Connecticut Audubon Society

March 2010: Important "Open Space" Bill in Hartford Contains 4 Key CAS Recommendations

To Improve the State's Land-Acquisition Process and Protect Birds & Habitats;

Is Unanimously Approved By The Environment Committee

At the urging of Co-Chair Senator Edward Meyer (D-12th District), the State Legislature’s Environment Committee voted unanimously on March 19, 2010 to approve Bill No. 5417. The bill provides substantial improvements in the process and oversight for State Senator Ed Meyer at March 11 press conference identifying and acquiring land to meet the State’s open space goals and includes four key recommendations from our recently released Connecticut State of the Birds 2010 report that address these issues. Milan Bull, CAS’s Senior Director of Science and Conservation, who authored the article and recommendations on land acquisition in our new report, said: “We thank Senator Meyer for his leadership on this issue and we also thank all the members of the Conservation Committee and our conservation partners for their support of this important bill." Bill No. 5417 now goes to the Planning and Development Committee and then to the Appropriations Committee for consideration. Connecticut Audubon Society will continue to work for the passage of this bill and engage the support of its membership and other conservation organizations. Read more. Photo by Mara Neville.

Join our new Connecticut Audubon Advocacy Network (CAAN)

Our new conservation advocacy e-mail network (CAAN) is designed to provide you with valuable and timely information on conservation issues affecting our state, and enable you to bring these issues to the attention of state and local elected officials and policymakers. Milan Bull, CAS Senior Director of Science and Conservation and one of the most respected conservationists in the state, leads this effort. Signing up is simple: send an e-mail to advocacy@ctaudubon.org -- or click here -- and say “Yes, I want to join the Connecticut Audubon Advocacy Network (CAAN)."

Here's a good example of why our new advocacy network is so necessary: Beginning in 2006 we have published an annual "Connecticut State of the Birds" report to increase public awareness of threats to our state's birdlife, bird habitats and overall environmental biodiversity. Our reports are also "calls to action"; each includes CAS's specific recommendations to the Governor and State Legislature for urgently needed conservation actions. Our 2009 report focuses on the State and Federal Endangered Species Acts and why we need to move on to a more pro-active approach to protecting at-risk species and conserving habitat. We believe that using a Biological Conservation Unit approach -- a BCU is a suite of species (plants and animals) combined with the key habitat upon which they depend -- is a better way to identify and protect critical wildlife habitat and conserve a number of key indicator bird species and other wildlife that may be declining but are not necessarily on an "endangered" list.

It is essential to have a plan before habitat is lost and bird species and other wildlife become endangered. BCUs can be an important tool in developing a comprehensive conservation acquisition strategy. This methodology will make it easy to identify the type and size of needed "open space" that must be set aside for real conservation of scarce biodiversity. But the State Legislature needs to allocate the money to acquire and manage the land. And Connecticut already lags well behind its own stated goals for open space acquisition.

Habitat loss and other serious threats to our birdlife and overall biodiversity -- described in previous "Connecticut State of the Birds" reports -- have been a long time in developing and they will not be corrected easily or quickly. By enlisting your help as part of our new advocacy network, we can expand and strenghten our advocacy efforts on behalf of the environment.

As specific issues arise that we think require a specific response, we will ask you to contact the appropriate official or legislator. Our periodic e-mail reports will give you the data to decide if you want to weigh in on a particular issue, many of which are complex and long term and will require consistent attention and support along the way. Please consider adding to the commitment we believe you already have to conservation and join our Connecticut Audubon Advocacy Network. Sign up by sending an e-mail to advocacy@ctaudubon.org -- or click here -- and say “Yes, I want to join the Connecticut Audubon Advocacy Network (CAAN)."

To read our "Connecticut State of the Birds" reports, click here.

Connecticut Audubon Society's Conservation Advocacy Work

Every major environmental legislative initiative over the past several decades has been positively impacted by Connecticut Audubon Society's advocacy efforts in Hartford. Osprey

Connecticut Audubon Society offers enlightened leadership on key issues, advises on environmental policies, and champions environmental objectives. Connecticut Audubon Society works directly with legislators, policymakers and other stakeholders who can effect change.

Connecticut Audubon Society strives to encourage environmental, conservation and other public policies that will help:

Protect birds and their habitats
Preserve open space
Strengthen land management
Protect inland and coastal wetlands
Protect endangered species and their habitats
Improve water quality for Long Island Sound, rivers and aquifers
Reduce toxins in our environment

In 1974, Connecticut Audubon Society made its presence official in Hartford by establishing an environmental affairs office in the state’s capital. Connecticut Audubon Society often takes a leadership role, working in partnership with other environmental groups like National Audubon Society, The Nature Conservancy, CT's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and local and regional conservation groups in the state and in the region. We recognize the value of "pooled" resources and working cooperatively often results in bigger accomplishments and more successful outcomes for us all.

Connecticut Audubon Society's
"Connecticut State of the Birds" Reports & Initiative

In 2006, Connecticut Audubon Society launched a new annual initiative called “Connecticut State of the Birds.” This was a first-of-its-kind report for the state and it focused on the single greatest threat to our native birds: habitat loss. As a result of habitat loss, an estimated 50% of our native bird species are declining and 17% are on the CT DEP's list of "Endangered," "Threatened" and "Special Concern" species. This means that 50 out of 290 regularly or annually occurring bird species in Connecticut are State-listed. Our 2006 report also contains CAS's five specific, science-based recommendations for mitigating these threats and protecting Connecticut’s birds and habitats. In cooperation with CT DEP, other State agencies and other conservation organizations, Connecticut Audubon Society is following through on all five recommendations and we are pleased to see that bird conservation in Connecticut is moving forward. Above: the Blue-winged Warbler depends on shrublands, which are among the fastest disappearing habitats in Connecticut. It is a state-listed high-priority species for conservation. Photo by Paul J. Fusco.

