 |
|
Accomplishments |
| • |
GSBAS at the State level continued
to send representatives to Audubon New York's Fall ’07 and Spring
‘08 Council Meetings. Additionally, GSBAS submitted comments on
its co-sponsored Audubon’s Conservation Policy Resolutions (i.e.,
Feral Cats, Long Island South Shore Estuary Reserve and Atlantic
Ocean Beaches and Bays, and Pesticides). GSBAS’s Chapter
representatives, at the local level, attended both Long
Island Audubon Council Meetings ("LIAC") in November ‘07 and
April ‘08. |
| • |
GSBAS thanks to Board Member
and naturalist, Tom Cullen, held a Dragonfly Program at
its Brookside Preserve, Sayville, NY on Saturday, August
4, 2007 for children ages 10 and up. Several attendees made
use of newly purchased Chapter equipment (nets, field guides, etc.)
for this special program. |
| • |
GSBAS introduced Audubon New York’s
new Long Island Bird Conservation Coordinator, Carolyn Spilman,
: i) at its September 20, 2007 General Membership Meeting; and ii)
presented Carolyn’s PowerPoint lecture on Beach Nesting Bird
Conservation at its February 21, 2008 General Membership
Meeting. |
| • |
GSBAS in February 2008 purchased the
new Piping Plover socks from Terry Precision Cycling Website which
purchases supported Audubon New York’s Grassland Bird Conservation
Program. |
| • |
GSBAS also introduced Audubon New
York’s new Director of Centers and Education, Pam Musk, at
its March 20, 2008 General Membership Meeting; Pam’s title
presentation was “Global Warming and New York: What Can You Do” |
| • |
GSBAS thru Audubon New York's
Collaborative Funding Grant application secured the funds to
sponsor GSBAS's young Chapter member, Patrick Davis for a bird
monitoring internship at Bayard Cutting part of the Connetquot
Estuary together with the purchase of children's Field Guides and
children's binoculars for future use at Brookside Preserve for
family oriented programs. And also enabled GSBAS to present its
Children’s Piping Plover Program, presented by Carolyn
Spilman, Audubon New York, Long Island Bird Conservation
Coordinator, held on March 15, 2008 at Brookside, Sayville, NY,
together with the snacks provided for the children. Also funds were
allocated for Chapter members who volunteered to monitor Piping
Plover nesting sites on Long Island's beaches with Carolyn Spilman.
My thanks to Jillian Liner, IBA Coordinator and Laura
McCarthy, Grassroots Coordinator at Audubon New York for working out
the many details of its revised grant. |
| • |
GSBAS continues to purchases
Audubon Shade Grown Coffee which is served at its general
membership meetings, Annual Outdoor Program at Brookside and other
Chapter functions. |
| • |
| GSBAS held
eight (8) General Membership Meetings with scheduled
Speakers at Connetquot River State Park Preserve, Oakdale,
NY - GSBAS’s newly adopted IBA -, meeting the third Thursday
of the month, September 2007 thru April 2008. These
meetings are free and open to the public and are both published in
GSBAS’s newsletter, The Sandpiper, and posted to its
Website, http://www.gsbas.org. These were our outstanding
Speakers and their respective presentations at GSBAS’s
General Membership Meetings held September 2007 thru April
2008: |
| 1. |
September 20,
2007, Paul Adams, Biologist and Neurobiologist
presented “The Baiting Hollow Hummingbird San ctuary;” |
| 2. |
October 18,
2007 Peter Capainolo, associated with the
American Museum of Natural History and CCNY presented
“The Biology and Ecology of North American Birds of Prey” |
| 3. |
November 15,
2007, Dr. Ivan Rothman, a physician presented
a series of musical slide presentations entitled,
“Birds, North and South” |
| 4. |
December 20,
2007 – Annual Holiday Member Participation
Night together with poetry by Dr. John Potente
and music by Larry Moser. |
| 5. |
January 17,
2008 Robert DeCandido, Ph.D. presented
“The Birds of Southeast Asia" |
| 6. |
February 21,
2008 Carolyn Spilman, Audubon New York, Long
Island Bird Conservation Coordinator, presented
“Beach-nesting Bird Conservation on Long Island." |
| 7. |
March 20, 2008,
Pam Musk, Director of Centers and Education for Audubon
