Homes, churches, businesses and public buildings were not the only structures that were destroyed or damaged by the passage of Hurricane Katrina. A large number of trees and shrubs were also lost and along with them, the homes for many birds and mammals that depend on these important components of the natural world around us. For those species of birds that over-winter in areas along the Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama coasts, the loss of their roosting, cover and feeding sites may affect their survival this winter. Well-known Mississippi birder and author Judy Toups, a founding member of the Mississippi Coast Audubon Society, was quick to recognize this impending crisis and quickly called for birders to help alleviate the problem by building and placing birdhouses where possible. Judy dubbed this idea Operation Backyard Recovery and now Audubon Mississippi, working with Audubon Chapters, other Audubon state programs, the National Audubon Society, and a number of other partners in south Mississippi and elsewhere, is taking up the call.

The premise of Operation Backyard Recovery is simple: to promote the recovery of habitat for birds and other wildlife in areas stricken by Hurricane Katrina. Two focus areas make up the project, including the building and placement of birdhouses that can provide short and long-term support for birds that have lost roosting and nesting sites and the planting of native trees and shrubs that can replace those lost to the storm and improve the quality of urban and suburban habitats for birds and wildlife. Both of these goals reflect key themes of the Audubon At Home program, namely that by taking personal conservation action, everyone can improve the environmental health and habitat quality close to home, and collectively, over the larger landscape. Apart from the obvious benefits of promoting such goals, this project also has the potential to engage a wide range of groups, both inside and outside of Audubon, over the next several years. Indeed many such groups have risen to the occasion and contributed much to the project, beginning with Mississippi Coast Audubon Society. This Audubon Chapter sponsored a series of birdhouse clinics where kids and families constructed simple birdhouses made from recycled fence boards salvaged from across the coast. Learning of their effort, Green Mountain Audubon Society, working with Audubon Vermont, built and sent birdhouses made from white pine boards saved from a fallen tree at the Green Mountain Audubon Center. The third-grade children of Lindberg Eager Achiever Program in St. Louis, Missouri joined the effort by building and shipping birdhouses to be shared with a school on the Mississippi coast that was greatly affected by the storm. Individuals from other chapters from across the country have also contributed money, books and materials to support the effort. Businesses such as Wild Birds Unlimited donated books, feeders and supplies to be distributed across the coast.

Along the way, an idea hatched in the mind of Heidi Devos at Audubon Magazine led to the development of the Katrina Tree Recovery Campaign, a joint effort of the National Arbor Day Foundation and the National Audubon Society. This program is focused on soliciting donations from across the country that will be turned into bare root native trees that will be distributed across south Mississippi and southeast Louisiana this spring. Trees will be distributed with the help of Audubon Chapters in Mississippi and Louisiana and the program will also engage numerous other volunteers and groups from throughout the region. In the end, southern Mississippi will indeed recover from the storm named Katrina with the help of generous and thoughtful individuals and groups within and outside of the Audubon family. In many ways, these challenges have done much to "connect people with nature" and with each other. For this, we are all grateful.

FOR MORE INFO:
Details about Operation Backyard Recovery can be found at www.msaudubon.org/katrina/restoration.php More information about the Katrina Tree Recovery Campaign can be found at www.arborday.org/Katrina.

Bob Huskisson from Colchester, Vermont and his mother Charlotte from Magnolia Springs, Alabama upon delivery of birdhouse kits from Vermont, kits supplied courtesy of the Pine Mountain Audubon Society. Photo by Mark LaSalle


GRASSROOTS AND POLICY OFFICE

New faces and new energy are the hallmarks of Audubon's Policy Office efforts these days. Vice President for Policy Betsy Loyless has recently taken the helm of the DC office and wants to raise Audubon's visibility on the Hill in a big way. Formerly with the League of Conservation Voters, Betsy knows what makes Congress tick and is tireless in her efforts to marshal Audubon resources for the issues that make a difference to birds and habitat.

Of course the key to moving Congress is grassroots pressure and to that end Audubon has also revved up its grass-roots team with the addition of Connie Mahan, Sara Bushey and Sean Saville. All three bring boatloads of experience to issue campaigns, training and working with grassroots at a variety of levels. "There is nothing more important on my agenda than forging a strong and mutual relationship with what I consider to be one of Audubon's greatest strengths - our volunteers and Chapter leaders," says Betsy. "It's at the heart of all we do and it's the only way we have any real clout on Capitol Hill."

