Audubon Turns 100
Over one hundred years ago, a committed group of Americans came together to protect birds from slaughter at the hands of plume-hunters. Hats sporting feathers and even entire birds were the height of fashion, making the hunting of egrets and other birds a highly profitable enterprise. Fortunately, the bold and dedicated efforts of a far-sighted group of men and women were successful in saving the Great Egret and other birds from extinction. It was these early conservationists who founded the National Audubon Society, which still includes the Great Egret in its logo.
Today, Audubon is continuing its legacy of protecting birds and other wildlife through individual action. Citizen science programs, like the century-old Christmas Bird Count, the more recently launched Great Backyard Bird Count and the Important Bird Areas Program enlist thousands of volunteers for conservation. Audubon Centers from coast to coast introduce new generations to the wonders of nature and the importance of protecting it. Grassroots activists advocate for sound national, state and local environmental policy through on-the-ground and web-based initiatives.
As Audubon enters its second century, the conservation challenges we face are no less urgent than those that confronted our founders. Our mission remains as vital as it was one hundred years ago. Birds have long served as barometers for the overall health of our environment, and of our own quality of life and health. By helping to protect them, each of us, like the men and women who worked to outlaw plume hunting, can make a conservation difference. That is the Audubon legacy.
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