Limpkin April 2003

A Modest Proposal

By Tom Atkinson, IRAS President

How many of you remember from high school the English satirist, Jonathan Swift’s, modest proposal. He didn’t have much luck with his, but ever since I attended the Audubon Assembly in October last year as your president, I have been toying with the idea of putting forth my own modest proposal.

Upon arrival in Orlando at the Assembly, I was excited to introduce myself as the president of the Indian River Audubon Society. Now get the picture. I am mixing with Audubon types of every stripe from all over Florida and as soon as I say, “Indian River,” my new acquaintance starts rambling on about some nature preserve or wildlife viewing area about which I have scant knowledge. This is when the germ of my “modest proposal” was born. My new acquaintance thinks I am from Indian River County. No! No! I’m from Brevard County. Confusion reigns.

What is my modest proposal? I propose to change the name of Indian River Audubon Society of Brevard County to Audubon Society of Brevard County.

Hold on. Don’t go away. Hear me out. In my brief sojourn as president I have stumbled upon quite a few reasons why a name change would be to our advantage. The most recent was my experience at the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Pelican Wildlife Reserve. The celebration was held in Indian River County! The event brought dignitaries from all over the nation including our “pal,” Gail Norton. It was tough going around saying, “Hi, my name is Tom Atkinson. I’m the president of the Indian River Audubon Society.” It would have taken the next two minutes to explain. No. I am not from around here. I’m from the next county north of here. No the Indian River Audubon Society is not in Indian River County. It is in Brevard County. Again, confusion reigns.

The two examples mentioned above are very real and quite persuasive, but they are just part of the problem. The main issue is that new people coming into our area or becoming interested in “birds” or the “environment” for the first time turn to whatever directory is at hand. They look up in the “A’s” for Audubon. They are not drawn to the “I’s for Indian River. A case in point is Florida Today’s, FACT BOOK, Your Guide to Brevard County. We are listed, “Audubon Society, Indian River Chapter.” (page 73, 2/23/03 edition) I think it is kind of nice to have people find us under “Audubon” especially when they are looking for “Audubon.” I would, however, feel better about it if it were listed, “Audubon Society, Brevard County Chapter.”

In addition to the examples already stated, I would like to share with you a very personal and ego deflating experience I had at the Wildlife Festival in Titusville this past fall. While caring for your chapter’s display booth, I was approached by a Titusville “environmental activist” and asked if I would take over a problem for him because, and I quote, “We don’t have an Audubon Chapter in our area.” I have never quite forgotten those words as I continue to use the title “Indian River Audubon Society ...of Brevard County.”

I have had the opportunity several times to appear before county commissions and boards on behalf of the environment in general and our chapter in particular. My most recent opportunity was before the Brevard County Planning and Zoning Board concerning a huge hunk of property (and two banded scrub jay families) south of Viera Boulevard and west of Holiday Springs Road (the Von Reisen property). At meetings such as this when I rattle off, “Indian River, Etc., you can just see the eyes of the decision makers glaze over. You get the impression they are thinking, “This doesn’t concern us. Who is this guy?” How much more compelling it would be if I could say, “I represent the Audubon Society of Brevard County.”

What do you think? Is it time to put the confusion to rest? If you agree, please let a board member know your thoughts!