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national audubon society bashing



As a long-time Auduboner who has seen the organization go through ups and
downs, I'm hoping Tim's and Pete's criticisms reflect Audubon's past
shortcomings but fall short of predicting future performance.

I know the Audubon field guides have their flaws; trying to use photos in
the bird guide to begin with was problematic.  There have been other
stumbles, too, as Pete mentioned, but National Audubon has new leadership
and a renewed emphasis on birds and habitat conservation.  In North
Carolina (and I believe in S.C., too), new state offices are beginning to
work with local leadership to define goals and to work to achieve them.  A
strong emphasis on grass-roots involvement, conservation education and
habitat preservation is emerging.

It strikes me that birders can applaud and support conservation groups like
Audubon, and, yea, even profitably participate in them in the difficult
effort to preserve and protect birds and their habitats.  If Audubon's not
your cup of tea, maybe Sierra is, or the Wilderness Society, or the
American Bird Conservancy.

All these groups need dollars and bodies and brains, and bird-lovers I hope
will  lend hearts and hands in whatever ways they can.

I guess I look on Audubon the way I look on my church and my political
party -- flawed, for sure, but with a proud heritage and full of promise.

Len Pardue, member, N.C. Audubon Board of Directors