Audubon Society News
Justin Mog of Louisville's Forward Radio spoke with four LAS board members—President Brandon McQueen and Conservation Committee members Mary Yandell, Margaret Carreiro, and Mary Beth Nevulis—about the Lights Out Louisville initiative.
Stream the episode, now available on demand, to learn why going Lights Out helps birds and humans alike.
Stream the episode, now available on demand, to learn why going Lights Out helps birds and humans alike.
Summary of SB 59: Amend KRS 150.330 to prohibit the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife from enforcing or imposing fines and penalties for the taking of Cooper's hawks or red-tailed hawks; amend KRS 150.990 to exempt Cooper's hawks and red-tailed hawks from fines and penalties.
LAS Letter opposing Senate Bill 59
LAS Letter opposing Senate Bill 59
Response from Senator Gary Boswell
Survival by Degrees: 389 Bird Species on the Brink
Audubon scientists took advantage of 140 million observations, recorded by birders and scientists, to describe where 604 North American bird species live today—an area known as their “range.” They then used the latest climate models to project how each species’s range will shift as climate change and other human impacts advance across the continent.
The results are clear: Birds will be forced to relocate to find favorable homes. And they may not survive.
Take it personally: Climate change is a serious threat to birds and your community. Enter your location to see which impacts from climate change are predicted for your area, and how birds near you will be affected.
Everything you need to know about our findings, their implications, and how to interpret the data for the birds you care about can be found HERE..
The results are clear: Birds will be forced to relocate to find favorable homes. And they may not survive.
Take it personally: Climate change is a serious threat to birds and your community. Enter your location to see which impacts from climate change are predicted for your area, and how birds near you will be affected.
Everything you need to know about our findings, their implications, and how to interpret the data for the birds you care about can be found HERE..
Official LAS Letter to USFS advocating for the conservation of Brown-headed Nuthatches in Kentucky
Written by Mary Yandell
June 27, 2023
William Ryan
Supervisory Natural Resource Specialist
U.S. Forest Service
Daniel Boone National Forest, London Ranger District
Dear Mr. Ryan,
We Board Members of the Louisville Audubon Society (LAS) write to express our deep concern for the U.S. Forest Service’s directed removal of any or all of the Shortleaf Pine stand at the London Ranger Station solely for the construction of a proposed new ranger station and access road. The reason is that this tree is important habitat for the Brown-headed Nuthatch. On April 22, 2023, the Brown-headed Nuthatch was officially listed by the Office of Kentucky Nature Preserves as Endangered category S1-Critically Imperiled – at very high risk of extirpation in the jurisdiction due to very restricted range, very few populations or occurrences, very steep declines, severethreats, or other factors.
The Shortleaf Pine habitat at the London Ranger Station in London, Kentucky is the primary breeding/nesting site of this species in Kentucky – as a matter of fact, the three active breeding sites for this bird are all found in the London area. Currently these locations are under mounting pressure from development. A significant number of Shortleaf Pine were cut down at the ranger station on May 4, 2023 – including one that contained a documented Brown-headed Nuthatch nest! The pine removal happened despite assurances from U.S. Forest Service (USFS) wildlife biologists that nothing would be done to the pines until nesting season had ended.
Alarmed by the steadily shrinking Shortleaf Pine habitat needed by the species during the nesting season, individuals monitoring the Kentucky Brown-headed Nuthatches have long expressed concerns as to the safety of the tiny population. Red flags were raised by conservationists, birders, and other wildlife enthusiasts when the announcement was made about the proposed new Ranger Station
and about the road connector project at the London Ranger Station grounds, which would likely destroy the Shortleaf Pine habitat there during construction.
In its mission statement, the U.S. Forest Service states that it will work to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the Nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations. And, as a federal agency in service to the American people, the Forest Service cares for shared natural resources in ways that promote lasting economic, ecological, and social vitality. Therefore, imperiled, or
endangered species and the habitat needed by them should be taken into serious consideration. In addition, the removal of already established Shortleaf Pine stands negates the expressed “priority” restoration work of Shortleaf Pine habitat in Kentucky slated to be undertaken by the Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife and the USFS!
