Audublog http://www.audublog.org conservation news and notes from Audubon California Thu, 29 Jul 2010 17:43:38 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 Audubon taps noted conservation and communications leader as new president http://www.audublog.org/?p=4195 http://www.audublog.org/?p=4195#comments Thu, 29 Jul 2010 17:43:38 +0000 gfrost http://www.audublog.org/?p=4195 The National Audubon Society today announced that David Yarnold has been named its new President and Chief Executive Officer, giving new momentum to efforts to connect people with nature and their power to protect it.  A passionate conservationist, Yarnold currently serves as Executive Director of Environmental Defense Fund and President of Environmental Defense Action Fund. Prior to that, he was a Pulitzer Prize-winning editor at the San Jose Mercury News.

“David brings proven leadership in the for-profit and non-profit sectors to Audubon at a time when efforts to protect birds, habitats and the resources that sustain us are needed more than ever;” said Holt Thrasher, Audubon’s Board Chair. “His leadership ability, his passion for conservation and grassroots action, his communications skills and his organizational expertise all make him the perfect fit for the Audubon of 2010 and beyond.”

“David is a boundary-crosser, the kind of flexible thinker and values-based executive that a complex conservation and fundraising landscape demands right now,” Thrasher said.  “He shares Audubon’s traditional passion for birds and its visionary understanding that helping people to protect them will safeguard our own future as well.  I have no doubt that David will lead Audubon in expanding its reach to new audiences and elevating its conservation successes to new heights.”

Yarnold has been at EDF since April 2005, where he is responsible for all operations, from programs, to development and marketing/communications. He helped expand EDF’s innovative corporate partnerships work, focused on EDF’s international programs, particularly in China, and helped the organization grow from $52M to $117M in revenue. He is also President of the organization’s Action Fund, its political action arm.
 
“Audubon’s mission has never been more relevant. From the grassroots to state houses to national and regional policy, its wingspan is unparalleled,” Yarnold said. “I’m excited by the opportunity to work with a nationwide network of Audubon Chapters and Audubon Centers that combine local concern, knowledge and action to equal conservation that makes a difference on a grand scale.  It will be an honor to lead an organization whose name has meant ‘trust’ and ‘conservation achievement’ for more than a hundred years.”

Yarnold’s San Jose Mercury News was consistently ranked as one of America’s 10 Best Newspapers. His paper was called, “America’s Boldest Newspaper” by a panel of international judges. During his time in San Jose, the Mercury News was widely recognized for its commitment to diversity and for its in-depth coverage of technology. He was also one of three Pulitzer Prize finalists for editorial writing in 2005.

“For me, going to Audubon is like going home. Community-based education and action that breeds broader changes has always been engaging and rewarding for me and those are the things Audubon does best,” Yarnold said.

He will assume the Presidency of Audubon on Sept 1.

]]> http://www.audublog.org/?feed=rss2&p=4195 0 AP: Gulf spill lacks societal punch of 1969 Santa Barbara spill http://www.audublog.org/?p=4192 http://www.audublog.org/?p=4192#comments Thu, 29 Jul 2010 13:27:52 +0000 gfrost http://www.audublog.org/?p=4192 Interesting story from the Associated Press this morning about how even though the Gulf Oil spill has done far more ecological damage, the 1969 Santa Barbara spill prompted much more societal change — even going so far as to inspire the first Earth Day. Of course, the author notes, the Gulf spill is still relatively young.

]]> http://www.audublog.org/?feed=rss2&p=4192 0 California Republicans shunning one traditional path to victory: the environment http://www.audublog.org/?p=4189 http://www.audublog.org/?p=4189#comments Thu, 29 Jul 2010 13:21:03 +0000 gfrost http://www.audublog.org/?p=4189 Interesting article in the Los Angeles Times this morning about how Republican candidates for statewide office in California are not making the environment a major part of their campaigns – something nearly every successful Republican candidate in California has done.

]]> http://www.audublog.org/?feed=rss2&p=4189 0 Support for state climate change law holding strong and steady http://www.audublog.org/?p=4186 http://www.audublog.org/?p=4186#comments Thu, 29 Jul 2010 04:54:53 +0000 gfrost http://www.audublog.org/?p=4186 Despite a well-funded ballot initiative launched by out-of-state oil companies to strike down California’s landmark climate change law, public support for the law is holding strong and steady, according to a new poll from the Public Policy Institute of California. Audubon California is a strong supporter of Assembly Bill 32.