New York spoke on “Global Warming and New York:
What Can You Do?” |
| 8. |
April 17, 2008,
naturalist Tom Cullen and USDA Education Interns
presented “Dragonflies, Damselflies and Tiger
Beetles.” |
|
| • |
Program Chair, Alice Heller,
secures the speakers for these meetings and thanks to Chapter
Publicity Chair, Helga Merryman the scheduled speakers and
their programs get advertised in local papers. Thanks to
Hospitality Chair, Mary Plant, and the many monthly Chapter
volunteers, these general membership meetings are well supplied with
food and beverages. These monthly General Membership Meetings help
GSBAS keep a constant presence in the local community, connect GSBAS
with the public at large, and keep its members active and involved
with Chapter advocacy and events. |
| • |
GSBAS convened ten (10)
Board Meetings held at Brookside Preserve, 59 Brook Street,
Sayville, NY where the overall mission, goals, activities and
programs designed to achieve them were reviewed, formulated and set
into motion. |
| • |
GSBAS continues to publish six
(6) editions of our award winning chapter newsletter, “The
Sandpiper” thanks to our Newsletter Editor, Harry
Anderson. Through its newsletter, GSBAS communicates
conservation issues which are important to Audubon at the local,
state and national levels. GSBAS’s newsletter seeks its members’
participation with the submittal of nature stories, poems and
related wildlife articles for publication. |
| • |
GSBAS’s Mailing Chair, Ken
Thompson, and his Mailing Committee volunteers,
continue to make certain that GSBAS’s 900 +/- members receive their
Chapter newsletter – no easy feat! |
| • |
GSBAS has a new Annual Dinner Chair,
Board Member Juliane Wohler. |
| • |
GSBAS welcomes its new Chapter Librarian, Kate Zorn
this year. |
| • |
GSBAS welcomes its new Bird
Feeder Survey coordinator/compiler Board Member, Judy Davis. |
| • |
GSBAS, held 46 Mid-Week and Weekend Field Trips during this
reporting period thanks to Chapter Field Trip Coordinator, Larry
Merryman, and Chapter Field Trip Leaders, Mike Cooper, Steve
D’Amato, Jack Finkenberg, John Gluth, Bob Grover, Alice Heller,
Kathleen Kozakiewicz, Larry Merryman, Peter Murphy, and Ken
Thompson. These field trips are also free and open to the public,
many of which are attended by members of other local Long Island
Audubon chapters. Chapter run field trips have resulted in
GSBAS gaining many new Chapter volunteers which help GSBAS
accomplish its mission! GSBAS's Weekend Field Trips flyer
(for period August - May of each year) is printed courtesy of
Board Member, Peter Murphy and inserted in The Sandpiper,
detailing these weekend field trips for the upcoming year and which
information is also posted to its Website. GSBAS thanks Board
Member, Peter Murphy, for donating the printing of the Weekend Field
Trip Flyer. |
| • |
GSBAS’s official Website, www.gsbas.org, at its new .org
address continues to remain fully reinvigorated thru the efforts of
our paid Webmaster, Eric Larson and with material
posting oversight by Chapter President, Alice Heller. |
| • |
GSBAS’s Mission Statement
was changed to reflect Audubon New York’s position on the protection
of “native” birds, plants and wildlife. |
| • |
GSBAS’s Board approved and donated
August 2, 2007 the sum of $200.00 to Starflower Experiences,
Inc., Jericho, NY, a local not- for-profit educational
organization to be used for its Earth Rangers and summer programs
of Earth Explorers for youngsters from Wyandanch - their Earth
Rangers. |
| • |
GSBAS held monthly Audubon Reading
Groups (formerly referred to Environmental Literature Reading Group),
Chaired by Past President, Jack Finkenberg. The generous donation of
books from the students at Suffolk County Community College’s
Brentwood Campus in 2007 made the “Audubon Reading Group”
a reality. |
| • |
As an activity for GSBAS's Adoption of
Connetquot River State Park Preserve, Oakdale, NY as its IBA, has
scheduled on Saturday, September 13, 2008 at 8:00 A.M. "BREAKFAST &
BIRDING." Further Chapter activities to be scheduled for
2008/2009. |
| • |
