KILMARNOCK—A meeting will be held Wednesday, November 19, that could decide the fate of the Northern Neck Chapter of the National Audubon Society.
Several of the existing board and foundation members request that anyone with an interest in seeing this chapter continue attend and participate in the discussion beginning at 4 p.m. at the Lancaster Community Library, 16 Town Center Drive, Kilmarnock, said acting president Kevin Howe.
The Northern Neck Chapter, the first in Virginia, was formed in 1971 by a group of nature lovers who wanted to bird watch and “recognize that each living thing links to many others in the chain of nature,” said Howe.
At that time, there were no other nature-oriented outdoor groups in the Northern Neck. There was no Virginia Native Plant Society (1982), no Virginia Master Gardeners (1990), no Virginia Master Naturalists (2005). Even the oldest of any nature group, The Sierra Club, dating back to 1892, did not get a Virginia chapter until 2009, he said.
The National Audubon Society began in 1905, although its roots began with Mass Audubon, the Massachusetts nature group (1896) started by two socialites who loved nature and hated women’s feathered hats which were decimating shorebird population.
“As most know, the arrival of the Covid pandemic upended everything in our lives and the Audubon Chapter has struggled to maintain itself ever since,” said Howe.
“Covid caused Audubon to cancel our regular public nature programs and bird walks. As a result, we lost the interest of many members and, more importantly, we lost board members. The existing chapter board needs help as it does not have enough members to operate practically, efficiently and correctly,” he continued.
“The existing board now wishes to make a final appeal to nature lovers in the region—help the chapter or terminate the chapter. We are hoping to elicit a sufficient response so we may return to pre-pandemic activities of public programs, education and bird walks,” said Howe.
The chapter owns Hickory Hollow Natural Area Preserve in Lancaster and has over 200 members, either local members and/or National Audubon Society members.
“The chapter sponsors and/or participates in Christmas Bird Counts, Winter Waterfowl Counts, local butterfly counts and has in the past, published a regular newsletter, held regular local bird walks, and programs on bird identification, the feeding of birds, photography, bird ecology and biology,” said Howe.
“We need some folks to step up to help continue operating the chapter. We want these types of activities to carry on far into the future,” he said. “Further, the chapter has a well-endowed separate foundation which has provided financial support to the chapter and also has provided grant funds to support nature study and projects.”
Those who cannot make it and wish to share their help or opinion, are urged to send an email to nnaudubon@gmail.com.