]]> http://www.audublog.org/?feed=rss2&p=4186 0 Audubon California part of innovative partnership aimed at helping state’s migratory birds http://www.audublog.org/?p=4183 http://www.audublog.org/?p=4183#comments Wed, 28 Jul 2010 22:37:45 +0000 gfrost http://www.audublog.org/?p=4183

Audubon California has joined with The Nature Conservancy and PRBO Conservation Science on a landmark project to help migratory birds in California. While you’ll be hearing a great deal more about this project in the coming months, our website has a good overview of the work we’re doing. (photo by Alison Sheehey)

]]> http://www.audublog.org/?feed=rss2&p=4183 0 Audubon joins other environmental groups in laying out strategy for Gulf cleanup http://www.audublog.org/?p=4179 http://www.audublog.org/?p=4179#comments Wed, 28 Jul 2010 17:03:42 +0000 gfrost http://www.audublog.org/?p=4179 The National Audubon Society, with the Environmental Defense Fund and the National Wildlife Federation, has issued a report that outlines the necessary steps to restore and rebuild an ecosystem that even before the recent catastrophic oil spill, has lost more than 2,300 square miles of wetlands—an area larger than the state of Delaware—since the 1930s. Here’s the press release, and here’s the plan itself.

From the report:

“The loss of coastal wetlands to oil contamination may speed up today’s alarming land loss, leaving an already weakened ecosystem even more vulnerable to storms and other man-made assaults … 

“Without restoration, every disaster will sow the seeds of a more devastating disaster down the line, and the region will continue on a path to eventual destruction. These actions will make the entire area more resilient, protecting the people who live there, the industries critical to our national economy, and the wildlife that call the area home.”

]]> http://www.audublog.org/?feed=rss2&p=4179 0 Editorial: Prop 21 is only solution for California State Parks http://www.audublog.org/?p=4177 http://www.audublog.org/?p=4177#comments Wed, 28 Jul 2010 16:33:21 +0000 gfrost http://www.audublog.org/?p=4177

The Santa Cruz Sentinel today editorializes that budget cuts to California State Parks have left the system in extremely poor shape. Maintenance is down, hours have been cut, and crime and vandalism is on the rise. The paper takes the position that the only way to save this wondrous resource is the California State Parks Intiative (Proposition 21 on the November ballot).

]]> http://www.audublog.org/?feed=rss2&p=4177 0 Spreading the word about new ocean parks http://www.audublog.org/?p=4175 http://www.audublog.org/?p=4175#comments Tue, 27 Jul 2010 22:51:38 +0000 gfrost http://www.audublog.org/?p=4175 Now that the new Marine Protected Areas have been established for California’s North Central Coast, Samantha Murray and Josh Churchman are driving up and down the region letting people know how important it is for us to make this new designation work. Audubon California is very much in support of the new Marine Protected Areas, that were created as part of the state Marine Life Protection Act. This is one of the very best ways that we can protect California seabirds that rely on these important breeding and foraging areas to survive.

]]> http://www.audublog.org/?feed=rss2&p=4175 0 Ruling could have major implications for enforcement of Migratory Bird Act http://www.audublog.org/?p=4171 http://www.audublog.org/?p=4171#comments Tue, 27 Jul 2010 18:51:16 +0000 gfrost http://www.audublog.org/?p=4171 A recent decision in Kansas could have major implications for how the federal government enforces the Migratory Bird Act throughout the country. In deciding that an oil company was responsible for the deaths of birds caused by its equipment, the 10th Circuit Court of appeals ruled that defendants could be found responsible for penalties under the Act even if they did not intentionally kill the birds.

]]> http://www.audublog.org/?feed=rss2&p=4171 0 Volunteer monitors set to help study shorebird use of rice fields http://www.audublog.org/?p=4167 http://www.audublog.org/?p=4167#comments Tue, 27 Jul 2010 00:16:54 +0000 gfrost http://www.audublog.org/?p=4167

Audubon California and PRBO Conservation Science recently held two shorebird survey training workshops at the Yolo Wildlife Area and Cosumnes River Preserve. As thousands of Arctic-breeding shorebirds descend upon the Central Valley in the coming weeks, these volunteers will collect valuable data about how these birds use flooded fallow rice fields for habitat. The monitoring is a key part of a joint project to identify management practices that enhance the habitat value of agricultural lands for migratory birds.

The two organizations are working with landowners in the Valley to see if the flooding fallow rice fields (fields that otherwise would remain dry) between July and September will benefit the migrating shorebirds. The volunteer monitors, who will be out there twice a week through September, are a crucial part of the project. Many thanks to the staff of the Yolo Wildlife Area and the Cosumnes River Preserve for hosting the workshops and working with us to enhance habitat for shorebirds.