Our "Connecticut State of the Birds 2007” Report described the next most serious set of threats to our native birds: specific factors, man-made or within our control, that kill or injure millions of birds annually and destroy precious habitat. Just one of these, glass strikes, conservatively kills an estimated 100 million birds every year in the U.S. -- and some experts say 1 billion!

Our "Connecticut State of the Birds 2008" Report described possible conservation strategies for six bird species that are in serious trouble -- and for which their Connecticut habitat is critical to their global survival -- to illustrate how complex the problems and solutions are related to habitat protection and bird conservation. These are the Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow (state-listed "Special Concern” species ), Blue-winged Warbler (state-listed “Endangered” species), Golden-winged Warbler, American Oystercatcher (state-listed “Special Concern” species), Cerulean Warbler, and Bobolink (state-listed “Special Concern” species).

Our "Connecticut State of the Birds 2009" Report is first a guide to endangered birds in Connecticut. It explains the benefits and limitations of the Federal and Connecticut Endangered Species Acts (ESAs) and provides a comprehensive overview of all the bird species listed on the CT-ESA. Second, it introduces the concept of "Biological Conservation Units" (BCUs), a proactive approach to conservation that focuses on key habitats and the species that depend on them. The BCU concept can be a tool to protect endangered species and many of the more common species that share their habitat. Finally, using a number of criteria, Connecticut Audubon Society selected 20 bird species that can serve as important indicators of where important bird habitat exists or can be created in Connecticut, and should be protected. Preserving the different habitats that these 20 species depend on will also protect a wide range of at-risk bird species plus numerous other wildlife, insects and plants.

These are Connecticut Audubon's "Top 20 Conservation Priority" Bird Species:

American Black Duck

American Woodcock

Blue-winged Warbler

Bobolink

Brown Thrasher

Cerulean Warbler

Common Nighthawk

Common Tern

Eastern Meadowlark

Golden-winged Warbler

Grasshopper Sparrow
Least Bittern

Least Tern

Piping Plover

Prairie Warbler

Roseate Tern

Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow

Sanderling

Seaside Sparrow

Wood Thrush

Our “Connecticut State of the Birds 2010” Report is about “The Role of Citizen Science.” It celebrates the accomplishments of citizen scientists beginning with Mabel Osgood Wright, Connecticut’s pioneer conservationist, citizen scientist and founder of Connecticut Audubon Society. The report also contains “A Connecticut Directory of Citizen-Science Programs” containing 35 entries for beginner, intermediate and advanced-level projects, including descriptions and contact information. The Directory is designed to encourage and inspire more Connecticut residents to become citizen scientists and get involved in helping us better understand and protect Connecticut’s flora and fauna.

Click here to read our "Connecticut State of the Birds" reports.

Keeping environmental issues in front of state representatives is an important part of our work. Connecticut Audubon Society is first and foremost a champion of the state's birds and their habitats -- which means promoting conservation of all aspects of the natural environment.

For more information contact:

Milan Bull
Senior Director, Science & Conservation,
Editorial Director, "Connecticut State of the Birds,"
Director, Conservation Advocacy
203-259-6305, ext. 111 or mbull@ctaudubon.org

Based on our "Connecticut State of the Birds" Initiative,

the following are Connecticut Audubon Society's
"Connecticut Bird & Habitat Conservation Priorities"

1. Preserve Grasslands

--Protect existing grasslands from development.

--Provide farmers with incentives to mow after the nesting season.

--Provide incentives to convert marginal cropland to grassland.

--Key Species: Meadowlark, Bobolink, Grasshopper Sparrow.

2. Manage Land to Create More Shrublands

--Actively manage public land to increase shrublands.
--Provide incentives to private landowners to create shrublands.
--Encourage utilities to maintain power line cuts as shrublands.

--Key Species: Blue-winged Warbler, Brown Thrasher, Towhee.

3. Protect Remaining Beach and Saltmarsh Habitats

--Actively prevent degradation of the limited existing habitat.

--Provide funds for policing during the nesting season.

--Use dredge spoil to create safe artificial nesting islands.

--Key Species: Oystercatcher, Least Tern, Sharp-tailed Sparrow.

Photo: Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow by Paul J. Fusco.

4. Slow Forest Fragmentation and Stop Deer Overbrowsing
--Use land acquisition to preserve large blocks of unbroken forest.

--Reduce deer populations in impacted forests.

--Key Species: Scarlet Tanager, Ovenbird, Wood Thrush.

5. Limit Unnecessary Human Threats

--Eliminate feral cat colonies on public lands.

--Promote light awareness programs for major buildings.

--Establish guidelines for lighting on communications towers.

--Support controls on all invasive species.

--Key Species: All migratory and native species.

E-mail Your Representatives and Help Our Songbirds!
Support Increased Federal Funding for Bird Conservation!

A new bill introduced in the US Senate and a companion bill in the House would reauthorize the existing Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act at significantly higher funding levels. Email your Senators and Representative to make sure both bills pass for the benefit of our songbirds! Click here for more information.

Photo: Common Yellowthroat copyright 2007 E.H. Soderberg

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