On January 26, 2010, Audubon New York’s Director of Government Relations, Sean Mahar, testified before a Joint Legislative Hearing on Governor Paterson’s Executive Budget proposal.

The Governor's proposed budget means some devastating cuts for the environment in these dire fiscal times. Interested in what Audubon New York has to say on the State Budget? click here to read the full testimony

Also, click here to print a copy Audubon’s budget memo that you can bring to your local Legislator and help us protect the integrity of the EPF.

Audubon New York and The Nature Conservancy are looking for practiced birder volunteers from all around the Lake Ontario basin to help survey sites for the spring 2010 season of the Migratory Stopover Project.

This past spring and fall, the study team and a group of dedicated volunteers surveyed birds at an array of sites during the migrations, piloting the sampling methods and establishing the first set of study sites. Our intrepid volunteers logged over 5000 birds thus far during 172 site visits, and saw 114 species including high numbers of Blackpoll, Black-Throated Blue, and Chestnut-Sided Warblers; Ovenbirds, Rose-Breasted Grosbeaks, and Scarlet Tanagers. Volunteers also recorded uncommon species like Olive-Sided Flycatchers. Sampling sites are located throughout the region to test hypotheses about the relative importance of proximity to the lakeshore, landscape context (like how much forest is around a site) and habitat structure in determining migratory bird abundance and diversity.

The project area runs along the Lake Ontario lakeshore from east of Buffalo to west of Syracuse and southward into the Finger Lakes. We could use your help! Contact Laura via email, and click here to read more.

Syracuse, N.Y., Wednesday, November 11, 2009—At a time when the need to combat climate change could not be any greater, Audubon New York and the National Grid Foundation have presented the State University of New York College of Environmental Science & Forestry (SUNY-ESF) with a groundbreaking new curriculum to encourage high school students to tackle this threat head on. The “Project GREENfoot” curriculum was designed by the Montezuma Audubon Center and is focused on addressing how global warming impacts humans, birds, and other wildlife and what high school students can do to reduce their carbon footprints. The program addresses opportunities for students to make a difference in the fight reduce greenhouse gas emissions in their homes, schools and neighborhoods. Click here to learn more.

As the debate on the federal budget has come to an end, Congress and the President have agreed to spend $7 million for protecting and restoring Long Island Sound, more than double the funding received last year. This funding will be split between the Long Island Sound Stewardship and Restoration Acts, and stimulate efforts to improve water quality and protect important open spaces around this critical national treasure.

“Today is a great day for Long Island Sound, and this increased funding will jumpstart desperately needed water quality improvements, habitat protection initiatives, and enhanced public access opportunities, ensuring future generations will be able to enjoy a cleaner Long Island Sound.,” Said Albert E. Caccese, Executive Director of Audubon New York, the state program of the National Audubon Society. “We applaud our Congressional champions, especially Congressman Israel, Congresswoman Lowey, Congressman Bishop, Senators Schumer and Gillibrand, and the rest of the Long Island Sound Congressional Caucus members for fighting hard for this critical funding.”

To view a copy of the press release, click here.

How do you go about reestablishing a population of birds that has declined significantly in the past 20 years? With community participation, lots of new nest boxes, and Audubon NY, chapters, and centers as well as NYS DOT!

Breeding pairs of American Kestrels in New York have decreased due to a lack of nest cavities in remaining suitable habitat. Therefore, to bring back the American Kestrel in NY, Audubon New York and its partners will engage hundreds of individuals in a coordinated effort to build, erect, and monitor nest boxes. In addition, Audubon New York will use this hands-on experience to teach people about the plight of kestrels and other grassland birds, and encouraging these engaged citizens to act in the name of environmental stewardship.

Overall, Audubon New York hopes to engage volunteers in building 200 kestrel nest boxes and setting up a nest box monitoring program. They'll also provide opportunities for New Yorkers to voice their concerns to governmental and non-profit conservation groups. After gaining a better understanding of the kestrel through this project, community members will feel a real sense of ownership and pride towards the birds' continued success.

Volunteers won't just be giving kestrels homes-they'll be giving them a voice! To learn more about this project click here.

“Audubon New York’s new Five-Year Strategic Plan was approved by the New York State Board of Directors in October of 2009. The plan is the result of more than a year of work by the staff, with input from the State Board of Directors, local Audubon chapters from across the state, and partners in state and federal agencies and other conservation organizations. This plan will guide our work through 2014.”

The plan document can be found here.

Audubon New York in partnership with The Nature Conservancy of New York and the Prospect Park Alliance was awarded a TogetherGreen Grant to introduce students from low-income African-American and Hispanic populations to nature and conservation-related careers.