What can Audubon Chapters expect from the DC office? We hope to provide interested Chapters, individuals and others with the opportunity to get involved in our campaign to stop attempts to gut the Endangered Species Act; various Appropriations bills that affect programs that directly impact bird and habitat protection, like the Neotropical Migratory Bird Act; our decades-long "Just Say No" campaign to drilling in the Arctic Refuge; our Population and Habitat program that connects the dots between population pressures overseas and resulting environmental degradation, and more. We're also eager to hear from Chapters on what national policy issues they consider to be important and whether they can help us move our pro-bird, pro-wildlife, pro-habitat agenda forward in what is arguably one of the most anti-environment administrations ever. We'll never succeed without all of Audubon working together on these critical issues.

FOR MORE INFO:
Please contact Connie Mahan, Director Grassroots Outreach, cmahan@audubon.org, 202-861-2242 ext 3042. Make sure you get the latest from Audubon's DC Policy Office and join the Audubon E-Activist network at http://www.capitolconnect.com/audubon/myregistration.asp


CHAPTER FTP SITE

In order to provide Chapters with easy access to programs and presentations that are too large to be emailed, Chapter Services has set up an FTP (file transfer protocol) site. To access the site through the Web, please request written instructions from the Chapter Services Office at chapter_services@audubon.org.

If your Chapter has developed a Power-Point presentation or other materials that you think would be of use to other Chapters and you would like to share them via the FTP site, please contact Lynn Tennefoss in the Chapter Services Office.

FOR MORE INFO:
Please contact Chapter Services at chapter_services@audubon.org.


AUDUBON ADVENTURES REGISTRATION

Registration for the 22nd Season is now open! New editions for the coming school year will create a strong link to "Audubon at Home" by focusing on topics that include bird nests, bees, and bats. The new issues are designed to help kids understand the fundamental principles by which the natural world functions, and to recognize that personal actions can have meaningful, positive, and far-reaching effects.

FOR MORE INFO:
Details on pricing and an Audubon Adventures Organizers Tool Kit are available by mail or for download from the Web site www.audubon.org/educate/aa. For personal assistance with setting up Audubon Adventures in your Chapter, please contact Bonnie Godfrey bgodfrey@audubon.org or call 860-364-0048.


NEXT ISSUE DEADLINE

For Submitting Materials to the Chapter Networker

Spring 2006 Issue:
Friday, March 17, 2006

Summer 2006 Issue:
Friday, June 2, 2006


DEAR AUDUBON CHAPTER LEADERS

I want to thank each one of you for helping to make Audubon's Centennial year so successful. This was a year of unprecedented challenges but every time, you came through for Audubon and for conservation.

Nowhere was that more true than in our public policy advocacy programs. At the beginning of 2005, nearly everyone in Washington DC assumed that Congress and the White House would finally succeed in gutting the Endangered Species Act and opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling. Everyone, that is, except Audubon and a coalition of other organizations that never gave up, despite the odds. Together, we rallied a nationwide grassroots campaign that the combined efforts of the White House, the Congressional leadership, Senator Stevens, and Congressman Pombo could not outmaneuver. As a result, the Endangered Species Act remains intact, and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge remains safe.

Looking ahead, there is still much work to be done. Threats to the Endangered Species Act and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge will continue unabated, and your continued assistance will again be invaluable. Chapter Presidents will soon be receiving notice of the annual survey from the Public Policy Office, asking for feedback and suggestions on current policy priorities via the Web at www.audubon.org. This year's survey has a strong emphasis on sharing local and state level issues, which often have a logical extension at the national level. DC staff look forward to learning these details from you so we can identify and incorporate key Chapter priorities into this year's work and if you haven't already, I want to encourage you to join Audubon's E-Activist network. You'll receive the monthly e-newsletter, the Advisory, which will keep you up to date on what is moving in Congress.

This was also a landmark year for strengthening partnerships between National Audubon and Chapters. As just one example, in conjunction with Audubon Science's Important Bird Areas program and state IBA Coordinators, Chapters nationwide are identifying, adopting, restoring and monitoring the most important sites for birds. Over 200 sites were added to our growing list of designated IBA's and many more will come in 2006. New collaborative funding is also helping bring State Programs, Chapter Services and Chapters together throughout the country to plan and implement key conservation projects, many of them at IBAs but also with other activities reaching into communities with exciting new education and policy programs.

Our strategy to achieve conservation results by protecting birds and engaging people continues to succeed. With stronger relationships between National and Chapters, world-class citizen science, local education programs tailored to their communities, and dedication to clear policy priorities, we are collectively positioned for even more success as we begin our second century.

