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Audubon Washington Audubon
Washington E-Newswire Audubon Washington
E-Newswire January 2007 Volume 3 Number 1
Kittitas Audubon
Seeks Statewide Support for I-90 Wildlife Bridges
ELLENSBURG – For the past three years, Kittitas
Audubon and other groups in the I-90 Wildlife Coalition
have worked with the Washington State Dept. of Transportation
(WSDOT) to provide animal crossings when I-90 is widened and
improved in the future. Now the Coalition has sent a letter
to Governor Christine Gregoire requesting her not only to
maintain the current funding allocated through the WA State
Legislature for a first phase of the I-90 project, but also
to increase the funding to meet increased costs of materials,
fuel and some difficult engineering along Lake Keechelus.
This phase also proposes to elevate the roadway at Gold Creek,
where an increase in wildlife crossings has been recorded
and where waterways will be restored to benefit sensitive
bull trout populations. The Final EIS on the project is due
out in mid-2007. Kittitas Audubon members are closely monitoring
plans by WSDOT to put I-90 road re-construction on a fast
track, but as the new legislative session begins, Beth Rogers
of Kittitas Audubon says, “We do need funding and support
from all chapters …. Everyone in the state uses this
highway at some point and it is not just a Kittitas issue.”
Your Valentine
for the Environment – Lobby Day, February 14th
OLYMPIA – Ever wonder how you could really get government
to act on your most important environmental concerns? Put
a big red circle around February 14th this year and head to
Olympia for Lobby Day. During Lobby Day you’ll receive
training on how to lobby from top environmental lobbyists,
hear from legislators that are championing the Priorities
for a Healthy Washington legislation, and have a chance to
meet face to face with your elected officials. Join the state’s
leading conservation groups and hundreds of citizen lobbyists
to push for the passage of the Priorities for a Healthy Washington
legislative package. These priorities include legislation
to Save our Sound, eliminate toxic flame retardants, promote
clean air and clean fuels, and invest in Washington's parks
and wildlife. And speaking of wild life, don’t forget
the party in the evening! Lobby Day is an all day event hosted
by People for Puget Sound. To register click here,
or contact Rein Attemann at rattemann@pugetsound.org
or (206) 382-7007.
Mike Denny Receives Science Award
WALLA WALLA – Audubon Washington’s Science Award
was presented to Mike Denny at AWA’S 25th Anniversary
party in Seattle on December 2nd. In a story about the award,
the Walla Walla Union-Bulletin noted, “Denny was chosen
for the award for his work to develop environmental standards
for placement of wind generator sites at the Stateline Energy
Center in Walla Walla and Umatilla counties and the Hopkins
Ridge wind project in Columbia County.” Audubon Washington’s
Executive Director, Nina Carter, says, “We are proud
that Mike is on our Team! Way to Go Mike!” Read the
entire Union-Bulletin story here.
Bird’s Eye View of the Legislature
OLYMPIA - The 2007 legislative session is fast approaching.
Will you be informed? You know you will be when you sign-up
to receive the Bird's Eye View newsletter. Read about
recent activities of the legislature, learn the details of
legislation impacting conservation and the environment, track
bills, and receive action alerts to voice your opinions about
key decisions. This important publication is FREE of charge
when you subscribe via email here.
Bird's Eye View is published several times during
the legislative session. This one-of-a-kind publication keeps
you informed of happenings "on the hill" in Olympia
and tells how you can affect the decision-making process.
You can check out this year's first issue here.
Board Sets
5-Year Goals to Support "River of Birds"
MERCER ISLAND – Audubon Washington’s vision of
supporting the Pacific Flyway (the “River of Birds”
that flows through our state) came into sharper focus at the
Board and Staff Planning Retreat held at the Mercer Island
Community Center on December 12th. Facilitator Miguel Perez-Gibson
led members of the Board of Stewards and AWA staff through
the process of identifying 5-year goals, and supporting 1-year
objectives, to support the mission of “…conserving
and restoring Washington’s natural ecosystems for biological
diversity, for birds, for our children and our own future….”
Goals identified at the retreat include: conserve critical
habitat and birds along the Pacific Flyway, campaign for community
conservation, apply our environmental education expertise
to connect people with nature, create effective marketing
program using Audubon brand, increase organizational and financial
effectiveness. These goals and the specific objectives supporting
them were referred to the staff for analysis of the time and
money needed for their completion. Staff findings will be
presented to the board at the next board meeting, January
19th at the Snake Lake Nature center in Tacoma.
Tidbits
for the Flock: Georganne O’Connor, who has
been writing about the plants, animals, and peoples of the
Hanford Reach for 20 years, will present a talk on The Living
Land Gallery in the planned Hanford Reach Interpretive Center
on January 23rd at 7:30 pm at Kennewick First Lutheran Church,
after Lower
Columbia Basin Audubon's 7:00 pm membership meeting (details
at . Ten things you can do to help reduce global warming are
included in an abstract of a recent Union of Concerned Scientists
report in Rainier
Audubon's current newsletter. Many Audubon Washington
chapters now have 2007 fieldtrip
info posted on their websites. For birding fun and adventure,
plan to explore someplace new this year.
To subscribe to the E-newsire, click here. |
