Madison Audubon Society Inc

WILDLIFE SANCTUARY MANAGEMENT; ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND ADVOCACY.

WILDLIFE SANCTUARIES: MAS ACTIVELY PROTECTED, RESTORED AND MANAGED NEARLY 2000 ACRES AT ITS WILDLIFE SANCTUARIES GOOSE POND AND FAVILLE GROVE. MAS CONTINUED TO PERFORM THE HIGHEST-QUALITY HABITAT MANAGEMENT/RESTORATION, INCLUDING PRAIRIE PLANTING, INVASIVE SPECIES CONTROL, NATIVE SEED COLLECTION (FROM 400+ NATIVE SPECIES), PRESCRIBED BURNS, AND BIRD/WILDLIFE SURVEYS. MAS SAFELY CONDUCTED TWO SUMMER INTERN PROGRAMS (12 INTERNS) AND IMPACTFUL VOLUNTEER-LED CITIZEN SCIENCE PROJECTS LIKE MONARCH BUTTERFLY TAGGING, KESTREL NEST BOX MONITORING, FROG AND TOAD SURVEYS, AND MORE. COUNTLESS VISITORS SAFELY ENJOYED OUR SANCTUARIES TO RECHARGE AND ENJOY NATURE AND WE INSTALLED AN ONLINE WEBCAM AT GOOSE POND FOR VISITORS TO ENJOY ANY TIME. MAS MAINTAINS THE HIGHEST NATIONAL STANDARDS FOR EXCELLENCE AND LAND CONSERVATION PERMANENCE THROUGH NATIONAL LAND TRUST ACCREDITATION, A MARK OF DISTINCTION.

EDUCATION: MAS PROVIDED HIGH-QUALITY ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION TO OUR COMMUNITY. IN 2021, WE TAUGHT VIRTUALLY AND IN PERSON, VISITING CLASSROOMS WEEKLY TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH KIDS. OUR CURRICULUM EMPHASIZED STEAM AND LITERACY. MANY OF OUR LESSON PLANS/MATERIALS (65 NEW ONES IN 2021) ARE FREE ON OUR WEBSITE. LESSONS ENCOURAGED KIDS TO GET OUTSIDE AND EXPLORE NATURE. PARTNER SCHOOLS WERE THOSE WITH 50% OR MORE OF FAMILIES LOW-INCOME OR <50% WHITE. MAS LESSON CONTENT SHARES MANY VOICES, CELEBRATES DIFFERENT CULTURES, AND ENCOURAGES ALL KIDS TO FEEL LIKE THEY BELONG IN NATURE. OUR ADULT NATURE UP BOOK SHELF AMPLIFIES VOICES OF NATURE WRITERS WHO ARE BLACK, INDIGENOUS, OR PEOPLE OF COLOR (BIPOC). MAS ALSO PROVIDED MANY ADULT EDUCATION PROGRAMS LIKE BIRDING 101 AND BIRDING BY EAR (FOR PEOPLE OF ALL VISION ABILITIES) AND FIELD TRIPS WELCOMING PEOPLE OF ALL AGES, BACKGROUNDS AND ABILITIES.

ADVOCACY: MAS AND ITS MEMBERS ADVOCATED WIDELY FOR MEANINGFUL CONSERVATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ISSUES VIA BLOG, NEWSLETTER, EMAIL, SOCIAL MEDIA, WEBSITE, ETC. MAS PROMOTED BIRD-FRIENDLY COMMUNITIES AND DIVERSE VOICES IN CONSERVATION, DEFENDED THE KNOWLES-NELSON STATE CONSERVATION FUND, FOUGHT OFF A PROPOSED SANDHILL CRANE HUNT, AND MORE. MAS PROVIDED SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC OUTREACH THROUGH VIRTUAL PROGRAMS AND OTHER CONTENT. MAS IS WORKING DILIGENTLY TO IMPROVE REPRESENTATION IN CONSERVATION AND ACCESSIBILITY TO NATURE BY BIPOC, LGBTQ+ AND PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES. MAS COORDINATED AND LED MULTIPLE VOLUNTEER-LED CITIZEN SCIENCE EFFORTS LIKE BALD EAGLE NESTWATCH. OUR BIRD-WINDOW COLLISION MONITORING EXPANDED TO EVEN MORE NEW PARTNERS, RESULTED IN BIRD-FRIENDLY IMPROVEMENTS TO DOCUMENTED PROBLEM BUILDINGS, AND PROVIDED RESOURCES AND A WORKSHOP OF WINDOW SOLUTIONS FOR HOMEOWNERS.