Pennsylvania Audubon Council
Policy and Position Statements for Our Priority Conservation Issues
7:00 PM, Monday, June 20, 2022
A special Council meeting is scheduled for 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM on Monday, June 20, 2022. This meeting is intended as the first conversation among our chapter leaders and Council representatives on how we would like to frame our “policies and positions” for each of the priorities of greatest conservation concern we collectively identified this past autumn. Please extend an invitation to the chairs of your conservation and advocacy committees to participate in this special meeting. This will be a facilitated conversation to elicit participants’ views on how each of our chapters can best support Council advocacy activities. The information learned will serve to guide how the Council can take the next steps necessary to engage and facilitate involvement.
This is the first of several zoom discussions in a sequence to be scheduled and lead to a fall Council meeting where we may formally adopt policy and position statements as a Council based on the process that fully engages the chapters. The goal will be to have an “advocacy playbook and plan” in place as we look to the next legislative sessions in Harrisburg and D.C. in January 2023.
Please preregister for this Pennsylvania Audubon Council Meeting!
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A Tribute to Walt Pomeroy,
Former National Audubon Society Vice-President
for the MidAtlantic Regional Office
Walt Pomeroy was a great friend of Audubon here in Pennsylvania as well as throughout the “old” Audubon MidAtlantic Region and all of Audubon. Walt passed away on the evening of May 24, 2022 with his family gathered at his bedside. He put up a courageous fight with a series of health issues over the last years of his life. He leaves us with an inspirational legacy for all of us associated with our Pennsylvania Audubon chapters and our Pennsylvania Audubon Council.
A wonderful tribute to Walt Pomeroy appeared in the Pennsylvania Environmental Digest Blog Spot on May 31st: https://bit.ly/3aadWFh. Walt was responsible for the establishment of many of our chapters here in Pennsylvania and the former MidAtlantic Region that included Delaware, New Jersey, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, D.C. and Pennsylvania. Walt established the Audubon Councils in each of these states and was integral to the work that led to the incorporation of the Audubon Council of Pennsylvania and the successful effort to establish the Pennsylvania Audubon state office with Cindy Dunn as the first Executive Director.
Walt was widely sought out by chapters to provide programs for their members over the years. His knowledge of John James Audubon and the history of the National Audubon Society were frequent program topics. Walt organized the many Pennsylvania Council Meetings that were held in different parts of the state each spring and fall. Walt also organized our Regional Conferences each “off year” when a National Audubon Convention was not scheduled. Walt organized one of the best National Conventions toward the end of his career with Audubon that drew over two thousand Auduboners from across the country. He served on the Board of the Friends of Hog Island that was founded just a few years ago when there were serious concerns that the National Audubon Society would dramatically change its relationship with the Camp.
He was integrally involved with Mill Grove. He was central in spearheading the celebration of John James Audubon’s 200th Birthday. He coordinated key partners that included Montgomery County, Valley Forge Audubon and Wyncote Audubon Societies. That celebration brought Audubon President Russ Peterson and noted ornithologist Roger Tory Peterson to Mill Grove. At his passing, Walt was a member of the John James Audubon Center Advisory Board. He was actively involved with the Advisory Board’s during the Capital Campaign during the planning and construction of the Center.
Most members active with our chapters and Council today did not know Walt. He built the foundation on which our work continues today. Walt Pomeroy was a strong source of support when the Pennsylvania Audubon Chapters formally incorporated the Audubon Council of Pennsylvania (ACP) in 1988. Walt provided office space and support for ACP that led to the hiring of Marci Mowery as the ACP Executive Director. Marci’s success contributed to the Council’s drive to have Audubon Pennsylvania established by the National Audubon Society with Cindy Dunn appointed as the first Executive Director. When the Audubon Pennsylvania office was disestablished and merged and renamed as “Audubon MidAtlantic,” Walt strongly encouraged the formal reestablishment of the Council as the “Pennsylvania Audubon Council.” Our Pennsylvania Audubon Council in 2022 is built on the solid foundation of the original Audubon Council of Pennsylvania that Walt established in 1988!
Those of us fortunate to know and work with Walt have memories and stories to share. Walt represented an Audubon and an era that was dedicated to supporting the network of Audubon chapters and Audubon Councils. He recognized that our collective grassroots efforts engaged our respective communities and galvanized our conservation work on behalf of birds and other wildlife! It is in that spirit that his legacy continues through our dedicated and never-ending efforts for conservation, education, and advocacy!