For much of today's youth, the "pipeline" to educational and economic success in the conservation movement is nonexistent. This program will add to environmental education in the classroom with increasingly empowering summer opportunities for Brooklyn Academy of Science and the Environment students throughout their formative high school years that add conservation experience to their resumes. It will progressively immerse students in ongoing environmental experiences and opportunities for those who do not have the access, support system or connections to nature. To learn more about this project see the TogetherGreen website.

Honoring: Constantine Sidamon-Eristoff, Board Chairman, Audubon New York
Audubon & Connie: Celebrating Environmental Advocacy & Leadership

Wednesday November 4, 2009
The Central Park Boathouse
Reception: 11:30 am, Luncheon: 12:00 noon - 2:00 pm

Video celebration of Connie prepared for the event:

Audubon New York releases comprehensive plan for conserving fast declining bird species: Partners with DEC on creative incentive program

Ithaca, NY May 29, 2009—Fueled by habitat loss from suburban sprawl and industrialized agricultural practices, populations of New York’s grassland bird species are plummeting faster than any other habitat specific group of birds. To guide new and ongoing efforts to curb these precipitous declines, Audubon New York released a comprehensive Plan for Conserving Grassland Birds in New York. This groundbreaking assessment finds that private landowners and farmland preservation hold the key to the future survival of these species.

"This new plan provides the right ‘recipe’ for the state and private landowners to follow in protecting and properly managing habitat for grassland bird species before it’s too late." said Albert E. Caccese, Executive Director of Audubon New York. "As the majority of grassland bird habitat is in private ownership, individual landowners can play a crucial role in their conservation. Providing incentives and landowner education is critical to promote healthy wildlife populations that support local economies through outdoor recreation and ecotourism in rural New York."

Click here to read the rest of the release visit.
Also visit the DEC’s website for more details on the Land Owner Incentive Program.

New York, NY April 16, 2009 – To celebrate the continued recovery of Long Island Sound, two of the most prominent leaders in the restoration efforts, Congressman Tim Bishop and Christopher O. Ward, The Executive Director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, were honored as the 2009 recipients of the Sound Guardian Award. This Award is given on an annual basis to outstanding policy makers whose actions have made a difference in the protection, restoration and stewardship of Long Island Sound.

The 2009 Sound Guardian Award was presented by Congressman Jerrold Nadler on behalf of the Clean Water/Jobs Coalition. Congressman Tim Bishop received the 2009 Sound Guardian Award for his leadership in urging Congress to prioritize the restoration of Long Island Sound’s water quality and beaches. Christopher O. Ward, received the 2009 Sound Guardian Award for his legacy of restoring Long Island Sound while serving as Commissioner of the NYC Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and Managing Director of The General Contractors Association of New York, Inc.

For a copy of the press release and photos on the event, Click here.

The Friends of New York's environment Coalition, of which Audubon New York is a part, just released a new report which celebrates several of the successes of the Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) over the last 15 years of its existence. This report was unveiled this week and included as one of the success stories was the Theodore Roosevelt Sanctuary and Audubon Center’s use of the ZBGA (Zoos, Botanical Gardens and Aquaria) funds for connecting children to nature! This report is now being used to make the case of why investing in the EPF is important even in these tough fiscal times.

The report includes projects from every corner of New York, including working farms, wildlife preserves, community gardens, the historic restoration of the Ephesus Seventh-day Adventist Church in Harlem, and businesses that have successfully leveraged EPF resources to create jobs and reduce waste, among other critical investments.

We want to make sure that this report goes far and wide so that the average person, municipal officials, and state legislators see and understand the essential work that the EPF does all around New York and why investing in the Fund is an investment in our future. Please check it out and pass it on.

Click here for a copy of the full report.

On February 3, Audubon New York and other members of the Coalition of Living Museums gathered at the New York State capital to talk with legislators about the importance of the EPF and ZBGA funding. Sean Mahar, Audubon New York Director of Government Relations and Communications (far right), and Aaron Virgin (center), Director of the Theodore Roosevelt Sanctuary and Audubon Center, brought an American Kestrel with them when they met with Senator Antoine Thompson, Chair of the Senate Environmental Conservation Committee.

Vivid Publishing, Inc. is the exclusive publisher of Professor Higbee's® Stream and Lake Maps. They are the only highly detailed maps of their kind, showing virtually every stream and lake in a state. 40% of all sales made through this link will be donated to Audubon New York.

Support Audubon New York every time you search the web. Start your websearches from iSearchiGive.com. Register Audubon New York as your charity and each time you do a web search from iSearchiGive.com instead of another search engine, $.02 goes to Audubon New York. Those pennies really add up for conservation. Spread the word to your friends and really help us feather our nest.

Audubon New York thanks you for your efforts.