National Audubon Society

Monthly Newsletter June 2023

Hatcher Park event on Earth Day

Audubon and Partners Launch Community-driven Climate Projects in the Calumet Region

What does the industrial city of Gary, Indiana share in common with the rural lowland communities of coastal North Carolina and South Carolina? The answer: flooding, degraded wetlands, and a history of underfunding and other inequitable policies. And, as it turns out, secretive marsh birds like Least Bittern. Audubon is proud to launch a new suite of climate resilience planning projects in partnership with coastal communities in Indiana, North Carolina, and South Carolina.

Supported by grants from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Audubon Great Lakes and our community partners will work together to envision what’s needed to reduce flooding and improve quality of life, while also restoring and protecting the places birds need in the Calumet region and will provide an opportunity to conduct a community-driven planning effort and restore degraded wetland habitat along the West Branch of the Little Calumet River in Gary, Indiana.

The Indiana project officially kicked off on Earth Day with a celebration at Hatcher Park and Marshalltown Marsh, together comprising 300 acres of degraded wetlands and park space. Indiana State Rep. Ragen Hatcher joined the celebration at the park, named after her father, Gary Mayor Richard G. Hatcher, along with community members and partners. This summer, the community will have opportunities to get involved in the project at a community restoration day on July 22 at Hatcher Park. You can read more about the project in the Chicago Crusader and watch a video about the project.Learn more

Hatcher Park Restoration Kick off Event on Earth Day

Aud_APA-2022_Scarlet-Tanager_A1_22259-1_Photo-Jacob-Woulf.jpg

The Migratory Birds of the Americas Conservation Enhancements Act Benefits More Than 350 Bird Species

The bipartisan Migratory Birds of the Americas Conservation Enhancements Act was introduced today and will help build partnerships across the Western Hemisphere to protect birds wherever they fly. We thank Rep. David Joyce (R-OH) for cosponsoring this cost-effective legislation that will help increase investments in on-the-ground habitat protection, restoration, education, and research for more than 350 species of neotropical birds.

Scarlet Tanager. Photo: Jacob Woulf

Boat tour of upper mississippi

Audubon Takes Wisconsin Policy Makers on Tour of Upper Mississippi

Earlier this month, Audubon and the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators (NCEL) took a cohort of Wisconsin and Minnesota legislators and staff on a boat tour to learn about critical habitat and floodplain forest loss along the Upper Mississippi River. In all, nine lawmakers and two congressional staff came along for the ride. Brian Vigue, Freshwater Policy Director at Audubon Great Lakes joined others to facilitate an educational experience for attendees to learn about the opportunities and challenges of the Mississippi River’s floodplain forests, the birds and other wildlife that depends on them, and the importance of natural infrastructure and nature-based solutions on the river and in the watershed.

Wisconsin and Minnesota legislators and Audubon staff tour the floodplain forests of the Upper Mississippi River, May 2023. Photo: Lianne Milton

Black tern on post

Audubon and Michigan State University Fight to Conserve a Disappearing Bird Species

Between 1966 and 2019, the population of Black Terns across North America dropped by more than 2% every year, according to estimates from the North American Breeding Bird Survey. When looking at populations in Michigan, the drop is more than 7% annually.

New research that was published from National Audubon Society and Michigan State University in the journal Biological Conservation reveals that new opportunities to enhance the outlook for Black Terns by strategically expanding conservation and land management practices that can be used by landowners and agencies such as the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

“Fortunately, Audubon’s network of members and centers allows us to have an expansive conservation reach,” said Sarah Saunders, co-author of the study and senior manager of quantitative science at the National Audubon Society. “Thanks to this work, now we know where to target efforts to help recover this species more effectively.” You can learn more about this new research in the MLIVE story here.

Black Terns. Credit: David Fuller

Black-crowned Night Heron. Photo: Fang-Fang

Off the Beaten Path: Birding at Michigan’s Wetland Wonders

Discover your next favorite birding hotspot!  These special off-the-beaten path places aren't frequently visited by bird watchers, despite being open to the public and offering a wide range of recreational opportunities. Learn what makes these areas important for birds and people, where they are located, and what birds you can expect to find, so you can start planning your visit to a Wetland Wonder this spring. Learn more about Michigan’s Wetland Wonders in a webinar from MI Birds, a program of Audubon Great Lakes and Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

Black-crowned Night Heron. Photo: Fang-Fang

arolyn Finney, author of “Black Faces, White Spaces,” hosted a talk with community members and guests at the Nature Center.

Juneteenth Summer Celebration with Carolyn Finney, Author of “Black Faces, White Spaces,”

A Juneteenth Summer Celebration took place at Grange Insurance Audubon Center in Columbus Ohio. During the summer celebration, Carolyn Finney, author of “Black Faces, White Spaces,” hosted a talk with community members and guests at the Nature Center. Finney's book reimagines the relationship between African Americans and the great outdoors and during her discussion she revealed the perceived and real ways in which nature and the environment are racialized in America.

Carolyn Finney, author of “Black Faces, White Spaces,” hosted a talk with community members and guests at the Nature Center.

Baltimore Oriole

2023 Audubon Photography Award Winners and Top 100

Birds spend their waking hours seeking to survive, thrive, and care for their families. From behind their lenses, the creators of the photos and videos from the Audubon Photography Awards capture those meaningful moments—take a look at this year's winners!

We had more than 2,200 individuals from across the United States and Canada submit almost 9,000 photographs and videos. But as always, with so many amazing submissions, we couldn't stop there. So here are 100 more of our favorite photos for your enjoyment – and some photos are from the Great Lakes region: 2023 Audubon Photography Awards Top 100.

Visit our Nature Centers

Grange Insurance Audubon Center

Grange Insurance Audubon Center

There are still openings for July summer camp sessions (July 10-14 and July 17-21) at Grange Insurance Audubon Center in Columbus OH. June campers spent time at the Center doing various immersive activities in nature and the classroom including a craft day with our exhibiting artists and meeting ambassador animals from Ohio Wildlife Center. Register today! Register

Grange Insurance Audubon Center

Aullwood Farm

Summer Camps at Aullwood Farm and Nature Center in Dayton

Summer Earth Adventures (SEA) 2023 is a daycamp at Aullwood Audubon Center and Farm in Dayton, OH, which offers exciting hands-on learning that allows children to explore the world of nature and sustainable farming. Through outdoor adventures, children develop awareness and care for the Earth. Weekly camps will be offered July 10 – August 11. Check out our website for information on all the sessions! Register

Aullwood Farm and Nature Center

birds and brews

Save the Date! Birds & Brews in Green Bay

Mark your calendar for Audubon Great Lakes' Birds & Brews in Green Bay at Paradise North Distillery, an exciting event that will bring together people like YOU who love birds and want to help build a better world for them – all while enjoying a complimentary drink on us!

WHEN: Thursday, August 10th from 5pm-7pm CST
WHERE: Paradise North Distillery (101 Bay Beach Rd Suite 5, Green Bay, WI 54302)
COST: Free with RSVP (RSVP includes a complimentary drink* and light appetizers).  

It's going to take all of us coming together to protect Wisconsin birds if we don't take steps to address rising global temperatures. Hear from a panel of experts who will discuss climate policy solutions while getting to know fellow birders and Audubon members who are working to protect birds and people in Wisconsin.

RSVP

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