GSBAS's new Chapter
Librarian, Kate Zorn, will soon be taking over the duties
for Joel Horman, former Chapter Librarian. Library materials are
available to members on Sundays and Wednesdays when Tour Guides are
present at Brookside. |
| • |
GSBAS sponsored the Captree
Christmas Bird Count (“CBC”) on 12/28/07 that listed 123
species observed, which is the biggest since 1999 (123) and 1995
(128) per Mike Cooper, our CBC Coordinator . Ample
food and beverages were provided to feed over 30 people for the
compilation at the end of the count at Connetquot River State Park
Preserve as advised by Past President, Jack Finkenberg. Mike
Cooper having served as the Captree CBC Coordinator and Co
-Compiler/Compiler for a total of 37 years has retired and announced
that the new coordinators of the Captree CBC are Pat Lindsay and
Shai Mitra. |
| • |
GSBAS’s members participated in a
Bird Feeder Survey covering over a dozen locations in our
area. Chapter Chairs, Robert & Edith Wilson, compiled the number of
bird species postings submitted by Chapter members and the species
results were then published in The Sandpiper. After Chairing
the Chapter's Bird Feeder Survey for 15 years and three (3) months,
Chapter Chairs, Bob & Edith Wilson, have retired. Board Member, Judy
Davis, has volunteered to take over the Survey's compilation. |
| • |
GSBAS’s members also took part in
Audubon’s 11th Annual Great Backyard Bird Count, 02/15 -
18/2008. Posters and brochures for display and distribution
to Chapter members were secured from Audubon to promote awareness
and encourage participation. GSBAS further encouraged its members to
participate by posting this information on its website and
publication in our newsletter, The Sandpiper. |
| • |
GSBAS’s members continue to
participate in the Piping Plover recovery project, as wardens on the south
shore of Long Island, designated to protect the nesting and fledging
areas of this endangered species. |
| • |
GSBAS’s members continue to
participate in the Fire Island Hawk Watch which, over the
past 24 years, has contributed greatly to the sum of knowledge about
hawk migration. The Hawk Watch provides numerical data of hawk
distribution, and collaborates with the nearby raptor bird banding
station engaged in capturing and releasing hawks with identifying
bands, so that additional knowledge concerning their habits,
wintering and nesting locations can be compiled. The Fire Island
Hawk Watch is held every year from September thru November with FIRE
(Fire Island Raptor Enumerators), Parking Lot #5, Robert Moses State
Park, Long Island, N Y. |
| • |
GSBAS’s Beach Cleanup
Chairpersons, Ed Davis and Jack Isaacs, directed and
coordinated numerous Beach Cleanups that focused on surveying and
cataloging what kinds of debris is washing up on our local beaches
at Robert Moses State Park and at Sailor’s Haven on Fire Island in
conjunction with the American Littoral Society’s annual September
beach cleanup. |
|
Chapter Fund Raisers |
| • |
| GSBAS held its
May Annual Dinner this year on Monday, May 5,
2008 at Captain Bill's BayShore, NY. GSBAS had in
attendance 157 persons and presented three (3)
prestigious Chapter awards. GSBAS honored: |
| — |
Larry Merryman,
GSBAS’s Past President & Conservation Chair, as the
recipient of its Bob Laskowski Conservation Award. |
| — |
Jack Finkenberg,
GSBAS’s Past President & Education Co-Chair was the
recipient of its Fran File Award. |
| — |
Tom & Mary
Plant, were the recipients of its President’s Award. |
Guest
speaker, Ian Rothman, M.D., presented his program “Creatures
Large and Small” musical slide picture presentation,
including Birds of Florida and California; Butterflies;
Captive North American Predators and the Mammals and Birds
of Tanzania. Members and guests thoroughly enjoyed the
dinner, its speaker, the Silent Auction with several
original art works
(especially the beautiful painting and pencil sketching from
Board Member and artist, Steven
D’Amato of a Dickcissel and Eastern Screech Owl Owlets); a
Chinese Auction with unique bird
related gifts, and the many door prizes and raffle prizes.