You make all of this possible through your hard work, teamwork, dedication and generosity.
Thank you!
John Flicker
President


AUDUBON LEADERSHIP WORKSHOP AT HOG ISLAND CAMP

Maine Audubon invites you to its "Audubon Leadership Workshop" at the Hog Island Audubon Camp from August 13-19, 2006. This session is designed especially for active Chapter leaders, to build and deepen your expertise and ability to enhance Audubon's effectiveness at all levels. Led by top-level State and National Audubon program staff and thoroughly experienced Chapter staff and volunteers, participants will enjoy a combination of daily workshops, special presentations, and lively discussions, as well as the traditional Maine field trips, serenity and fine food that are hallmarks of the Hog Island Camp. Daily sessions will focus on adopting an IBA and Audubon At Home.

FOR MORE INFO:
Or to register, call Maine Audubon's registrar, Linda Ledoux, toll free at 888-325-5261.

Workshop Dates
August 13-19, 2006

Cost
$700

Scholarship Information to be determined.


CHAPTER PRODUCTS

The following items are have been created by Chapters for educational purposes, adding to a growing list of creative, useful products that inspire and inform birders about the habitat and birds in selected areas. Readers interested in producing similar products for their Chapter or in obtaining any of the materials listed below are encouraged to make use of the contact information following each item.


DELAWARE AUDUBON SOCIETY
(WILMINGTON, DE)

The "Piping Plover Suite" made its world debut at Coast Day 2004. Commissioned by the Delaware Audubon Society, sponsored by the Brandywiners, Ltd., and composed by Scott Roewe, this four-minute symphonic work is intended to help raise awareness of the plight of the Piping Plover. The piece was presented live at Coast Day by the Cape Henlopen Community Band under the direction of Barry Eli.

Ann Rydgren, the driving force behind the Suite, which has been years in the planning, has long held that, "People are more often moved to action by art than by science." With the assistance of longtime friend and fellow educator Barbara Roewe, the two aim to take this musical message into the classroom.

Described as "An interdisciplinary project for mathematics, language arts, science and performing arts," the package available from Delaware Audubon includes a resource packet/study guide and an audio CD. By listening to the CD and using the resources provided, "The students will understand the concept of environmental conservation using different disciplines, such as science, research, computer literacy, language, and performing arts." Using this musical composition can motivate students to create stories, poems, drawings, posters, web sites, brochures, theatrical presentations and/or skits which communicate the plight of the Piping Plover and inspire positive actions.

The Piping Plover, which makes its home along the Atlantic coastline, is a "threatened and endangered" species. The number of nesting pairs in Delaware can be counted on the fingers of one hand. It is hoped that the "Piping Plover Suite," based on the call of this shy and gentle bird, will be a rallying cry for positive action.

FOR MORE INFO:
The Piping Plover Teacher Resource Packet is available from Delaware Audubon Society, Inc., P.O. Box 1713, Wilmington, DE 19899. Please include $5.00 remittance or download it FREE from Delaware Audubon Web site at www.delawareaudubon.org.


COEUR D'ALENE AUDUBON SOCIETY
(COEUR D'ALENE, ID)

The Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes is a premier biking trail, consisting of 72 miles of paved, non-motorized trail, and attracts tens of thousands of visitors every year. Coeur d'Alene Audubon Society has created a new checklist for The Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes. The diverse array of habitats includes some of the best birding locales in North Idaho, and the checklist notes a potential of 193 species plus 42 very rare species. A pdf version of the checklist can be downloaded and printed from the Chapter Web site at www.cdaaudubon.org.


FAVILLE PLANTING

November 12, 2005, Jefferson County, WI. On a breezy Saturday morning, 99 volunteers reported to Madison Audubon Society's Faville Grove Sanctuary to hand plant 40 acres of prairie in the Crawfish River floodplain. Many of the volunteers had worked over the summer collecting seeds from adjacent Audubon prairie restorations. In the 1930's University of Wisconsin Professor Aldo Leopold and his graduate students worked in cooperation with local farmers, especially Stoughton Faville, in an experiment in community-based, private land conservation in Wisconsin and beyond. Today, Madison Audubon Society's 430-acre, volunteer-run sanctuary extends grassland and wetland habitat and provides a critical buffer for the Faville Prairie State Natural Area, home to many rare species, including the prairie white fringed orchid.

Photo by Mark Martin


AUDUBON AT HOME MATERIALS

As Chapter leaders, you know first-hand that individuals can make a difference in bird conservation and environmental health through the creation of healthy habitats in yards and other living spaces. This is the mission of Audubon At Home.

