The Black Hills Audubon Society (BHAS) Board of Directors now has a full complement of 14 members.
A new Ad Hoc Committee was formed to explore Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) issues that pertain to our chapter. National Audubon is promoting these efforts and is offering appropriate resources.
Our Christmas Bird Counts went very well, considering COVID-19 restrictions. The Lewis County effort finally tallied over 100 species – 104 to be exact. Thirty-eight volunteers logged almost 150 hours to find 26,000 birds. The Olympia count found 121 species using 102 participants volunteering 350 hours.
The Conservation Committee will submit a letter opposing the construction of a road through LBA Woods in Olympia. Efforts with the county council to limit the total land available for mineral extraction were unsuccessful. The Committee will closely monitor the Skookumchuck Wind Energy Project reports on bird kills plus are liaising with the Thurston Climate Action Team on implementing the Thurston Climate Mitigation Plan through city and county councils.
In conjunction with the Audubon WA Puget Sound Conservation Blueprint, the Conservation Committee met with the Departments of Natural Resources, Fish and Wildlife, and Transportation to discuss storm drainage through the Kennedy Creek Estuary. Storm current damages marsh habitat which then adversely affects wildlife. Two solutions were discussed.
Leadership volunteer roles being sought at present are: Field Trip Coordinator, Education Chair, and Communication Chair.