GSBAS was again fortunate to be
supported by many donors comprised of its Board Members,
Members, local businesses and
donations from the families and friends of members. GSBAS's
2008 Annual Dinner Prize
Donors flyer acknowledges each donor and the gift(s) donated
and was distributed to each table the night of the dinner
and this year also copied and inserted in its July/August
2008 newsletter. |
|
| • |
GSBAS successful conducted two (2) Chapter Seed Sales:
i) its Fall Seed Sale held on October 13, 2007; and ii) its
Mid-Winter Seed Sale held on February 8, 2008 thanks to the efforts
of our Seed Sale Chair & Past President, Jack Finkenberg, and his
team volunteers: Bob & Edith Wilson and Helga & Larry Merryman,
together with the support of Chapter Members participating in
“Prepaid Orders.” GSBAS has partnered with Gary Fortcher and
Kathleen Mulligan, Owners of Wild Birds Unlimited, Oakdale, NY to
run its bi-annual seed sales. |
| • |
|
GSBAS’s Annual Appeal, in addition to helping finance
Stewardship Activities at its Brookside Preserve, is also
used to help supplement funds to finance Chapter
expenses for: |
| 1) |
Speakers
fees at its: |
| |
a) |
General membership
meetings; |
| |
b) |
May Annual Dinner |
| |
c) |
Annual June Outdoor
Program at Brookside |
| 2) |
Newsletters printings and mailing costs |
| 3) |
Chapter
attendance at local Community Outreach Events |
| 4) |
Special
education programs at Brookside |
| 5) |
Paid
Webmaster, Eric Larson, to keep Chapter’s Website:
www.gsbas.org updated |
| 6) |
Verizon
Wireless service for its phone service for #631-563-7716 and
email address:
greatsouthbayaudubon@verizon.net. |
GSBAS’s 2007 Annual Appeal was printed courtesy of its Board
Member, Peter Murphy. GSBAS also thanks and recognizes
each and everyone one of its important Chapter Annual Appeal
supporters with a printed supporter’s sheet
published in The Sandpiper! |
|
| • |
GSBAS's Cookbook Chair, Edith Wilson, advises that the
Chapter’s total net sales thru 6/19/08 for 162 cookbooks totals
$1,806.69. The proceeds from the sale of these Chapter Cookbooks
will continue to go to finance future educational programs at
Brookside Preserve and participating in the 2008 – 2009 school year
with the purchase of Audubon Adventures educational materials. |
|
Chapter Community Outreach Events |
| • |
| GSBAS
was able to participate at the following community outreach
events: |
| 1) |
Dragonfly
Program at Brookside Preserve on Saturday, August 4, 2007
thanks to Board Member & Instructor, Tom Cullen for children
ages 10 and up. |
| 2) |
Long Island
Maritime Museum's 2007 Seafood Festival, West
Sayville, New York on August 25, 2007 thanks to Vice
President & Chair, Kathleen Kozakiewicz and Chapter
Volunteers. |
| 3) |
October 27,
2007 GSBAS hosted Sayville Historical Society
visitors who came in two (2) buses to its Brookside Preserve
to see where the Isaac Green Estate had been before burning
down in 1970; Chapter Volunteers, Kathleen Kozakiewicz, Kate
Zorn, and Judy Davis gave the Sayville Historical Society
visitors a Tour of the preserve and building. |
| 4) |
Long Island
Bayscaping Symposium, co sponsored by the Peconic Baykeeper
& SWEEP at Sayville High School, Sayville, NY on Saturday,
03/08/08 which promoted sustainable landscape
practices by area residents as an important step toward
managing the detrimental effects of stormwater runoff
pollution. |
| 5) |
Piping Plovers and
their Beach Nesting Habitat Program for 3rd to 5th grade
students, at Brookside Preserve, Sayville, NY on
Saturday, 3/15/08 with a slide presentation and
discussion by Carolyn Spilman, Long Island Bird Conservation
Coordinator. |
| 6) |
Earth Day
Celebration at Heckscher State Park, East Islip, NY
on 4/27/08 this year, giving away 250 native white
pine trees to the public thanks to Chapter Chair,
Kathleen Kozakiewicz and Chapter Volunteers. |
| 7) |
Audubon’s
International Migratory Bird Day on Saturday,
05/10/08 by joining Wertheim National Wildlife Refuge,
Shirley, NY thanks to Chapter President, Alice Heller, Board
Member & Chair, Kathleen Kozakiewicz and Co-Field Trip
Leader, Michael McBrien |
| 8) |
Co-sponsored
Breakfast with Dragons & Damsels in the Pine Barrens, at
Connetquot River State Park Preserve on June 14, 2008;
by Board Member and naturalist, Tom Cullen and his students |
| 9) |
Presented
Backyard Birds at the West Babylon Public Library on June
17, 2008 thanks to Past President & Education
Co-Chair, Jack Finkenberg. |
| 10) |
Attended
