We are in a critical moment for birds and people. Last month we learned that this hurricane season may be one of the most intense ever, as stronger storms are driven by increasing ocean and Gulf temperatures. These storms and their associated wind, surges, and rainfall will have an impact not only on the birds, but our coastal and inland communities, too. The forecast drives home that the dual crises of climate change and biodiversity loss are the defining challenges of our time. We will be remembered and judged by the progress we make towards addressing both in the next decade.

The National Audubon Society has embarked on a new strategic Flight Plan to meet these challenges head on. Here in Florida, we are building on our legacy of almost 125 years of conservation in the Sunshine State to redouble our efforts to protect bird and wildlife habitat, improve water quality, use sound science to guide land management decisions, and more.

Flight Plan harnesses the full power of Audubon—including on-the-ground staff across the Western Hemisphere, centers and sanctuaries, and chapters—by focusing on a set of shared outcomes for greater collective impact. Our long-term vision is to “bend the bird curve” to halt and reverse the decline of birds, and in doing so, protect our own well-being and prosperity, too.

The committed and passionate work of our staff, volunteers, donors, and members makes me hopeful that the next decade will bring some of the most important victories and progress that Audubon has seen since our beginning in Florida in 1900.

Click here to read the full 2024 Summer Naturalist magazine.