By Air and By Sea: Understanding Kodiak's Sea Ducks

Kodiak Refuge is welcoming a great public talk to the Center this Friday, February the 26th (lobby opens at 6:30 pm)--"By Air and By Sea: Understanding Kodiak's Sea Ducks." Robin Corcoran, Kodiak Refuge bird biologist, will be sharing the latest in Refuge sea bird winter bird surveys, just completed last week and will have some beautiful images to share. This talk also syncs up with our temporary exhibit of the tribe Mergini--19 amazing sea duck carvings on loan from Nancy Hillstand's collection. We'll have the whole Center open special for the evening event! Fore more information, folks can call our information desk, 487-2626.

February 19th Program

Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council: 18 March 2010

The Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Trustee Council is seeking public comment on proposed focus areas for remaining restoration funds, concurrent with a NEPA update of its 1994 Restoration Plan. Comments are due by April 1, 2010 For more information, and instructions for submitting comments, please visit www.evostc.state.ak.us/nepa.

If you need special accomodations to participate, please call our office at 907-278-8012 or Toll-Free at 800-478-7745. The following public meetings will also be held to obtain input and comments from members of the public:

February 16, 2010 - Homer, Alaska

6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Alaska Islands and Oceans Visitor Center
95 Sterling Highway
Homer, AK 99603


February 17, 2010 - Anchorage, Alaska

6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Dena'ina Civic & Convention Center- Kahtnu Room #1
600 West 7th Ave.
Anchorage, AK 99501


February 18, 2010 - Cordova, Alaska

7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Cordova Public Library
622 First Street
Cordova, AK 99574

March 16, 2010 - Seward, Alaska

6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
K.M. Rae Building
125 Third Avenue
Seward, AK 99664


March 17, 2010 - Valdez, Alaska

6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Valdez City Council Chambers
206 Pioneer Drive
Valdez, AK 99686


March 18, 2010 - Kodiak, Alaska

6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Kodiak Refuge Visitor Center
402 Center Street
Kodiak, AK 99615

TogetherGreen 2010

Applications are now being accepted for Round III of the TogetherGreen Innovation Grants and Conservation Leadership programs! (See below for more info.)

In addition, year II of Pennies for the Planet has launched and we'd love your help in getting additional publicity for this program. It will be benefitting three conservation programs:Panther Island in Florida, the coastal marshes in Louisiana, and the protection of the Western Snowy Plover and other species on the California coast. And finally, for those of you interested in the Volunteer Days program, applications and information will be released on March 1, 2010.

Deadlines: Applications for Year 3 of the Conservation Leadership program and the Innovation Grants program will be due May 7th, 2010. The application process will again be online. Applications for Volunteer Days grants will be due on March 29th and will be distributed by March 1 via email by Chuck Remington, Director of the Volunteer Days program.

To Find Out More: To see the new materials and information, please visit:

INNOVATION GRANTS: http://togethergreen.org/grants

Innovation Grants Planning Grants: Once again, those wishing to conduct preliminary work for a potential Innovation Grant project are encouraged to apply for a planning grant of $5,000 or less. We will award three to five planning grants again this year. Preliminary work might include building a relationship with a prospective partner, establishing credibility with a prospective audience, or conducting mapping work to determine priority conservation areas.

Details about how to apply can be found at http://togethergreen.org/Projects/PlanningGrants.aspx.

FELLOWS: http://togethergreen.org/fellows

Pennies for the Planet: Pennies for the Planet Year II is well underway! The program is designed to help kids learn more about conservation and what they can do in their communities, and help support three important conservation projects around the country. This year, all three programs focus on coastal and wetland projects. Find activities, donations forms, and more here: www.penniesfortheplanet.org.

Thank you all for your guidance and help in making the first two years of TogetherGreen such a great success. We are now in the middle of our second year and have learned a tremendous amount thanks to the great feedback we've received from many of you, including last year's applicants and our current Grantees and Fellows. You'll see much of this feedback incorporated into this year's application materials. We also will be conducting online training for potential Innovation Grant applicants during the application period to answer any questions they might have about the application process or the program.We are anticipating another great group of Innovation Grant projects, Volunteer Days participants, and Fellows this year - and look forward to seeing the applications. Please talk to your staff and colleagues to let them know about the program and continue to build a buzz about TogetherGreen and the opportunities for funding.

