Register now for the 2012 annual meeting of Audubon Council of Washington (ACOW), hosted by Kitsap Audubon Society.  This one-day meeting will be held on Saturday, October 6th, at the new Poulsbo City Hall.  The keynote speaker is David Yarnold, President and CEO of National Audubon Society (photo right).  The new Pacific Flyway director, Michael Sutton, will also speak.

Highlights of the day include a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new and final Puget Loop map of the Great Washington Birding Trail, with Poulsbo Mayor Becky Erickson and Birding Trail Director Christi Norman.

The annual ACOW brings together leaders from the 26 Washington State Audubon chapters and Audubon Washington staff for workshops and presentations on a host of topics of interest to Audubon members throughout the state.  There will be regional breakout sessions to exchange information and review progress at the state and chapter level.

Additional events are planned for those arriving on Friday or staying through Sunday, including field trips to local birding hotspots, an evening presentation on the Kitsap Forest & Bay Project, and a meeting of conservation chairs to discuss shared priorities for the upcoming legislative session.

A block of rooms with special rates from $79-98 per night is being held at the Poulsbo Inn & Suites, conveniently located right on State Hwy 305 as you enter Poulsbo. Hotel reservations may be made by calling 360-779-3921 or email manager@poulsboinn.com.  Audubon ACOW is the group name.

To register online for the ACOW meeting, go to http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/263251 - password is audubon. Registration cost is $30 and includes morning and afternoon snacks, plus a boxed lunch. To register by check, please contact Joseph Manson at (206) 652-2444 x100 or jmanson@audubon.org.