Melissa Santoro’s Gold Award Presentation at the Suffolk
County Girl Scouts, Bayport, NY on June 18, 2008. |
| 11) |
GSBAS & Seatuck
Environmental Associations' Joint Program
presentation to the local community: Atka, an Arctic
Wolf, on Thursday, June 19, 2008 at Brookside
Preserve, Sayville, NY and introduced Melissa Santoro,
who received her Girl Scout Gold Award from Girl Scouts of
Suffolk County for her “eBird” project at Brookside. |
|
|
|
|
Chapter Conservation Advocacy |
| • |
| GSBAS has been
active in the arena of public opinion in the ongoing efforts
to save necessary wildlife habitat and reduce pollution. We
have testified at local zoning and conservation meetings,
and written correspondence to political leaders concerning
global and local environmental problems. We have also
provided support to organizations seeking to preserve and
conserve natural resources. Among our efforts: |
|
| • |
The dedication of the
Sayville F.A.A. property into the Sayville National
Wildlife Refuge on September 4, 2007 attended by NYS
Assemblywoman Ginny Fields and U.S. Congressman Steve
Israel. It is generally recognized that our late Past
President Bob Laskowski was the guiding force in preserving
this 100 + acres of natural grassland area from development. |
| • |
New York State
Ornithology Association’s (“NYSOA”) Draft Resolution Wind
Power: Conservation Chair, Larry Merryman and Chapter
President, Alice Heller, at the request of Andrew
Mason, NYSOA reviewed and commented on NYSOA's Draft
Resolution on Wind Power on 09/26/2007. |
| • |
GSBAS has taken a leading role in advising Long Island
Audubon Council ("LIAC") and Audubon New York ("ANY") re the
negative impact of free roaming cats, especially as it concerns the
growing number of feral cat colonies springing up all over Long
Island ("LI"), whereby misguided individuals set up colonies of
abandoned cats and feed them. GSBAS is particularly concerned with
the proliferation of these colonies on various types of parklands on
LI. Carolyn Spilman, Audubon New York's Long Island Bird
Conservation Coordinator was attempting to have a cat colony removed
from a north shore beach as it was seriously endangering a Piping
Plover nesting area. |
| • |
Kittatinny-Shawangunk Ridge with Donald S. Heintzelman:
GSBAS sent a letter of endorsement dated November 5, 2007 in support
of the establishment of a migration corridor to help safeguard
raptors. |
| • |
GSBAS's Conservation Chair, Larry Merryman, along with
our South Shore Estuary representative, attended a
meeting consisting of a consortium of environmental organizations,
including Audubon New York, Citizens Campaign for the Environment,
Sierra Club, and other important stakeholders, whose purpose is to
advance a proactive agenda to restore and protect New York's ocean
and estuarine resources. This consortium is moving to guide
conservation efforts regarding the legislation passed by the state
entitled the "New York Ocean and Great Lakes Ecosystem Conservation
Act," by developing a plan that defines critical executive and
legislative actions needed to integrate ecosystem management with
existing agency programs, the goal being the revival of the health
of our ocean and coastal resources. |
| • |
GSBAS continues to work with the "Fire Island Wilderness
Committee" to see that a comprehensive plan is developed to
ensure the Wilderness Area remains wild. All recent indications are
that things are progressing well and a positive outcome is expected. |
| • |
Riverhead Grasslands at former Grumman Plant, Riverhead, NY:
GSBAS on November 27, 2007 joined thru Nature Conservancy “The
Coalition for Open Space at EPCAL. And on May 13, 2008 GSBAS made a
monetary donation to the “Group for the East End” for the
“EPCAL fund” to help legal counsel expenses to defend against the
development of the former Grumman facility at Riverhead, sent c/o
Jennifer Skilbred, Environmental Advocate, Group for the East End;
and GSBAS on June 24, 2008 by Chapter President, Alice
Heller, commented on the Coalition’s draft letter to the DEC. |
| • |
GSBAS in February 01, 2008 nominated the LaSalle property in
Oakdale thru Audubon’s Public Policy Division for the Land & Water
Conservation Fund (LWCF) priorities for Fiscal Year 2009
(FY08). Chapter President, Alice Heller, submitted
same to Connie Mahan, Audubon Policy Office, Director, Grassroots
Outreach, Washington, DC thru an extension of time (deadline for
submitting a nomination was January 25, 2008) granted to GSBAS.
