community. Audubon was one of those organizations that received a substantial amount of the $56 million and will be issuing grants to the Audubon chapters across the country for the next 4 years. Check out the Together Green website to see such grants.

Bird slaughter updates

Check for updates to the slaughter of protected birds that took place in Goodland on February 19. Learn more...

Events & Programs

Local birding tour packages offered

The historic Clewiston Inn is hosting birding tour packages on selected dates through August, 2009. Learn more...

Family birding trip to Ecuador

Tropical Nature Travel is offering a family birding adventure to Ecuador. For more information and a link to its web site, visit our Young Birders page.

CCAS birding cruise to Antartica

Collier County Audubon Society is planning a 20-day birding excursion to Antartica in January, 2010. Learn more...

Nathaniel Reed speech

Read the text of the speech given by Nathaniel Reed at the CCAS Friends & Feathers gala.

Living Green

Avoid plastic bags at grocery and other stores. Why? Check this multimedia link: The dangers of plastic bags.

Beware of plastic water bottles too! Why? Find out more in the "Living Green" section on our Conservation page.

Lighter Side

Top 10 reasons to become a bird watcher

An article by Bill Thompson, founding publisher of Birdwatcher's Digest

Collier County Audubon Society is endorsing Project Innovation. Please go to www.projectinnovation.cc for additional information.

Charlette Roman earns 2008 Fellowship Award

Charlette Roman moved to Marco Island seven years ago after falling in love with the pristine natural beauty of the Tigertail area. Before that, she traveled the world during a successful career as an Army Officer, enlisting as a Private in 1973 and retiring 26 years later as a full Colonel. Her assignments in the Army included command of an airborne Signal Battalion at Fort Bragg and service in Berlin, Germany, during the Fall of the Berlin Wall and German Unification

Charlette is certified as a Florida Master Naturalist and has also served three terms as President, Friends of Tigertail Beach. One of the great successes of her tenure was the successful fight against the Collier County proposal to construct a "Boardwalk Bridge" with 200 concrete pilings across Tigertail Lagoon. She developed a strong partnership with Audubon and got the Marco community involved through petitions and discussions with the Marco Island City Council.

In keeping with her philosophy that "people protect what they understand," Charlette authored a PowerPoint presentation in 2005 called the "Magic of Tigertail" as a way of taking Tigertail and Sand Dollar to the community. The program was designed to educate while instilling pride in this unique treasure in Marco's back yard. "Magic" has been very well-received by over 15 groups on the island, including both Rotary clubs and Leadership Marco, reaching over 1000 people in the various audiences. Late last year, she initiated a new program, "Marco's Natural Magic" to include Caxambas sandbar and Kice and the ABC Islands, where nature is on display and needs a voice.

She has contributed over 1000 volunteer hours to the community and continues to volunteer in educational outreach activities such as field trips at Tigertail Beach Park and programs at Rookery Bay Learning Center. Charlette feels that developing partnerships are essential to help the community learn about the importance of Tigertail/Sand Dollar as a bird resting, nesting and feeding site. She also assists Florida Wildlife Commission with maintenance of the Critical Wildlife Area postings at Sand Dollar and Tigertail, year-round for birds.

Update to bird slaughter in Goodland

We are going to keep our membership informed of any updates to this case such as sentencing information on wildlife charges or a court date.

Read the original article in the Naples Daily News that reported the incident. Return to this page using your browser's BACK button.

Updates

2/27/09: FWC has said there are no updates to this case as of today. If the seven people responsible posted bail, normally a court date won't be set for 30 days after they post bail. We will keep you posted of new information.
3/4/09: A spokeswoman for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said it is going to "take time" for her agency to pursue state and federal charges against the six men and one woman arrested in mid-February after authorities say they wantonly shot and killed 21 protected wading birds near Goodland. "It's not going to happen next week," commission spokeswoman Gabriella Ferraro said. Ferraro said her agency is working closely with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the State Attorney's Office. The commission is also working with the U.S. Navy, after it was confirmed that four of the arrested men are recent Naval Academy graduates, and are in aviation training school in Pensacola. They were initially arrested on trespassing charges. The commission is still pursuing additional state charges of killing a species of special concern, a third-degree felony, and misdemeanor charges of killing a bird protected by the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act. "This is going to be a lengthy process," Ferraro said. "It may require DNA testing from the subjects involved."
5/4/09: The state attorney general office has decided not to press trespassing charges against the seven accused. Possible federal charges relating to the Migratory Bird Treat Act are still possible. Read the article in the Naples Daily News.

CCAS board votes to have three classes of membership

The Board amended the bylaws of the Chapter to include the three classes of membership effective March 11, 2009.

Chapter Only Membership, the local chapter retains all dues, for new members and renewals, to support our local activities through our advocacy and educational programs. Members will receive our Audugram Newsletter, Program & Field Trip Guides and Audubon of Florida's Naturalist magazine.

National Membership, which qualifies the member for publications not offered under the Chapter only membership such as the Audubon Magazine, member will automatically be linked to Collier County Audubon Chapter. For this membership the local chapter does not receive any monies from National for renewals, only new first year members.

Corporate Membership, details for this membership are still in the process. Please contact our CCAS office if you are interested in becoming a corporate member.

For more information on memberships or donations, please visit our Membership page.

All text, photos, graphics ©2007-2008 Collier County Audubon Society unless otherwise noted. Do not reproduce without prior permission.

since June 13, 2007