Chapter representatives contacted Fred Baumgarten, Audubon's national IBA coordinator; he agreed to provide an overview and slide presentation for the workshop. They then set a date by polling the leaders of the chapters, researchers and selected state agencies as to timeframes, and set a central location. To their delight, 45 people registered, and 60 attended! The Indiana chapters suggest including the following for a workshop-announcement mailing: a draft IBA criteria list, an NAS information fact sheet and brochure about IBA, and a request that participants bring maps, books, and available research that would assist in identifying potential IBA's. Announcements were sent to all Indiana Audubon chapters, the State Audubon organization (not an NAS affiliate), in-state colleges and universities, state agencies, and environmental groups such as The Nature Conservancy, the Native Plant Society, and land acquisition groups, and to all the Internet listserves in the state that they could find.

During the workshop, participants subdivided themselves into three regional workgroups to allow regional identification of potential IBA sites and to get to know their local colleagues. As a result, the chapter formed an IBA technical committee that meets on a regular basis and is in the process of mapping the areas suggested by workshop participants. Once the state is mapped they plan to identify IBA nominee sites, then work with local landowners and community organizations, and start the work of overall community education about the Indiana IBA program.

FOR MORE INFO., CONTACT:

Alicia Craig-Lich and Amos W. Butler
A.S. Past President and State IBA Coordinator
1711 N. College Avenue, #146
Carmel, IN 46032
ph: 317/571-7100
email: CraiglichA@wbu.com,

OR

Fred Baumgarten
NAS IBA Coordinator
c/o Miles Wildlife Sanctuary
99 W. Cornwall Rd.
Sharon, CT 06069
ph: 860/364-0048
email: fbaumgarten@audubon.org