Transition in National Audubon Leadership

For some time now it has been my privilege to tell you about Audubon's latest conservation victories and of how your support is making a difference. Now, I want to share the news of my decision to step down as Audubon¹s leader.

I am completing my 15th year as President of Audubon. That's longer than anyone has served in this position for more than half a century. For me and for Audubon, it's time for a change.

After much contemplation, I have decided to leave my post as President, but anticipate continuing to work with Audubon in another capacity to advance our conservation agenda. Our Board of Directors met yesterday by conference call to accept my resignation and appoint former Audubon Chief Scientist Frank Gill to serve as Interim President while the organization conducts a nationwide search for a new leader.

I am very pleased and grateful that Frank has graciously agreed to step in as Interim President. I originally recruited Frank to Audubon from the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, where he served as Vice President. He is also the past President of the American Ornithologists¹ Union and author of the acclaimed textbook Ornithology 3e. Most recently, he has been a Member of Audubon¹s Board of Directors. Anyone who knows Frank will attest to his exceptional knowledge of birds and habitat, his tremendous analytical skills, his creativity, and his commitment to conservation and to Audubon. Frank understands both the unique power of the Audubon network and the many challenges facing the natural world. With your help, he will ensure that the organization meets those challenges and seizes new conservation opportunities. He has my full confidence and support.

On a personal note, I am very proud of all this organization has accomplished over the past 15 years. With your help, we refocused Audubon to better protect birds, other wildlife and their habitats, to build the next generation of conservation leaders. We decentralized the organization to bring our mission of nature discovery and conservation closer to people through our network of Chapters, State Programs, Audubon Centers and Important Bird Areas. We demonstrated our capacity to achieve landscape-scale conservation in key areas from the Everglades to the Arctic, and to protect Important Bird Areas internationally through our partnership with BirdLife International. And we used our urban Audubon centers to inspire and engage a new cadre of conservationists who better reflect the changing face of America.

I plan to take some time off to "go birding." But I am not retiring. I will continue working in conservation, and it is my hope and desire to do so in another role connected with the Audubon team.

For now, let me thank you for your support of this great organization and for the privilege of having played a role in Audubon's conservation legacy. It has been an honor.

Sincerely,
John Flicker

2010 Great Backyard Bird Count: 12-15 February

The 2010 Great Backyard Bird Count (February 12 - 15th) is a great opportunity to connect people with nature, and further the Audubon mission.

- The Great Backyard Bird Count is a great way for people of all ages to connect with nature. Audubon and Cornell invite you to get involved February 12 - 15, 2010-- President's Day weekend.

- It's easy - just count the birds in your backyard, local park or another location and report what you see online at www.birdcount.org"Count for Fun, Count for the Future"

- Taking part in the GBBC helps give scientists important information about birds and the environment we share. When you volunteer to help you become part of a large team of Citizen Scientists across the country. You can see what birds are being reported in your own neighborhood and throughout the United States and Canada by visiting www.birdcount.org

- Bird-watching is the second fastest growing hobby in the USA, right after gardening. The Great Backyard Bird Count combines the two. Find out why people love to combine them. Discover how you can create a bird-friendly yard. http://www.audubonathome.org/birdstohelp/

- You can count anywhere you choose - at a local park, a school yard, even a city garden. Any one can join the fun; no experience required. It's FREE.

- The Great Backyard Bird Count is perfect as a family exercise. Bird watching is a stress-reducer. Listening to bird songs helps too!Introducing a relative or friend to bird watching is a wonderful gift. Set up a Binocular Boot Camp to urge newcomers to learn how to identify birds at your local Audubon Center or Chapter.

- Develop you own version of Birding Basics http://www.audubon.org/bird/at_home/bird_watching/index.shtml

January Program: 15 January at Kodiak College