NEWS FROM THE AUDUBON NETWORK
Achievements, issues and announcements from throughout the Audubon network
Audubon Featured in New iGoogle Nature "Themes"
Art and wildlife lovers can now customize now add their web homepage with John James Audubon artwork to their websites, thanks to Audubon's participation in a new iGoogle project. The initiative provides iGoogle users with a diverse selection of artwork and images to express their personal style. Click here and select Birds of Prey, Backyard Birds, or Songbirds. It is a great way to celebrate your love for nature - and to remind yourself of its beauty, even while you're inside!
Primetime Viewing for the Puffin Cam!
Project Puffin's 'Puffin Cam' is now beaming live-streaming video and sounds from Seal Island National Wildlife Refuge, eighteen miles off the coast of Rockland, Maine. The National Audubon Society started Project Puffin 36 years ago; new web technology means that people all around the globe can "visit" these charismatic seabirds. The Puffin Cam operates from 6AM to 9PM EDT daily. The best times to view are mornings and early afternoons, and again just before dark.
Read "A Passion for Puffins" to learn more about one of this year's Project Puffin interns.
REI Foundation Grants Help Audubon Centers Grow Diversity
Audubon Centers at Debs Park in East Los Angeles and Seward Park in Seattle, plus the new Nina Mason Pulliam Rio Salado Audubon Center in Phoenix, will receive support to reach out to Latino communities. The initiative is part of Audubon's nationwide drive to engage culturally diverse communities and open new eyes to nature, especially in urban areas. Learn more.
Answer Audubon's $1,000,000 Challenge
A group of generous Audubon friends have created a special $1,000,000 Challenge Fund. For a limited time, these donors will match every gift in response to this challenge, dollar for dollar, up to $1,000,000! Email your friends, write about this opportunity on your Facebook page, add the banner above to your web page. All gifts will be doubled.
AUDUBON IN THE NEWS
The following are highlights of Audubon's recent news coverage - coast to coast.
Audubon NYC Headquarters Wins More Awards for Sustainable Design
In addition, on June 24, Audubon will be awarded top honors for the Lester Dundes Design Award. Learn more.
AUDUBON EDUCATION AND CENTERS
Scientific American Features Audubon Centers & Outreach
Be sure to watch the compelling Slide Show accompanying this story, also picked up by The Huffington Post.
Audubon Camps promoted in "Mama Bites"
Nina Mason Pulliam Rio Salado Audubon Center in Phoenix Wins Prize: "a model for environmental restoration and sets a standard for urban sustainability, benefiting both humans and wildlife while serving as a catalyst for community revitalization."
Native plant garden at Mitchell Lake Audubon Center
TOGETHERGREEN
TogetherGreen held a BioBash event at a Waynesboro, PA school to celebrate students' raising $1,915 for Pennies for the Planet-the most of any classroom nationwide! Watch TV segment.
The Los Angeles Times covered LA Audubon's May 23 Volunteer Day, where Dorsey High School students worked to restore habitat in a Culver City park for Cactus Wren.
TogetherGreenFellow Heath Keirstead was recognized for her work in training volunteers to be invasive weed spotters in Benton County, OR! Learn about Heath's project here.
The Pine Jog Environmental Center held workshops and children's activities designed to promote green living near West Palm Beach , FL through their Innovation Grant.
The Greater Ozarks Audubon Society held a Green Fest full of energy saving demonstrations in Springfield, MO. See news clip.2
The Community Passport is highlighted on the blog Green Mom Central as a great way to make "staycations" more fun! Learn more.
AUDUBON AT HOME
Grit Magazine: Audubon urges Americans to fight habitat loss with gardens.
AUDUBON POLICIES & ISSUES
Audubon Joins other Conservation Organizations to Urge Pelosi to Toughen Energy Bill
Joint Declaration for Halting Oil Sands Development
Andrew Kasner, director of bird conservation for Audubon Texas, in Sacramento Bee report on Wind Turbines employing radar.
TBO.com article
Charles Lee, director of advocacy for Audubon, calls water bill a "stinker."
