Draft Minutes
Virginia Audubon Council Quarterly Meeting
October 23, 2004
Henry Clay Inn, Ashland, VA
Present:
Cape Henry Audubon: Andy
Tate, Farimae Tate
Fairfax Audubon: Manny
Barrera, Walt Simonson
National Audubon: Desiree
Groves, Dave Pardoe
Northern Neck Audubon: Rick
Skelton
Richmond Audubon: Ellen
Ackerman, Lewis Barnett, Caroline Coe, John Coe, Brian Moores, Margaret O’Bryan
Virginia Beach Audubon: E.
L. Carlyle, Sue Carlyle
The meeting was convened by
President Manny Barrera at 9:40 A.M. The minutes of the meeting of July 24,
2004 were corrected and approved.
Manny solicited the support
of chapter volunteers for the Virginia Important Bird Area (IBA) program. He
also brought copies of a letter addressed to Congresspersons requesting support
for S2342/HR4202, the companion Virginia wilderness bills now before Congress.
Desiree said that this bill is stalled until the next session of Congress.
Manny requested that each chapter sign and mail a copy of this letter to their
congresspersons. Julie moved that the Council sign onto this letter, and her
motion was seconded and voted unanimously.
Treasurer’s Report: Julie
submitted the treasurer’s report (attached). The question was raised as to
whether the Council should continue to rent the Ashland post al box. It was
suggested that the rental cost could be shared between Council and IBA funds.
Andy suggested that we keep the box until it expires in six months. Manny said
that he would send a letter of thanks to Virginia Society of Ornithology (VSO)
president Teta Kain for the VSO’s contribution to the IBA project. As to the
question as to whether the Council or IBA should maintain a Web domain name,
Manny suggested that the Council should allow any Council DNS to expire, since
National Audubon (NAS) would sponsor a Virginia Audubon Web presence when the
state office opens. It was moved and seconded that the treasurer’s report be
approved as submitted, and this motion was seconded and passed unanimously.
IBA Program: Andy reported
that the IBA effort was present at the Eastern Shore Birding Festival on
October 9, 2004, where he handed out brochures. Phase 1 of the IBA effort is
now complete. No permanent state IBA coordinator has been hired yet, but that
candidates are still being reviewed. Designation of the Virginia barrier island
lagoon system is under consideration, since it is a principal eastern migration
route. This system includes Chincoteague and Eastern Shore National Wildlife
Refuges (CNWR and ESNWR), Nature Conservancy (TNC) reserves, and other U. S.
Fish and Wildlife areas. Andy has spoken to Barry Truitt of TNC, who provided
census data for its areas. Other data has also been obtained from CNWR and
ESNWR. Other sites also being considered for IBA designation include
Prothonotary Warbler habitat on the James River, the Radford Arsenal, and Bald
Eagle habitat on the James, Rappahannock, and York Rivers. Jeff Cooper of the
Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF) is the technical liaison
for the eagle habitat. Other potential sites under consideration are the
northern Shenandoah National Park (Cerulean Warbler habitat) Whitetop Mountain
(although census data are sparse), and Manassas Battlefield (NPS).
Manny reiterated that Phase
1 of the project is complete, and a report submitted to VDGIF. Phase 2 began in
July 2004, and is to be completed by December 2005. A subcontract has been
signed with NAS to work on Phase 2. After this agreement is signed, the funds
needed to pay a permanent coordinator will be transferred to NAS. John Cecil
(NAS IBA manager) has identified three candidates to interview for the
coordinator position; interviews will be conducted in late November 2004. A sum
of $84,000 is forthcoming from VDGIF to support Phase 2, with cost share
provided by the Council. Manny announced that the oversight committee would
meet immediately after the Council meeting. He also said that David Whitehurst
of VDGIF is concerned about progress of IBA in Virginia.
National Audubon: Dave Pardoe
(NAS Board) reported that he had gone to the international IBA conference in
Sierra Vista, CA in August 2004. This was the fourth such conference, and
exciting results were reported, including a new effort to make connections
between bird habitat and ecosystem structure and function. He emphasized that
an IBA program is a good way to get started on a state Audubon office. Dave
then showed slides and discussed the Audubon Ad Hoc Committee Draft Report on the relationship between NAS and
local chapters. He discussed guiding principles under review for strengthening
NAS-chapter connections. A sticking point has been the issue of dues
sharing. Dave suggested that IBA
activities can be one way to strengthen NAS-chapter relationships. A proposal
is under consideration to eliminate the dues share, but to encourage and
support chapter fund-raising activities, including grant proposals. State
office will also play an essential role in NAS-chapter relations. There is
little hope of reviving regional offices or conferences; the expense of the
national conferences is too great. One method of regional cooperation is for
states to sponsor regional assemblies.
Another topic under discussion is the possibility of decoupling chapter from
national dues; Dave solicited the views of those present on this matter.
Comments are due at NAS by December 1, 2004.
National Audubon DC Office: Desiree
solicited volunteers for a lobby day on March1-2, 2005 supporting the Teaming
with Wildlife effort at the DC office. This initiative supports federal
legislation providing funding for non-game species at the state level. It would
be part of the Department of Interior appropriations bill. She also mentioned
that VDGIF will hold a meeting in northern Virginia on November 5, 2004 to explore
the possibility of comprehensive planning for state wildlife conservation.
Andy Tate announced that he
would be promoting the IBA project at the annual conference of the Garden Club
of Virginia in Staunton. Manny asked for comments on the Ad Hoc Chapter/National Relationship draft document previously
discussed by Dave Pardoe. He expressed his belief that any funds collected by
the Council to support the formation of a state office need to be retained by
the Council until the state office can be established. E. L. Carlyle expressed
concern that any money donated for a state office be spent for the purpose for
which it was given. Ellen Ackerman suggested that the Council might team up
with VSO to help establish a state office. Manny said that he would work with
Walt Simonson and Margaret O’Bryan to discuss the possibility of organizing an
Audubon Assembly in the state or the region. This possibility will be discussed
at the next meeting. It could also be mentioned to potential Audubon donors.
Constitution and Bylaws: It
was decided to discuss revisions to these at the next meeting.
Nominating Committee: The
following slate of officers was brought by Caroline Coe, chair of the
nominating committee: President: Manny Barrera (Fairfax Audubon), First
Vice-President: Walt Simonson (Fairfax Audubon), Second Vice-President: Rick
Skelton (Northern Neck Audubon), Secretary: Brian Moores (Richmond Audubon),
Treasurer: Julie Simpson (Northern Shenandoah Valley Audubon). Ellen moved that
the secretary cast one vote for the entire slate of nominees; her motion was
seconded and carried unanimously.
Next meetings: January 22,
2005 at Randolph-Macon College; April 16, 2005 at Kilmarnock; July 16, 2005 at
Huntley Meadows Park; October 15, 2005 at Blandy Experimental Farm.
The meeting was adjourned at
1:40 P.M.
Respectfully submitted,
Brian W. Moores, Secretary