October 2023 Conservation
- Details
- Last Updated: September 22, 2023
by Tim Manns
Page two of each Skagit Flyer issue quotes Skagit Audubon’s purpose: “Our mission is to conserve and restore natural ecosystems, focusing on birds, other wildlife, and their habitats for the benefit of humanity and the earth’s biological diversity.” This statement guides which conservation issues and activities Skagit Audubon takes on with written comments, testimony at public hearings, co-signing letters by other conservation groups, recruiting volunteers, and more.
Note that Audubon’s mission isn’t restricted to birds; hence, our chapter’s long membership in the Friends of the North Cascades Grizzly Bear, supporting this species’ restoration to the North Cascades in accordance with the Endangered Species Act. Scanning the list of current issues in Skagit Audubon’s Conservation Notes (https://skagitaudubon.org/~dpnhwzgi/conservation/notes) you will see that the majority are about protecting habitat. Climate change can degrade habitat on a large scale. National Audubon calls it the single greatest threat to birds. Locally, land use planning and decisions on development projects often have potential to affect wildlife habitat.