My thanks for help, with the LWCF nomination process, from
Conservation Chair, Larry Merryman, Past President, Kathleen
O’Connor and Legislative Ginny Fields and Bob Grover respectively. |
| • |
GSBAS by its Conservation Chair, Larry Merryman,
at the request of Alison Tews, South Shore Nature Center
reviewed an issue concerning Duck Hunting in the immediate area of
the Nature Center and its residential neighbors February 25, 2008
and agreed Audubon wasn't going to stop legal duck hunting as per
Audubon New York's position. |
| • |
GSBAS participated in the Peconic Bay Keeper & SWEEP’s
Long Island Bayscaping Symposium at Sayville High School on
March 8, 2008 that was designed to alert the surrounding
community about the hazards of dirty and poisonous runoffs into
Great South Bay thru stormwater drains and underground runoff which
negatively affect water quality. |
| • |
GSBAS by Chapter President, Alice Heller, submitted comments due on
“DEIS, 357 Units- Great River Development, via its March 14,
2008 correspondence addressed to the Town of Islip again
writing to advise of GSBAS’s continued (correspondence previously
sent 6/14/06 with respect to the same property) concerns with
respect to the development of the Great River property and in
support Assemblywoman Ginny Fields’, New York Assembly, 5th Assembly
District, constituents’ objections to this proposal. |
| • |
With respect to the LIAC's objections to Open Marsh Water
Management ("OMWM") - that issue remains static and ongoing. The
use of OMWM to reduce saltwater mosquito populations was passed by
the Suffolk County Legislature over the objections of their own
conservation advisory council's strenuous objections, as well as the
objections of numerous LI environmental groups. It remains to be
seen what will occur in this area of concern whereby the use of
ponds and canals gouged out of the fragile saltwater wetlands is
wrongly used to control mosquitoes. |
| • |
Regarding the ill advised and costly Offshore Wind Farm south
of Jones Beach, GSBAS labored along with their sister
Chapters in the LIAC to defeat this project - although there are
still other wind farm proposals "in the wind" so to speak. This
project was deemed unacceptable; however, other wind farm proposals
will have to be reviewed on their own terms to see if this form of
energy production is feasible in the crowed LI area. |
| • |
GSBAS supported the South Shore Audubon Society's and
LIAC's effort April 12, 2008 to defeat Donald Trump's
proposal to significantly enlarge the footprint and plan of the
Trump restaurant at Jones Beach. GSBAS attended the meeting along
with South Shore Audubon Society. |
| • |
GSBAS also at the LIAC April 12, 2008 meeting put on
its agenda a request, from Dr. Tannecredti, Dowling College,
who heads up the Horseshoe Crab Network (“HSC”) – Hotline
#631-244-3394, seeking to recruit enough volunteers to adopt
a beach on Long Island to participate in a horseshoe crab count and
help “right” overturned horseshoe crabs on the full moons in June
and July 2008. |
| • |
GSBAS supported Carolyn Spilman, Long Island Bird
Coordinator's Beach-nesting bird conservation on Long
Island with the presentation of Carolyn's program at its February
21, 2008 General Membership Meeting, with its Children's Piping
Plovers & their Beach Habitat presentation on March 15, 2008
program, with articles in GSBAS's May/June 2008 newsletter, and with
an Alerts posted to its Website asking for Piping Plover volunteers
with nest monitoring efforts to help our threatened Piping Plover on
our local shores this year. |
| • |
With respect to the Bigger Better Bottle Bill ("BBBB"),
GSBAS labored long and hard with emails, phone calls and
letters to get the BBBB passed in an acceptable manner, but which
same recently failed yet again. GSBAS will support when same is
presented again for passage next year. |
| • |
GSBAS by Chapter President, Alice Heller, sent its May 7,
2008 correspondence addressed to Congressman Israel, Bishop and King
urging their signature as co-sponsors of HR 4093 the Migratory
Bird Treaty Act Penalty and Enforcement Act and expressed
its deep concern with respect to pigeon hobbyists on the west coast
trapping and killing migratory raptors in an illegal attempt to
protect their birds. |
| • |
GSBAS by Chapter President, Alice Heller, sent its May 7,
2008 correspondence to Honorable Sheldon Silver, Speaker of The
Assembly re:A09870/S6728: The Transfer of Certain Lands to the
Oak Brush Plain State Preserve – Edgewood-Oak Brush Plain
State Preserve advising GSBAS’s support of the legislation
and preservation of part of the State Nature and Historic Preserve –
the largest parcel of open space west of Brookhaven and second
largest remnant of pitch-pine scrub oak habitat in New York State.
And further applauded Senators Johnson, Trunzo and Flanagan and
Assemblymen Ramos, Raia and Engelbright for their visions and
leadership in introducing this important legislation. |
| • |
GSBAS continued to support the Edgewood Preserve's
bill that would significantly assist in preserving that natural area
in the heart of western Suffolk County - an oasis of green in the
middle of concrete, macadam and development. |
| • |
GSBAS by its Conservation Chair, Larry Merryman, at a formal
meeting awarded U.S. Congressman Steve Israel with an Award of
Excellence for his constant efforts to enhance conservation
goals on Long Island. This represents our Chapter's target of
recognizing those elected officials who can be counted on to support
important environmental legislation at the Federal Level. |
| • |
GSBAS by its Chapter President, Alice Heller, attended
Melissa Santoro's Gold Award
Ceremony, on June 18, 2008 at 7:30 PM at the Suffolk County Girl
Scouts of Suffolk County Camp in Bayport and presented Ms.
