Summary of Audubon Resolutions

Summary of Audubon Resolutions for 2003–2004 From the Audubon Assembly

by Dee Fairbanks

In October, Tom Atkinson, Sarah Linney, and myself represented Indian River Audubon at the Florida Audubon Assembly. In addition to seminars, networking with other chapter representatives and just schmoozing, the main purpose of this assembly is to set goals and resolutions for the year. The following is a summary of the resolutions that were decided upon. Many of the resolutions discussed this year were carried over from last year and are ongoing projects; therefore, I have only included the new and revised resolutions below. For a complete list of all resolutions, please visit the Audubon of Florida web site at:
http://www.audubonofflorida.org/. If you do not have Internet access and would like to receive a printed version of the complete resolutions, please contact me at 537-9270.

New—We shall encourage chapters to promote active community involvement in conservation of native plants and wildlife by enlisting volunteers in chapter based projects involving scientific data collection, monitoring and reporting. In addition, we will provide a forum for chapters to share processes and results of these citizen science projects throughout the state via workshops at the annual assembly and though publications. We will also assist chapter volunteers with identifying governmental, non-governmental, and private organizations that have a need for citizen science data and study results, and provide to chapters instruction and oversight as needed to improve volunteer’s skills in observation, counts, estimation, project design and data analysis.

Revised—We shall urge the development of a Florida Global Warming Action Plan that sets specific greenhouse gas emission reduction goals as a component of a comprehensive clean energy plan, and identifies strategies to minimize risks posed by rising seas and other warming effects, and we will support the implementation of a Sustainable Portfolio Standard and a Public Benefits Fund to ensure that Florida harnesses sustainable energy generation and energy efficiency technologies. In addition, we will urge that the National Audubon Society add its voice to the chorus of national and international conservation groups demanding that the United States rejoin the community of nations that support the Kyoto Protocol.

New—We shall urge the state, water management districts, and the Army Corp of Engineers to adopt aggressive programs to retain, improve, and restore coastal ecosystems, adopt and enforce growth management plans that will limit further habitat destruction by human activity in coastal ecosystems, and enforce laws requiring treatment of polluted water entering costal waters.

Revised—We shall call for a functionally restored Everglades ecosystem where the needs of human population and the natural system are balanced for the benefit of the environment and for return of abundant native bird and wildlife populations. This requires that local, tribal, regional, state, and federal entities involved in the restoration effort accomplish the tasks described in this document. (Edited for space—please see the resolutions on the Audubon of Florida web site for details.)

New—We shall support local and state efforts to uphold existing county and city comprehensive plans that enforce land development regulations that adhere to the principles for guiding development in the Green Swamp ACSC found in Rule 28-26.003, FAC.

New—We shall seek funding to implement a program to train, facilitate and aid Audubon chapters in the advocacy of proposals to seek successful passage of local environmentally sensitive land acquisition referenda.

New—We shall promote the addition of the Least Tern to the Audubon Watch list for Florida.