As the program grows, so, too, have the number of resources available to Audubon Chapters. A summary of each of the publications and PowerPoint presentation that have been developed are listed below along with ordering details. The materials were generated by Chapters, state offices, or the national office, with some in collaboration. Sponsors for the products include the Natural Resources Conservation Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and Waste Management.

We are continuing to create new content that can be shared throughout the organization, and we will keep you updated as new materials become available. We also would be interested to hear about your Audubon At Home ventures. If your Chapter has piloted programs that can be adapted to work for others, please send an email to Carol Capobianco, Audubon At Home Project Manager, at ccapobianco@audubon.org.

And, of course, don't forget to visit the Audubon At Home Web site at www.audubonathome.org, which contains a lot of good information about the principles of a healthy yard with specific, downloadable action plans as well as seasonal tips, an inventory for individual yards, ideas for children, and more.

Publications

Audubon Guide for a Healthy Yard and Beyond
A full-color, 11x17 poster now in its third edition, the guide outlines the 10 commandments for a healthy yard and lists in table form some of the more commonly used pesticides and their less-toxic alternatives. A version translated to Spanish is also available (see article on page 6). The posters deliver folded to 8 ½ x 11. A pdf of the English version is also available on the Audubon At Home Web site.

To order:
Please use Chapter Services Distribution Center order form (see insert).

Healthier Choices: The Audubon At Home Guide to Healthier Pest Control
This two-color brochure presents the rationale and methods for pest control. It fits into a standard-size, No. 10 envelope. A pdf is available on the Audubon At Home Web site.

To order:
Please use Chapter Services Distribution Center order form (see insert).

Lawn Pesticides: An Unacceptable Risk
A two-color, 8½ x 11 flyer, published by Audubon New York, that focuses on the health risks of pesticides to children and wildlife, and suggests additional information sources. A pdf is available on the Audubon At Home Web site at www.audubonathome.org.

To order:
Hard copy supplies are limited. Call Sean Mahar at Audubon New York, 518-869-9731, or email smahar@audubon.org. Shipping costs only.

Gardening for Life: An Inspirational Guide to Creating Healthy Habitat
This 46-page, full-color book, published by Seattle Audubon Society was the first of the Audubon At Home regional guides. It shows readers how, through simple steps, they can create productive yards that also protect the environment. Short stories tell of the successes of selected Seattle residents. A design plan shows the before and after of one family's yard transformation.

To order:
Call the Seattle Audubon Society, 206-523-4483, or visit www.seattleaudubon.org to order directly online.

Colorado Wildscapes: Bringing Conservation Home
A 88-page, full-color, spiral-bound guide, published by Audubon Colorado, that introduces a backyard stewardship approach called "wildscaping," dividing the state into specific habitat regions. The book offers information on how to design and maintain diverse habitats, and highlights the stories of several "habitat heroes," individuals who have used Audubon At Home principles in their own landscapes.

To order:
Available through Colorado Audubon Chapters (for a list of Chapters, visit co.audubon.org/chapters.html; the Boulder Chapter enables online ordering), as well as through Westcliffe Publishers, 800-523-3692, www.westcliffepublishers.com.

Guide to Gardening for Life in Southeastern Pennsylvania
This 84-page, full-color, spiral-bound guide, published by Bucks County Audubon Society, discusses challenges of the region, such as excessive water, invasive plants, and white-tailed deer, through essays and in profiles of "champions," - residents who have found a way to cope with the problems while creating wildlife-friendly habitat. To view several pdfs of the book's pages, visit the Audubon At Home Web site at www.audubonathome.org.

To order:
Please contact Steven Saffier, Audubon Science, ssaffier@audubon.org if your Chapter would like to receive one promotional copy. To order additional or multiple copies, call the Bucks County Audubon Society at 215-297-5880, or download an order form at the Audubon At Home Web site at www.audubonathome.org.

The Nature of Change: Preserving the Natural Heritage of a Dynamic Region
An 80-page, full color book, published by the Audubon Society of Northern Virginia, that takes readers through the changing landscape of Northern Virginia and features examples of demonstration sites in various settings, such as homes, schools, and historic sites. Several pages are dedicated to listings of native plants, birds, butterflies, dragonflies, amphibians and reptiles, and mammals of the region.

To order:
Call Kevin Munroe, 703-256-6895, or email aah@fairfaxaudubon.org. For a list of distribution sites in Northern Virginia, visit the Chapter's Web site at www.asnv.org. Shipping costs only.

