Audubon Society of Northern Virginia (ASNV) History

The northern Virginia chapter is celebrating more than a quarter century of protecting birds, other wildlife and their habitats. The Audubon Society of Northern Virginia (ASNV) was first chartered as the "The Audubon Society of Northern Fairfax" in 1980, shortened its name in 1983 to, "Fairfax Audubon Society" and again in 2004 to ASNV, more accurately reflecting the true membership and range of activities of our Audubon chapter.  

ASNV carries out conservation, education and advocacy programs throughout the region from Alexandria to Manassas in Fairfax, Prince William, Loudoun and Arlington Counties, and beyond.  

Watch a quick video about ASNV.

Mission

ASNV is committed to the National Audubon Society’s mission: to conserve and restore natural ecosystems.

ASNV connects people, earth and sky.  Through the education programs, ASNV helps members and
the community understand, appreciate and enjoy birds and other wildlife, their habitats, and their link to people.

When you save a bird, you save the natural habitat surrounding that bird. ASNV addresses issues which impact habitats and ecosystems important for birds and other wildlife by influencing public policies and private practices. By engaging in scientifically-based conservation programs, ASNV helps track and protect birds, other wildlife and the natural ecosystems upon which these species depend in northern Virginia.

ASNV works in partnership with volunteers, other conservation organizations and land managers to provide effective stewardship of these northern Virginia habitats.  To realize these goals, ASNV focuses on:

   1. Environmental education, featuring the Audubon at Home program 

   2. Conservation 

   3. Advocacy and grassroots organizing

Feel free to contact the Audubon Society of Northern Virginia at:

    Audubon Society of Northern Virginia (ASNV)
    11100 Wildlife Center Drive, Suite 100
    Reston, VA 20190
    Phone: 703-438-6008
    E-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
    www.AudubonVA.org

About Audubon

When John James Audubon died in 1851, he had gained fame for his elegant portraits of America’s birds and other wildlife in their natural habitats. His perspective and methods were unique, and his reputation has endured, making his art a rich legacy for all who wish to glimpse what he experienced. Regrettably, much of the natural world Audubon sought to fix in those vivid images has not endured.

Through Audubon’s art, however, people began to see and appreciate birds in new ways,to value them, and to be concerned about their fate. By the 1880s, his name had become the banner under which a major conservation movement was taking shape. It started as revulsion at the heedless slaughter of wild birds for their feathers. In a classic grassroots effort, Audubon clubs and supporters secured state and federal legislation to suppress the feather trade and, in 1903, influenced President Theodore Roosevelt to establish the first federal wildlife refuge. In 1905, the National Association of Audubon Societies was organized, paving the way for a century of new challenges, opportunities and successes in campaigns to conserve birds and other wildlife and their habitats.

Today’s National Audubon Society and a broad network of state and local chapters - including the Audubon Society of Northern Virginia - remain committed to addressing environmental problems ranging in scale from neighborhood to global. The heart of the Audubon effort has always been in helping individuals make a difference in their communities. The Audubon At Home initiative is helping people bring nature back to their homes and communities.