Santoro with a letter and Certificate of Recognition for the
completion of her Girl Scout Gold Award. Melissa for
her Gold Award project updated a website of recorded bird sightings
in her community using Cornell Lab of Ornithology and National
Audubon Society's website, "eBird." The data entry was
of Brookside birds for the years 2001 through 2006 and her project
required over sixty-five hours. |
| • |
GSBAS's Conservation Chair, Larry Merryman, volunteered to
serve on Audubon New York's Climate Change Committee. |
| • |
GSBAS supported Audubon New York’s many
positions/campaigns/action alerts via email. |
|
Chapter Partnering |
| • |
| GSBAS and its members
also belong to and serve as board members in other important
organizations that have a focus on conservation, thus
providing additional energy and coordination in solving
important environmental issues. These organizations include,
but are not limited to: |
| — |
“South Shore
Estuary Reserve” |
| — |
“Open Space
Preservation Trust” |
| — |
“Native America” |
| — |
“The Friends of
Connetquot State Park” |
| — |
“Seatuck
Environmental Association” |
| — |
“Friends of
Wertheim NWR” |
| — |
"Fire Island
Raptor Enumerators (“FIRE”)”" |
| — |
"South Shore
Nature Center" |
| — |
"Starflower
Experiences" |
| — |
“Friends of
Edgewood Preserve" |
| — |
“Coalition to Save
EPCAL” |
| — |
"Suffolk County
Sporting Advisory Council" |
| — |
"Friends of Fire
Island Lighthouse" |
| — |
"Friends of Fire
Island National Seashore" |
| — |
"OPRH/Robert Moses
Golf Course" |
| — |
New York State
Ornithological Association, Inc. (“NYSOA”) |
| — |
“ABC-Cats
Indoors!” |
| GSBAS has partnered
with Friends of Connetquot, Friends of Wertheim, Friends of
Fire Island Lighthouse and Seatuck Environmental Association
to present birding field trips, internship, workshops and
joint educational programs and supported organizational
events through attendance, letters in support of issues and
monetary donations. |
|
GSBAS’s Community Outreach at
Brookside Preserve: |
| • |
GSBAS and Seatuck Environmental
Association hosted on June 19, 2008 its Annual June Outdoor
Meeting at our Brookside Preserve which featured a jointly presented
program by the Wolf Conservation Center, South Salem, NY
entitled, Atka, the Arctic Wolf. This outdoor meeting was
free, opened to the public and was attended by over 200 people
from the local community. Also Melissa Santoro, recipient
of the Girl Scout Gold Award from the Suffolk County Girl Scouts,
Troop 243, Service Unit #32 announced her completion of the
“eBird” project at Brookside. |
| • |
GSBAS’s Annual Appeal was again a
success, helping finance GSBAS's stewardship activities at its
Brookside Preserve with the: 1) purchase of seed and suet for bird
feeders; 2) maintenance of Butterfly Garden; 3) building maintenance
expenses incurred, i.e.: alarm system, telephone and internet
services, plumbing, electrical, carpentry, roof repairs and grass
cuttings at premises. GSBAS in recognition of the many
Chapter supporters of its Annual Appeal prints an Annual Appeal
sheet which is inserted in our newsletter. GSBAS thanks Board
Member, Peter Murphy, for donating the 2007 Annual Appeal printing
and also thanks each and everyone one of its important Chapter
supporters! |
|
GSBAS’s Brookside Preserve |
| • |
GSBAS’s trained volunteer Tour
Guides allow Brookside Preserve to be open to the public twice a
week and upon appointment. On Sundays and Wednesdays tours are given
at Brookside Preserve, 59 Brook Street, Sayville, NY and its local
historical history shared. |
| • |
Annual Spring cleanups at Brookside
Preserve spruce up the trails, the butterfly garden and the
building. Additional improvements are in the planning stages. |
| • |
Brookside Preserve continues to be
utilized by many students from classes at both Sayville and East
Islip High Schools allowing Advanced Placement Students and science
students to work on various projects. These projects are important
in continuing to foster community interest in the Brookside
Preserve. |
| • |
Maria Brown, a teacher of AP
Environmental Studies, Sayville High School and her
students, continue to be involved with many projects at Brookside
Preserve. GSBAS thanks Maria Brown, and her wonderful students, for
their continued work and involvement at Brookside Preserve. |
| • |
And GSBAS thanks Mrs. Lynch, a
teacher of Environmental Studies, East Islip High School,
for having sent many of her students to Brookside to participate in
the "bird walks" at the Preserve. GSBAS wishes Mrs. Lynch a
wonderful retirement and thanks her for introducing her students to
their local Audubon Chapter. |
| • |
GSBAS’s Board Member & Volunteer
Surveyor, Thomas P. Cullen and his students met weekly at
