National Audubon Society

July 2022 Newsletter | Landscape Resilience

Greater Sage-Grouse in displaying at sunrise.

Infrastructure Funding Could Bring Hope to North America’s Largest Ecosystem

As we move into the dry summer months, the threat of fire looms over the sagebrush steppe ecosystem and the 350 species of conservation concern that depend on it. Luckily, the 2021 passage of the bipartisan funding bill, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, offers real hope for addressing the health and resilience of sagebrush country and wildlife, including the imperiled Greater Sage-Grouse.Read more

Greater Sage-Grouse. Photo: Evan Barrientos/Audubon Rockies

A hunter walks in the sagebrush steppe with a rifle.

Western Roots at Risk

Cheatgrass, an invasive grass, is spreading across the West, degrading wildlife habitat and causing destructive fires. In this short film by Audubon Rockies, two ranchers, a hunter, and an Eastern Shoshone Tribe member explain what's at stake if Western states don't act now to stop the spread and restore the resilience of sagebrush country.

Watch the video

Hunter in the sagebrush steppe. Photo: Evan Barrientos/Audubon Rockies

A Yellow-breasted Chat perched on a chokecherry tree.

A Confluence of Funding for Water, Watersheds, and Capacity

Enjoy some good news coming out of the 2022 Colorado legislative session! Four newly passed Colorado bills provide millions of dollars to projects that increase the state's resilience to drought and wildfire. Funding for water projects, watershed resilience, and capacity are through lines for these wins that you helped us secure.

Learn more

Yellow-breasted Chat on chokecherry. Photo: Evan Barrientos/Audubon Rockies

A stream runs through a montane wetland.

Supporting Colorado’s River Restoration

Colorado's rivers benefit everyone, from birds and other wildlife to rafters and ranchers. But to be resilient and provide people and wildlife with clean water, rivers need sufficient water and healthy plant communities. In the face of invasive species, increasing water demand, and climate change, our rivers need bold commitment from all of us to restore and steward them. Learn how we and our partners are helping.

Watch the video

Moraine Park, Rocky Mountain National Park. Photo: Evan Barrientos/Audubon Rockies

Beavers Offer Help for Western Waters

Did you know that when beavers dam streams, they create entire wetland ecosystems? These wetlands are more crucial for birds, wildlife, and people downstream than you may realize. As climate change reshapes watersheds, beaver wetlands can support their resilience in interesting and surprising ways.

Read more

River otter on a beaver dam. Photo: Evan Barrientos/Audubon Rockies

Audubon and The Nature Conservancy to Lead Great Salt Lake Water Trust

Utah Forestry, Fire & State Lands awarded Audubon and The Nature Conservancy an unprecedented $40 million grant to implement a water trust to provide more water to Great Salt Lake and its wetlands. Experts agree that ensuring long-term water flows is the single most important strategy to make the ecosystem more resilient and prevent further drying of the lake. This grant will help us do exactly that.

Learn more

Willet . Photo: Peter Brannon/Audubon Photography Awards

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