact when information is needed for one or more of our issues. We will ask Brad to provide periodic updates on our priority issues in regularly scheduled zoom webinars with interested chapter leaders, conservation/advocacy chairs.Brad Barkdoll is scheduled to join us at Fort Hunter at the Central Pennsylvania Chapter Gathering!

BIRD TOWN PENNSYLVANIA DOUBLES IN JUST OVER TWO YEARS!

In 2022, the Pennsylvania Audubon Council took on the Bird Town Pennsylvania program and established an LLC under the leadership of Heidi Shiver, former President of the Bucks County Audubon Society. At that time there were 34 existing Bird Towns still holding on, some more than others, despite the lack of leadership and support for a number of years. The Bird Town Pennsylvania Board program flourished under Heidi’s leadership and extraordinary support from the Bird Town Board. They worked diligently to reinvigorate and expand the program by creating numerous touch points and support for the Bird Town Leaders including two “eNewsletter,” a private Facebook Page, a resource rich Google Share Drive and Website, up-to-date Contact Lists, numerous virtual educational workshops/presentations and more.

The enthusiasm and impactful work of our amazing Bird Town Leaders has had a positive ripple effect throughout a range of communities and counties throughout the state. As a result, the Bird Town Pennsylvania program has doubled in just over two years with now over 70, and counting, Bird Towns! There continues to be additional interest as new municipalities apply to the program throughout the state with more than 25 additional applications currently underway.

This growth has also been made possible by the outstanding support and leadership of the PA Audubon Council and many of the Audubon chapters, especially the extra help and support from Appalachian Audubon, the Audubon, of Western Pennsylvania, Valley Forge Audubon, and Wyncote Audubon Societies as they encourage communities within their chapter territories to take the steps to join the Bird Town Pennsylvania network. We are pleased that additional chapters have been at work to expand the Bird Town network to include even more municipalities in the counties they serve!

THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR INSPIRING WORK,

TIME, AND LEADERSHIP IN SUPPORTING

BIRDS AND WILDLIFE!

CHECK OUT OUR UPDATED WEBSITE!

paauduboncouncil.org

The Pennsylvania Audubon Council website was originally created by Marsha Pearson, the Principal of “Market Your Socks Off.” Marsha announced her retirement and the Council Executive Committee began a search to find a new firm to help us update and host a new website. Susan Murawski, President of Presque Isle Audubon, and Heidi Shiver, President of Bird Town Pennsylvania, led the search for a new firm to help us with our website. That has led us to “Function and Flow” led by John and Kelly McGinley. New features and functionality have been added to the website as work continues. The website was previewed at the Western Chapter Gathering. Some valuable feedback and suggestions were received. There will be plans to preview the website at the next chapter gatherings as well.

The new website will be launched next week in advance of the October 19th and November 2nd Chapter Gatherings. We encourage suggestions from our chapter leaders for improvements to the website. We want to make it useful and relevant for the work of the Council and the Chapter Network.