Frankly, we are shocked that an organization tasked with protecting the diversity of our nation’s forests would turn a blind eye to the obvious needs of a critically imperiled species and turn a deaf ear to the exhortations of experts and the public to not cut down these pines.
Therefore, in accordance with the National Audubon Society’s mission to protect birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow using science, advocacy, education, and on-the-ground conservation, the Louisville Audubon Society urges that measures be taken by USFS to preserve the London Kentucky Ranger Station Shortleaf Pine habitat now and for the future. By doing so the USFS could turn this unfortunate situation into a positive public relations message for educating the public about the importance of Kentucky’s critically imperiled Brown-headed Nuthatch and the habitat the species needs to survive – and that the USFS takes its role in promoting that seriously.
We look forward to your response to Mary W. Yandell at [email protected] who will then share it with the rest of the Board.
Sincerely,
The Board Members of the Louisville Audubon Society
President Lee Payne, Jr., Margaret Carreiro, Jacob Crider, Dick Dennis, Carol Kaufmann, Brandon McQueen, Tim Niehoff,
Diane Shott, Mary Yandell
Written by Mary Yandell
June 27, 2023
William Ryan
Supervisory Natural Resource Specialist
U.S. Forest Service
Daniel Boone National Forest, London Ranger District
Dear Mr. Ryan,
We Board Members of the Louisville Audubon Society (LAS) write to express our deep concern for the U.S. Forest Service’s directed removal of any or all of the Shortleaf Pine stand at the London Ranger Station solely for the construction of a proposed new ranger station and access road. The reason is that this tree is important habitat for the Brown-headed Nuthatch. On April 22, 2023, the Brown-headed Nuthatch was officially listed by the Office of Kentucky Nature Preserves as Endangered category S1-Critically Imperiled – at very high risk of extirpation in the jurisdiction due to very restricted range, very few populations or occurrences, very steep declines, severethreats, or other factors.
The Shortleaf Pine habitat at the London Ranger Station in London, Kentucky is the primary breeding/nesting site of this species in Kentucky – as a matter of fact, the three active breeding sites for this bird are all found in the London area. Currently these locations are under mounting pressure from development. A significant number of Shortleaf Pine were cut down at the ranger station on May 4, 2023 – including one that contained a documented Brown-headed Nuthatch nest! The pine removal happened despite assurances from U.S. Forest Service (USFS) wildlife biologists that nothing would be done to the pines until nesting season had ended.
Alarmed by the steadily shrinking Shortleaf Pine habitat needed by the species during the nesting season, individuals monitoring the Kentucky Brown-headed Nuthatches have long expressed concerns as to the safety of the tiny population. Red flags were raised by conservationists, birders, and other wildlife enthusiasts when the announcement was made about the proposed new Ranger Station
and about the road connector project at the London Ranger Station grounds, which would likely destroy the Shortleaf Pine habitat there during construction.
In its mission statement, the U.S. Forest Service states that it will work to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the Nation’s forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations. And, as a federal agency in service to the American people, the Forest Service cares for shared natural resources in ways that promote lasting economic, ecological, and social vitality. Therefore, imperiled, or
endangered species and the habitat needed by them should be taken into serious consideration. In addition, the removal of already established Shortleaf Pine stands negates the expressed “priority” restoration work of Shortleaf Pine habitat in Kentucky slated to be undertaken by the Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife and the USFS!
Frankly, we are shocked that an organization tasked with protecting the diversity of our nation’s forests would turn a blind eye to the obvious needs of a critically imperiled species and turn a deaf ear to the exhortations of experts and the public to not cut down these pines.
Therefore, in accordance with the National Audubon Society’s mission to protect birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow using science, advocacy, education, and on-the-ground conservation, the Louisville Audubon Society urges that measures be taken by USFS to preserve the London Kentucky Ranger Station Shortleaf Pine habitat now and for the future. By doing so the USFS could turn this unfortunate situation into a positive public relations message for educating the public about the importance of Kentucky’s critically imperiled Brown-headed Nuthatch and the habitat the species needs to survive – and that the USFS takes its role in promoting that seriously.