POWERPOINT PRESENTATION

A Day in the Life of a Backyard Bird
In this presentation, available for Chapters to use for outreach programs, viewers follow the trials and tribulations of a migrant bird looking for a suitable space in which to settle down. The bird encounters cats, windows, pesticides, and more on its way through urban and suburban communities. With action steps and slides that can be customized for your region, "A Day in the Life of a Backyard Bird" features the Audubon At Home principles and includes a script to follow.

To order:
For a free copy of the PowerPoint presentation on CD, please send an email to Steven Saffier in the Audubon Science office at ssaffier@audubon.org.

FOR MORE INFO:
On materials listed or on Audubon At Home in general, please contact Carol Capobianco, Audubon At Home Project Manager, at ccapobianco@audubon.org.


GUIA AUDUBON PARA UN JARDIN SALUDABLE Y MAS

Audubon Science is proud to announce the availability of the Spanish version "Audubon Guide to a Healthy Yard and Beyond,"-- "Guia Audubon Para un Jardin Saludable y Mas."

The printing of 150,000 of these brochures was made possible by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).

The brochure includes the "10 Commandments to a Healthy Yard" and addresses the issues of native plants and pesticide alternatives. With this Spanish version, we hope to reach a wider audience who share a passion for gardening and in creating a healthier place for birds, wildlife, and people by eliminating toxic substances and creating harmonious spaces with native plants.

TO ORDER:
Please use Chapter Services Distribution Center order form (see insert).


AUDUBON AT HOME SEEKS SUCCESS STORIES AND PHOTOS

Audubon At Home is looking for some inspirational success stories to place on the Audubon At Home Web site. If in this past growing season a Chapter member has made the transition from traditional landscaping to a habitat garden or has in some other way reduced their ecological footprint around the home, we would like to hear about it.

Landscape transitions to healthy habitats include things such as the elimination of pesticides, a reduction in lawn size, the use of native plants, composting and water-saving measures. Specifically, we're hoping to find projects that have been photo-documented with "before" and "after" pictures to feature on the Audubon At Home Web site. A short narrative highlighting the gardener's path of action will accompany the project photos.

Success stories with digital images may be sent to Steven Saffier at ssaffier@audubon.org. Please send hard copy (with SASE if you would like photos returned) to Steven at Audubon Science, 545 Almshouse Rd, Ivyland, PA 18974. For questions or further information, please email or call 215-355-9588 ext. 22.


NEW CHAPTER, CENTER AND ZIP CODE LOCATOR ON WEB

Please check out Audubon's new and improved Web site featuring an interactive map with Chapter and Audubon Center locations. Chapter leaders are encouraged to visit the site at www.audubon.org/states/ to check your listing and make sure your Chapter contact information is current. Changes to Chapter listings can be made easily by emailing Carrie Cummings at ccummings@audubon.org with changes.


CHAPTER ROSTER AVAILABLE

If your Chapter has a computer and ability to print labels, save your money! Chapter Membership Chairs may now obtain an electronic roster - an Excel spreadsheet of your current members - at no cost by sending a request to: reportrequest@audubon.org.


WANTED: INFORMATION ON INSURANCE BROKERS

Does your Chapter have an insurance policy with a local or regional broker? If so and you are comfortable sharing the name of the broker with Audubon, the Chapter Services Office would be very grateful to receive their name, address, phone and/or email address. We continue to search for affordable policies for Chapters and would like to share positive solutions that Chapters have found. Please contact Lynn Tennefoss at ltennefoss@audubon.org or 800-542-2748 with any tips!


BIRD MIGRATION AND THE BASICS OF FLIGHT CD

Wayne Mones and Development Communications Staff at the Audubon Home Office have created a PowerPoint presentation about bird migration and the basics of bird flight that Chapter leaders might find interesting, as well as useful for programs or beginning birding classes. The presentation has been vetted for accuracy and delivered successfully on numerous occasions as a general introduction to bird migration.

We recommend its use for audiences with a passing knowledge of birds, but who would like to learn more. The presentation content is self-explanatory but it is recommended that presenters have a fairly comprehensive knowledge of birds (though it's always okay to admit you don't know something!). While containing some video clips and music in its' opening, the program can also be run as a typical PowerPoint presentation. We hope you find it useful.

FOR MORE INFO:
Please send an email to Chapter Services at ccummings@audubon.org to request a copy of the CD. The presentation can also be downloaded from the Chapter FTP site (see next article). Once on the FTP site, open the "Bird Migration pres" folder and simply right click on either the DVD (AUD03-intro-13.mpg) or the PowerPoint file (Bird Migration Lecture.ppt) to copy those files to your computer.