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Walt Pomeroy was a strong source of support when the Pennsylvania Audubon Chapters formally incorporated the Audubon Council of Pennsylvania in 1988. Pictured above are chapter representatives signing the original “Articles of Incorporation. “Pictured above left is John Jakoby of Greater Wyoming Valley Audubon and, above right, Marcia Bonta, Paula Ford, and Randy Harrison signing on behalf of Juniata Valley Audubon Society. Paula Ford was elected as the first President of the Council. Walt continued his support of the original Council and strongly encouraged the reestablishment of the Pennsylvania Audubon Council, built on the foundation of the original Council! |
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ELECTION OF COUNCIL OFFICERS AND REPRESENTATIVES
TO THE PENNSYLVANIA AUDUBON COUNCIL EXECUTIVE BOARD
Cast Your Chapter’s Ballot!
The Pennsylvania Audubon Council is conducting the election of Officers. All terms are for one year that starts July 1, 2022 and ends June 30, 2023. The Council Nominating Committee includes Ali Bowling, President of Appalachian Audubon Society; John Carter, President of Juniata Valley Audubon Society; and Sean Minnick, Treasurer of Tiadaughton Audubon. The current Pennsylvania Audubon Council Officers were elected in 2021 and are eligible to serve for another term if elected. The Nominating Committee received no additional names for nomination. The Nominating Committee recommends the following slate of Officers for election: President: Leigh Altadonna currently serves as the Council President and is President of Wyncote Audubon Society; Vice-President: Paul Burroughs currently serves as Vice-President of the Council and is Vice-President of Presque Isle Audubon; Secretary: Heidi Shiver currently serves as the Council Secretary, is President of Bird Town Pennsylvania and past president of the Bucks County Audubon Society; Treasurer: Jim Bonner is the current Council Treasurer and is the Executor Director of Audubon Society of Western PA
In addition to the slate of Officers, we are electing three representatives to the Council to serve with the four officers on the Pennsylvania Audubon Council Executive Board. All three nominees are incumbents and eligible to serve for another one-year term if elected. The Nominees for the Pennsylvania Audubon Council Executive Board are: Laura Jackson, Vice President of Juniata Valley Audubon Society; Susan Murawski, President of Presque Isle Audubon Society; and Peter Saenger, President of Lehigh Valley Audubon Society.
In accordance with our bylaws, each Pennsylvania Audubon Chapter is eligible to cast one official ballot on behalf of their chapter. The Chapter’s vote will be for the entire slate as a whole and not for individual positions. Each Pennsylvania Audubon chapter is invited to cast a ballot for the slate of officers that have been presented by the Nominating Committee.
If you need any information about the nominees or the election procedures, please contact the Pennsylvania Audubon Council at paauduboncouncil@gmail.com.
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Please submit your chapter ballot by Wednesday June 22, 2022 |
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Bird Town Pennsylvania Update
As was noted in the May edition of the DRUMMER, Bird Town Pennsylvania is now established as a “Limited Liability Corporation” (LLC) under the corporate “umbrella” of the Pennsylvania Audubon Council. Bird Town Pennsylvania is now operating under an independent set of by-laws and no longer an independent “working group.” They have elected their officers and board members who were reported and acknowledged by the Executive Board of the Council on May 26, 2022.
The Bird Town Pennsylvania Officers and Board are:
Heidi Shiver, President; Phil Witmer, Vice-President; Janet Krevenas, Secretary; and Steve Saffier, Treasurer. Other Board members are Tom Price, Director, and Leigh Altadonna who is the “Liaison” to the Council.
In addition, Bird Town Pennsylvania partnered with WeConservePA and the National Audubon Society to present last week’s workshop, Advocating for Bird-Friendly Proclamations, Resolutions, and Ordinances. WeConservePA was proud to partner with Bird Town Pennsylvania and Audubon’s Bird-Friendly Communities team on this event, and we are very grateful to our guests speakers and panelists who joined us to share their expertise and experiences with advancing PROs in their communities! Audubon Bird Friendly Communities staff, Dr. John Rowden and Connie Sanchez, who were featured presenters in the workshop. Participants in the workshop included several of our Audubon chapter leaders in Pennsylvania as well as municipal representatives. There were also representatives from several Bird Towns and Environmental Advisory Councils. WeConservePA has made a variety of resources available to any of our chapter leaders who were not able to participate in the workshop. The materials include:
Last week’s workshop spotlighted proclamations and resolutions. Another workshop that will take a deeper dive into municipal ordinances will be planned for the coming year.
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