Photo: Cedar Waxwings, Donald Metzner/Great Backyard Bird Count
Tom Blackburn
By now you should have received a letter or an email asking you to support ASNV with a donation during our Annual Appeal. If you’ve already responded, thank you! For those of you who haven’t, please make a generous contribution to continue protecting birds and the environment.
ASNV increased its advocacy efforts in the past year, working to protect bird habitat throughout Virginia. We also opposed the spraying of insecticides that kill insects essential for young birds; advocated for bird-safe building design; and supported clean energy legislation in Virginia.
Our education programs went online in the spring, resulting in a significant increase in the number and diversity of people who attended our classes. We presented more than 50 hours of classes this year, many of them free. We also made grants to support student conservation-oriented projects in local area schools. We believe that encouraging students to gain knowledge and enthusiasm for nature is essential to helping them become active stewards of our environment.
Our citizen science programs improved knowledge of bird and insect populations, helping researchers understand how to protect our changing environment. With the help of hundreds of volunteers, we conducted a Christmas Bird Count, a Winter Waterfowl Count, an International Migratory Bird Count and regular surveys of butterflies and dragonflies.
Our Audubon at Home program provided advice to homeowners and property managers on how to make habitat improvements that attract wildlife. Volunteer AAH Ambassadors visited over 100 properties and certified 1,217 acres as Wildlife Sanctuaries. We also helped present a conference on native plants to landscape professionals; co-hosted a webinar on native plants with our partner, Green Muslims and expanded the Audubon at Home program into parts of Rappahannock and Fauquier Counties.
Most of our efforts are fueled by donations and volunteer hours from individuals. You can read more about the work we did together in fiscal 2020 in our Annual Report. Please join our efforts by giving to our Annual Appeal. You can donate online or send a check to ASNV, 11100 Wildlife Center Drive, Reston VA 20190.
Together we can help birds thrive and work to improve the environment we all share!