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.

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

Events & Programs

Feb. 12-15: Great Backyard Bird Count

Sponsored by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the Great Backyard Bird Count tallies numbers of species and individuals across the United States. Learn more. For information about special Great Backyard Bird Count activities at STA-5, click HERE.

Feb. 18: Rainforest Research Presentation

Dr. Margaret "Canopy Meg" Lowman will give a presentation at the FGCU Naples campus titled "It's a Jungle Up There -- Exploration of the Treetops." Admission is free and the presentation starts at 6 PM. Learn more...

Feb. 20: Florida Scrub Jay Festival

The first Florida Scrub-Jay Festival will be held February 20 from 9 am to 3 pm at the Lyonia Preserve Environmental Learning Center in Deltona.

The festival is dedicated to celebrating the Florida scrub-jay, the only bird only found in Florida. Learn more about this charismatic bird, its unique habitat, and other interesting wildlife. This fun-filled family event will offer guided tours, music, food, environmental displays, presentations, and more.

Feb. 25: Friends & Feathers to feature Charles Dauray

Charles Dauray will be the guest speaker at the 2010 Feathers & Friends Gala to be held Thursday, February 25, at the Collier Athletic Club.

Please join us for this magical event. Click HERE for additional information or call 643-7822.

Mar. 25-28: Big O Birding Festival

This popular birding festival, held in Moorhaven, targets exciting central Florida species such as Barn Owls, Crested Caracaras, and nesting Swallow-tailed Kites. Birding tours will be conducted in the morning and the afternoon, with lectures by birding experts at noon and with dinner during the festival. Collier County Audubon will likely make a trip to the festival. Watch the Audugram for details.

past: Nathaniel Reed speech

Read the text of the speech given by Nathaniel Reed at the 2009 CCAS Friends & Feathers gala.

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

Brad Cornell receives 2009 Trailblazer Award for commitment to sustainability policy

The Sustainability Awards were created to annually recognize and celebrate progress made by individuals, organizations or corporations towards making the region more sustainable. This platform will provide an opportunity for future sustainable practices to build off of the successes of others and to take note of lessons learned along the way.

To be sustainable means to change our communities and our economy to utilize and restore our environment so that our actions today do not compromise future generations. People and organizations that demonstrate innovation, leadership and have a positive impact on the region were invited to submit nominations for the Sustainability Awards. Entries were reviewed and considered by a panel of jurors selected by the District Council. The winners were determined by a majority vote of the panel.

The 2009 winners were:

Trailblazer Award (for an individual whose personal work has helped to shape the sustainability movement in the Southwest Florida region): Brad Cornell, Collier County Audubon Society for his long term commitment to developing environmental policies in Southwest Florida

The jury commented that "Brad demonstrates a passion and a sustained commitment to be involved in issues facing the region. His long standing commitment and collaborative approach towards sustainable policy development was clearly articulated in this nomination." Brad is pictured above receiving the award from Ray Judah, Lee County Commissioner.

Impact Award (for demonstrating measurable results that positively impact Southwest Florida): Charlotte County School Board for its efforts to rebuild "sustainably" following Hurricane Charley

The Charlotte County School Board (CCSB) provided the leadership skills and foresight to incorporate energy efficiency and environmental design criteria into rebuilding six of the school district's 20 schools after Hurricane Charley in 2004. In addition, CCSB is striving for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Energy Star Label at all existing schools. CCSB have embodied the essence of creating healthy and comfortable spaces for learning while conserving energy, water and natural resources.

Corkscrew Swamp named internationally important wetland

Audubon of Florida's Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary has been listed as a Wetland of International Importance by the Ramsar Convention. The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands promotes conservation of wetland habitats around the world, from the Florida Everglades to Africa's Okavango Delta. Corkscrew is the second Audubon sanctuary in the United States to receive the prestigious designation. Audubon's Beidler Forest in South Carolina, was designated in 2008.

Nearly 200 species of birds thrive in Corkscrew, renowned as home to America's largest nesting colonies of Wood Stork, a federally endangered species. The storks nest in majestic 600-year-old bald cypress, reaching heights of 40 meters, in one of the largest remaining stands of virgin bald cypress trees in the world.

Kriek, Marinelli bring experience, enthusiasm to CCAS board

PJ Marinelli

A native Floridian, PJ moved to Naples in 1985. He attended Barron Collier High School where he was the president of the Environmental Club for two years before attending college at Duke University.

PJ returned to Naples early last year after working in New York City and Stamford, Connecticut. He admits that he has had a passion for the outdoors and specifically the Everglades since a young age. He recalls one of his earliest outdoor experiences, touring Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary and being overwhelmed by the natural beauty of the environment and the diversity of the native flora and fauna.

PJ now works for Naples Capital Advisors, the investment management division of TIB Bank. Despite his rigorous work schedule, PJ spends as much time as possible hiking the natural areas of eastern Collier County, boating the backwaters of beautiful coast, and scuba diving at some of our local offshore formations.

PJ has focused his time with the Collier County Audubon Society on leading our fundraising efforts in order to continue our successful conservation efforts.

Martha Kriek

Martha grew up in the Midwest and moved to Naples in 1986 after graduating from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. She is married to Pieter Kriek, who is a tennis teaching professional at The Colony in Bonita Springs. She has 2 children: Matthew attends Edison State College; and Barbara,a senior this year at Palmetto Ridge High School.

She has been teaching at Big Cypress Elementary for the past 21 years. She has been the co-chair of the Audubon Young Birders Club going on her third year. She enjoys sharing her passion for our surrounding natural environment with her students. "I get excited when I see their curiosity and love of nature blossom to an understanding about the importance of stewardship of our land and creatures that live here."

We welcome her to our Board and look forward to her input and experience in the educational arena.

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.

John Flicker resigns as National Audubon Society president

John Flicker stepped down after 15 years of service as Audubon president. The transition comes after major advances during the past year, including the spread of an Audubon-championed approach to save imperiled Greater Sage-Grouse while allowing properly located domestic energy development, and the opening of three new Audubon Centers serving urban communities.

During Flicker's tenure, Audubon focused on keeping common birds common, educating the public and decision makers about the important role of birds as indicators of environmental health, and connecting new and diverse audiences to nature and their power to protect it. Flicker envisioned a network of Audubon Centers nationwide to build that connection. Today, 43 Audubon Centers engage more than a million people each year in nature discovery and conservation action. Urban Centers in places such as Los Angeles , Baltimore, Phoenix and New York City are helping to revitalize abused landscapes and empower local communities. Flicker also led Audubon through dramatic growth in revenue and programs as the organization identified more than 2,400 Important Bird Areas across America.

As Audubon begins a nationwide search for a new leader, Dr. Frank Gill, well-known current national Board Member and former Audubon Chief Scientist, will be serving as interim President. Frank is the former Vice President of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia and past President of the American Ornithologists' Union. He is also the author of the acclaimed textbook Ornithology 3e. Frank understands the unique strengths of the Audubon network and will seek to maximize their benefit as we pursue our shared conservation objectives.

John Flicker will take some well deserved time off but will return to work with Audubon in a new capacity to advance our vital mission.

All text, photos, graphics ©2007-2010 Collier County Audubon Society unless otherwise noted. Do not reproduce without prior permission.

since June 13, 2007