IMPORTANT BIRD AREAS
Nature takes control at Chicago's only sand dune, an IBA.
Piney Grove Preserve in VA prioritized as a Global IBA for Red-cockaded Woodpecker. Mary Elfner, Virginia IBA Coordinator quoted in article.
Audubon Ohio, partnering with Franklin County Metro Parks Audubon Ohio, has worked to eradicate invasive plants species in the Scioto Audubon Metro Park, part of an Ohio IBA.
Fort Edward NY Grasslands IBA threatened by development - A proposed high-density housing development threatens open space vital to species including Northern Harrier and Short-eared Owl.
Red Clay Creek and Delaware IBAs highlighted for Wood Thrush. John Cecil, IBA Director, and Greg Butcher, Director of Bird Conservation, quoted. See video on this IBA.
Canada IBAs receive a million dollars for bird conservation.
AUDUBON MAGAZINE
Wildlife Photographer Joel Sartore interviewed about Audubon magazine Photo Awards for Fox News, CBS, KGET and others.
May-June issue of Audubon magazine names Mississippi best for birding.
AUDUBON STATE PROGRAMS AND CHAPTERS
Audubon AK
Media coverage on Pat Pourchot announcement included the Anchorage Daily News.
NPR Radio
KTUU: Television
Audubon AR
Sen. Blanche Lincoln received a print of a Traill's flycatcher by John James Audubon at a Friends and Partners luncheon May 29 hosted by Audubon Arkansas in the Governor's Mansion. Senator Lincoln serves as one of only two Senators appointed to the Migratory Bird Conservation Commission which establishes new waterfowl refuges and expands existing refuges.
Ken Smith, director of Audubon Arkansas, signs a wind turbine blade at the Dunbar Community Center.
Audubon AZ
Sam Campana, Executive Director of Audubon Arizona, Profiled.
Audubon and the City of Tucson help fund restoration project.
Audubon CA
Lights Out San Francisco.
San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge profiled.
Cactus Wren Gets another chance in Culver City per LA Times.
Audubon FL
A visit to Corkscrew Sanctuary.
Audubon hits local beaches to educate beachgoers about nesting seabirds.
John Ogden co-authors Palm Beach Post Op Ed on Preserving the Everglades.
Audubon NC
More access for off-road vehicles in Cape Hatteras National Seashore.
Audubon NY
Study of prairie warbler in Albany nature preserve; Audubon NY quoted at the end.
Audubon OR
Bob Sallinger, conservation director of Audubon Society of Portland, on birdseed tax.
Sallinger On cats vs. birds in the New York Times column by Andy Revkin.
Audubon TX
Bob Benson, executive director of Audubon Texas, battles border fence at Sabal Palm.
Texas Columnist Editorial on Border Fence
Audubon WA
The Great Washington State Birding Trail's Sun and Sage Loop.
BIRDS & BIRDING
Dr. Greg Butcher quoted in Providence Journal editorial on Bald eagles.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: How Team bird watching can Take Flight.
AP story mentions Dr. Steve Kress as resource for building birdhouses.
Nevada Appeal article
APP.com article
Citizen Scientist story: The Heart of Naturalist.
CBC data contributes to new study on birds & climate change.
Dr. Dan Scheiman, bird conservation director of Audubon Arkansas, on the Purple Gallinule.
Birds Thrive in Washington state suburbs.
Birder Highway To Be Dedicated.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Leah Flores, a student who had visited Portland Audubon with her Urban Ecology class, found an online contest by The North Face to win donation money to an organization that helps the environment. She entered Portland Audubon, which was in the top 25 and has now moved to the second round of voting for the grand prize - a potential $15,000. Please vote and win this free support for Portland Audubon, currently ranked 2nd! You don't have to sign up for anything - click a green button here.
Summer arrives June 21, this Sunday, shortly after midnight, at 12:45 in the morning. Send your summer birding events for our online national calendar. Fill out this short form so we can help encourage more people to flock to your events.
Please continue to send your announcements and news stories, including web links, to Delta Willis dwillis@audubon.org. The next edition of Newswire will be July 15.
