Monique Borboen-Abrams, Audubon's Northeast Florida Policy Associate, reports from her region's most recent Regional Conservation Committee (RCC) meeting:

At our Northeast Florida RCC this past Saturday, we first visited Rice Creek Conservation Area, to discuss how we can, as Audubon conservation leaders, help protect special places in Florida. We discussed how to best support control burns, so crucial to Florida ecosystems, how we need to advocate for the funding of land buying programs to set aside the most precious pieces of nature

for our wildlife, our water and our enjoyment, and other management measures necessary to keep protected places adequate for wildlife.

We later held our meeting in a local restaurant and heard about the accomplishments of our 7 amazing chapters:

• St. Johns Audubon Society, in association with the American Water Resources Association, is organizing over 60 volunteers to clean-up Oyster Creek, their adopted watershed – beyond cleaning trash, the event is meant to bring attention to water quality issues.

• Alachua Audubon Society featured its upcoming Christmas Bird Count (CBC) for kids – with 30 participants last year, this event is fast becoming an annual tradition.

• Santa Fe Audubon Society reported on its creative fundraiser in partnership with a local art association, asking an artist to decorate blue bird boxes and selling them through a raffle.

• Four Rivers Audubon Society held 3 CBC including the new CBC circle at their adopted IBA: Ichetucknee Springs State Park, where they are seeking protection of the river from excessive tubing.

• Flagler Audubon Society discovered a very rare visitor, a Snow Bunting; in collaboration with the City of Palm Coast, they organized protection efforts of the bird while it regenerated feathers needed to continue it's journey.

• Duval Audubon Society reported on their on-going involvement at Huguenot Memorial Park with the good news that the City of Jacksonville has hired a naturalist who will be stationed at the park in the old camp store transformed into a nature center.

• Marion Audubon Society couldn’t attend, but sent their announcement with Board Member Ann Moore: they are working with the Florida Federation of Garden Clubs on an Earth Day event featuring a lecture by Doug Tallamy, renowned author of “Bringing Nature Home”.

Thanks to our wonderful chapters for making this day possible. If you would like to become involved in your local Audubon Chapter, please click here -  and help make a difference in the conservation of Florida's natural world.