Brookside Preserve for Dragonfly Meetings co-sponsored by USDA and
Sayville High School, as Partners in Education Partnership, and
affiliated with Audubon up until the end of June 2008. Also the
survey was done under the auspices of New York State Natural
Heritage Program with data supplied to them. Additionally
Instructor, Thomas Cullen, presented a Power Point Presentation at
the Chap ter's April 17, 2008 General Membership Meeting on
Dragonflies & Damselflies, along with his USDA’s Partners in
Education Students: Patrick Davis, Bridget Shaughnessy and Tim Carey
and it was one of GSBAS’s most exciting and informative evenings -
thoroughly enjoyed by all in attendance – we had a packed
house that night! It is with sadness that we say goodbye to Board
Member, Tom Cullen, has he retires and moves to his summer home
upstate New York. |
| • |
GSBAS has 112 Bird Species
and counting at Brookside Preserve. |
| • |
Girl Scout, Melissa Santoro,
received her Gold Award from Suffolk County Girl Scouts, at a
special Ceremony held on July 18, 2008 for her project of
entering Brookside Preserve’s bird species lists for the last six
(6) years to the “Cornell eBird site.” Congratulations
Melissa! |
| • |
GSBAS this spring arranged to lend
its assistance to Sean Rostrup with his Eagle Project,
to build a Bluebird Trail in Heckscher State Park, East Islip, NY.
GSBAS donated several Bluebird Nest boxes kits for Sean’s project.
Conservation Chair & Past President, Larry Merryman is
Sean’s contact person on this project. |
|
Challenges and Shortcomings |
| • |
Recruiting new Officers, Board
Members, Committee Members, and Tour Guides and volunteers to carry
on GSBAS’s local Audubon mission and goals. |
| • |
Increasing Chapter educational outreach
activities for children. |
| • |
The chapter’s efforts to enlist a
Birdathon Coordinator continue to be unsuccessful. |
|
Five year strategic planning |
| • |
Continue Chapter Stewardship at Brookside
Preserve, working together with our Brookside Director and Brookside
Committee to maintain and protect the building and grounds. |
| • |
| Focus on: |
| 1) |
Educational programs
for children at Brookside. |
| 2) |
Continued Chapter
attendance at Community Outreach events to increase
membership and promoting awareness of Audubon and their
local Audubon Chapter's mission and goals. |
| 3) |
Schedule additional
activities at Connetquot River State Park Preserve, GSBAS’s
Adopted IBA |
| 4) |
Continue to present
the Chapter's Annual June Outdoor Program as another form of
community outreach to make local residents aware of GSBAS’s
Brookside Preserve - right in their own backyards – and get
them involved. |
|
| • |
Continue our chapter’s efforts to
influence local, state and federal authorities concerning vital
conservation issues through all forms of advocacy available: written
correspondences, emails, telephone calls, scheduled meetings and
conservation/environmental partnerships. |
|
Plans for the upcoming year |
| • |
| Continued
strong conservation advocacy: |
| 1) |
On local issues |
| 2) |
On concerns of the
Long Island Audubon Council |
| 3) |
On behalf of Audubon
New York and National Audubon issues. |
|
| • |
| With our new Education
Chair in place, GSBAS looks forward to: |
| 1) |
Presenting more
educational programs for children at Chapter R11’s
headquarters at Brookside Preserve, Sayville, NY |
| 2) |
Sponsoring Audubon
Adventures at our local area schools. |
|
| • |
Work on scheduling additionally activities
at Chapter's IBA adoption of Connetquot River State Park Preserve in
Oakdale, NY. Possibly submit grant under Audubon New York’s
2008/2009 Collaborative Funding for funding of a Birding Intern and
additional Chapter activities at Connetquot. |
| • |
Continue with the sale of the Chapter’s
printed Cookbook and use of its sale proceeds
for educational programs and the sponsor of Audubon Adventures kits
for use at local schools. |
| • |
Continue to hold the monthly established
Audubon Reading Group (formerly referred
to as the environmental literature reading group). |
| • |
Continue to build upon the previously
listed successful accomplishments of the past year. |
| • |
Continue to plan for the orderly
succession, and training of new officers for the Great
South Bay Audubon Society Board and Chair positions and Tour Guides
for its Brookside
Preserve. |
| • |
Continue to work on broadening the range
of interest via enlisting Field Trip Leaders
who are conversant with various wildlife topics in addition to bird
study. |
| • |
Again seek a volunteer to Chair a Birdathon. |
| • |
Continue to follow up and measure our
progress by assessing the success our chapter has in meeting stated goals. |
|
