Dear friends,
Climate change has always been a subject that, for some, is hard to imagine. The causes, the implications, the failures, the opportunities—for so many of us, its impacts seem far away, and though we may understand it’s an important issue, our lives tomorrow will not be drastically different than today. This is in sharp contrast to what Ukrainians are now facing. It isn’t difficult to convince people why this is an important issue.
Even though the war is far away, its impact instantly reverberated around the world. In an unsettling coincidence, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released a new report just days after the Russian invasion, painting a clear picture of the destruction climate change has already wreaked. At a time when all eyes are turned to war, it’s important that we not lose sight of our other fight, as far away as it may seem.
Jim Palus, President
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March 16 and 23: Field Trip to Walnut Woods Woodcock Walks
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March 19: Calamus Swamp Work Day
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March 29: MONTHLY PROGRAM: Plans for the Great Lakes
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April 2: Field Trip - Snipe Saturday at Battelle Darby Metro Park
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April 23: Service in the Preserves workday
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Monthly Program:
Plans for the Great Lakes
Tuesday, Mar 29, 2022, 6:30pm
Please join us as we welcome Audubon Great Lakes’ Senior Director of Conservation, Nat Miller. Nat will detail Audubon’s plans and discuss regional strategies with a focus on Ohio’s Lake Erie coast.
As featured in the Columbus Dispatch, the National Audubon Society recently released an ambitious new report titled, Audubon’s Vision: Restoring the Great Lakes for Birds and People, which offers a blueprint for how to best conserve indispensable coastal areas to address the threats facing the Great Lakes region. This vision is guided by a spatial prioritization of marsh birds and is aligned with delivering goals for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and H2Ohio.
Nat Miller is the Senior Director of Conservation for the Great Lakes and Upper Mississippi River at National Audubon Society. Miller joined Audubon in 2014, leading a conservation and science team that uses birds as indicator species to help inform conservation. He works to develop and implement Audubon’s conservation and science programs across the Midwest.
Register for This Program
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Calamus Swamp Work Days
Mark your Calendars for Saturday, March 19
Calamus Swamp 2022 Work Days are scheduled! It’s time to gear up for spring work days - we’ve got two scheduled this year: March 19th - April 9th (if heavy rain or storms, we’ve got a backup date of April 16th) We had a terrific turnout at our work days last year, and made some real progress. Many thanks once again to all who participated! We can use all of the help we can get this year so that we can start working on other important projects at Calamus.
Controlling invasive plants will be the main focus for the work days again this year. The Grange Insurance Audubon Center has created an event for us: Click Here to register for either or both work days. We will meet at 10 AM at the Calamus Swamp parking lot, and expect to work until about 2 PM. Snacks and water will be provided.
What to bring: Please bring your own work gloves. We have some tools available, but bring along loppers, weed whackers, or other trimming/cutting tools that you think might be helpful. Be sure to dress for the weather! Hiking or work boots should be fine, but bring muck boots just in case. Save the Date: We are planning ahead this year for fall work days, so be sure to mark these on your calendar – more details to come soon: September 10th - October 22nd.
Directions: From Columbus, take route 315 S and follow the signs toward Cincinnati. This becomes I-71 S. Take the exit for SR 104/Frank Road and turn right onto Frank Road, then right onto SR 104 S/Jackson Pike. Follow SR 104 for just short of 24 miles and you will come to the intersection of SR 104 and US 22 (you will see the Goody Nook on your left). Continue through the intersection and the entrance to Calamus Swamp is just past a small stand of trees on your left; you will see a gravel parking lot. Questions? Please visit our website at https://columbusaudubon.org/act-now/contact-us/ and select Conservation from the Topic Area dropdown. We look forward to seeing you at Calamus Swamp
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GIAC Senior Conservation Coordinator Needed
Position Summary
The Senior Coordinator, Conservation will be a vital member of the Grange Insurance Audubon Center team and Audubon’s work in Ohio and throughout the Audubon network. They will work alongside and under the leadership of the Center Director and staff to create and maintain a plan that positions the center as a hub in the community and a showcase for ecological restoration that continues to provide programming and experiences. This position will execute public programming and build conservation stewardship and advocacy that focuses on improving habitat for breeding and migratory birds, while improving water quality and building climate resiliency in and around the center and local communities.