]]> http://www.audublog.org/?feed=rss2&p=4167 0 Audubon working hard in the Gulf http://www.audublog.org/?p=4165 http://www.audublog.org/?p=4165#comments Mon, 26 Jul 2010 20:32:02 +0000 gfrost http://www.audublog.org/?p=4165 Short video from Audubon about our efforts to save birds in the Gulf:

]]> http://www.audublog.org/?feed=rss2&p=4165 0 Video: Program uses children’s art to help Western Snowy Plover http://www.audublog.org/?p=4163 http://www.audublog.org/?p=4163#comments Sat, 24 Jul 2010 14:45:49 +0000 gfrost http://www.audublog.org/?p=4163 Great TV news piece about the San Diego Audubon Society’s program that uses children’s are to raise awareness about the Western Snowy Plover on the beach. We’re proud to have helped secure funding for this great project from Audubon’s Pennies for the Planet Program and the Morrisse Family Foundation.

 

]]> http://www.audublog.org/?feed=rss2&p=4163 1 New York State set to kill 170,000 Canada Geese. Could it happen here? http://www.audublog.org/?p=4160 http://www.audublog.org/?p=4160#comments Fri, 23 Jul 2010 18:08:18 +0000 gfrost http://www.audublog.org/?p=4160 Earlier this month, bird enthusiasts all around the country were stunned to hear that officials had captured and gassed to death 400 Canada Geese in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park. Well, it turns out, killing 400 birds was just the beginning. New reports indicate that the state plans to euthanize as many as 170,000 of the geese. This all stems from the U.S. Airways crash last year which occurred when the plane struck a flock of the geese. Which is why this is worth watching for us here in California. After that accident, the California Legislature passed a new law making it easier for aiport officials to order the killing of birds near runways.

]]> http://www.audublog.org/?feed=rss2&p=4160 1 Massive proposed solar project in Panoche Valley raises serious concerns about birds and wildlife http://www.audublog.org/?p=4155 http://www.audublog.org/?p=4155#comments Tue, 20 Jul 2010 18:25:36 +0000 gfrost http://www.audublog.org/?p=4155

As the San Benito County Board of Supervisors begins to consider approval for a massive solar energy plant on the floor of Panoche Valley, representatives of Audubon California today expressed serious concerns about the potential such a project could have on sensitive birds and habitat. Audubon California has listed Panoche Valley as an Important Bird Area of Global Significance because it hosts more than 12 sensitive bird species, including the Mountain Plover, which is currently under review by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to be listed as Threatened under the Endangered Species Act. (photo by Glen Tepke)

“While it’s vital that we pursue alternative energy development, it’s equally important that we avoid the same kinds of mistakes with renewable energy that we made with coal and oil production,” said Dan Taylor, Audubon California’s public policy director. “While there are a lot of other places where we can build solar farms, there aren’t other places like this for these birds – this valley is vital habitat.”

This week, the county Planning Commission will take public comment on a draft environmental impact report that details environmental damage for four different project alternatives.

In addition to the Mountain Plover, Panoche Valley is also celebrated for its high concentrations of wintering raptors and enormous sparrow flocks. California Bird Species of Special Concern here include Burrowing Owl, Grasshopper Sparrow, Northern Harrier, and Loggerhead Shrike. Audubon Watchlist birds include the Sage Sparrow and the Long-billed Curlew. Birds of prey commonly observed include Prairie Falcon, White-tailed Kite and Golden Eagle, a California Fully Protected Species.

Grassland birds are among the fastest declining birds in North America – 48 percent of species are of conservation concern and 55 percent are showing significant declines.

“There will be those who will say that this is just another valley, the kind of open space that you can find anywhere anyway, but that’s just not true,” said Taylor. “It’s important that Board of Supervisors understand the important conservation issues at stake with this decision.”

The entire proposed area for Solargen’s project is almost 5,000 acres. The draft environmental impact report looks at four different project alternatives, including one at about 1,000 acres, or 1.6 square miles. Even at the smallest size, the project would have irreversible, immitigable impacts on wildlife and habitat.

Audubon chapters from all over the region visit this valley regularly for field trips and bird surveys, and are perhaps most knowledgeable about the importance of this habitat for birds. Several of these chapters, including Fresno, Monterey Bay, Golden Gate and Santa Clara Valley Audubon are taking an active role in the public review process for the proposal to raise awareness about potential impacts to birds.

 “If you don’t think that 1.6 square miles is a lot to sacrifice, try walking 1.6 square miles in one direction, then turn right and walk another 1.6 miles. Do that two more times, and imagine all the habitat you’ve just walked around wiped out,” said Taylor.

]]> http://www.audublog.org/?feed=rss2&p=4155 1 Michael San Miguel obituary in L.A. Times http://www.audublog.org/?p=4153 http://www.audublog.org/?p=4153#comments Tue, 20 Jul 2010 13:32:57 +0000 gfrost http://www.audublog.org/?p=4153 Following up on the untimely death of popular birder Michael San Miguel, there’s a great obituary in the Los Angeles Times that’s worth a read.

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