This job requires a culturally competent, organized, and responsible person with the capacity to communicate with multi-generational audiences. The successful applicant must have enthusiasm for the outdoors and a willingness to learn and share actively with community members an awareness of local ecology. The position requires travel to community organizations and local natural areas throughout Central Ohio and the ability to work weekends.
To learn more, click here
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Field Trips
Walnut Woods Woodcock Walks
March 16 and 23 at 7pm
Celebrate spring with one of our earliest migratory birds, the American Woodcock. These shorebirds put on whimsical flight displays in the evening accompanied by their characteristic PEENT call!
Meet at Walnut Woods Metro Park Tall Pines Area parking lot
https://goo.gl/maps/9SScpsWXYdKGPgQv8
E-mail James Muller at jrmuller12@gmail.com to register.
Snipe Saturday at Battelle Darby Metro Park
April 2 at 7:30pm
Join us for a walk through the Teal and Harrier Trail areas to look for Wilson’s Snipe! We may also hear an early American Bittern or Rail, or see Swallows as they make their return journey north!
Meet at Teal & Harrier Trail Parking lot
https://goo.gl/maps/Gxq6JiJnf73txHMj6
E-mail Kori Gasaway at Kori.gasaway@gmail.com to register.
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EcoWeekend 2022 Cancelled
At Columbus Audubon, protecting the health and safety of those who attend our events is our highest priority. In light of the continuing threat of COVID-19, we have cancelled EcoWeekend 2022.
We are tremendously disappointed to cancel EcoWeekend, and we know that several hundred of you who planned to attend are disappointed as well. We sincerely hope to be here next year with the best EcoWeekend yet! Mark your calendars for the first weekend in May, 2023.
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Service in the Preserves
Service in the Preserves is a longtime collaboration between Columbus Audubon and ODNR. Just a reminder that we have the following trips planned this spring. It is a wonderful way to contribute to local nature conservation and see jewels of Ohio’s preserve system.
- Apr 23 - Miller - Garlic mustard pull and woody removal
- May 14 - Rhododendron cove - Garlic mustard pull
- June 4 - Collier or Lawrence Woods - Garlic mustard pull and boardwalk leveling/repair
Visit our webpage for more information.
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Native Plants Backyard Challenge
It’s time to join the challenge! Registration is live at https://tickets.audubon.org/grange/events.
You can join as a Columbus Audubon Member or Grange Insurance Audubon Center Member, or as a returning NPBYC participant for just $25. You can also donate to sponsor a household, which provides the registration fee and a stipend to purchase plants at the spring plant sale.
Visit the Columbus Audubon website at https://columbusaudubon.org/native-plants-backyard-challenge/ or the challenge page on the GIAC website at https://grange.audubon.org/programs/native-plants-backyard-challenge for a timeline and details, or to register!
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How Your Business Can Grow by Supporting Columbus Audubon
Do you have a business that wants to show its support for the local conservation and birding community – and reach new and existing customers?
Columbus Audubon is looking for business sponsors for the 2022 Birdathon, our chapter’s biggest fundraiser of the year. The Birdathon involves teams of dedicated volunteers who collect pledges based on how many birds they see on a single day during May.
A $250 donation will get your business logo featured in several issues of our monthly Song Sparrow newsletter and on the Columbus Audubon Facebook page and webpage in articles that detail the progress and final results of the friendly competition. In addition, your company will be recognized at one of our fall programs.
You’ll be reaching thousands of central Ohioans who will appreciate your business’s support of Columbus Audubon. And you will be making a real difference in the Columbus community, helping to fund community science, education and conservation projects right where you and your customers live.
For more information and details about how to donate, please contact Jeff Grabmeier at jgrabmeier@gmail.com.
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