We look forward to your response to Mary W. Yandell at [email protected] who will then share it with the rest of the Board.
Sincerely,
The Board Members of the Louisville Audubon Society
President Lee Payne, Jr., Margaret Carreiro, Jacob Crider, Dick Dennis, Carol Kaufmann, Brandon McQueen, Tim Niehoff,
Diane Shott, Mary Yandell
Letter from the LAS Board on behalf of Bernheim Forest's fight against the LG&E gas pipeline
December 16, 2022
Governor Andy Beshear
700 Capitol Avenue, Suite 100
Frankfort, KY 40601
Dear Governor Beshear:
It is a staggering loss. Since 1970, the number of birds in the USA and Canada has fallen by 3 BILLION, 1 billion alone in our forests. That is 30% of all birds that existed in 1970. This ongoing precipitous decline in bird numbers is a sign of ecosystem collapse. The primary reason is a death by a thousand cuts, quite literally. This happens whenever we build roads, pipelines and other infrastructure through forests and other natural areas.
In light of this report published in the prestigious journal Science in 2019, Louisville Audubon Society is alarmed that, due to convenience and potential savings, LG&E has continued to choose a pipeline route through one of the conservation jewels in Kentucky, Bernheim Forest. Such a calculus greatly undervalues the worth of natural areas and their wildlife to the well-being of people in our Commonwealth. Forest cuts like these may seem small in area but have outsized impacts because they create inroads for invasions by non-native plants, bird predators and nest parasites, like cowbirds. High quality forest blocks larger than 5000 acres, which can best support our native biological heritage, are extremely rare in the Bluegrass and Knobs regions of Kentucky and deserve our utmost protection from further fragmentation. This pipeline cut will degrade the entire forest’s ability to support native wildlife, like warblers and whippoorwills, which require undisturbed interior habitat to reproduce. Furthermore, they will require that Bernheim spend thousands more to control and manage invaders, a COST NOT BORNE by LG&E and its parent company, PPL.
LG&E has stated that they want to provide natural gas energy to Bullitt County while minimizing the pipeline’s impact on natural areas. As experts in natural areas, we know that this gas pipeline will NOT minimize impact on a conservation area vital to sustaining populations of birds and other wildlife in Kentucky. LG&E’s Bullitt County pipeline will permanently harm wildlife in Bernheim Forest and the State of Kentucky by accelerating their loss and, for some, accelerating local to regional species extinction. LG&E has been granted an energy monopoly in this region. We believe this is a time when they are not serving the longer-term best interests of the environment, the Commonwealth, or the public, who are outraged by their decision to run this pipeline through a cherished and important forest.
Therefore, the Louisville Audubon Society stands with Bernheim Forest in opposing this LG&E pipeline, so that the forest may better support the ever-more vulnerable and precious web of life in Kentucky.
Sincerely,
The Board of the Louisville Audubon Society
Rev. Lee Payne, Jr., Tavia Cathcart Brown, Dick Dennis, Tim Niehoff, Dr. Margaret Carreiro, Carol Kaufmann, Mary Yandell, Diane Shott, Jacob Crider
December 16, 2022
Governor Andy Beshear
700 Capitol Avenue, Suite 100
Frankfort, KY 40601
Dear Governor Beshear:
It is a staggering loss. Since 1970, the number of birds in the USA and Canada has fallen by 3 BILLION, 1 billion alone in our forests. That is 30% of all birds that existed in 1970. This ongoing precipitous decline in bird numbers is a sign of ecosystem collapse. The primary reason is a death by a thousand cuts, quite literally. This happens whenever we build roads, pipelines and other infrastructure through forests and other natural areas.
In light of this report published in the prestigious journal Science in 2019, Louisville Audubon Society is alarmed that, due to convenience and potential savings, LG&E has continued to choose a pipeline route through one of the conservation jewels in Kentucky, Bernheim Forest. Such a calculus greatly undervalues the worth of natural areas and their wildlife to the well-being of people in our Commonwealth. Forest cuts like these may seem small in area but have outsized impacts because they create inroads for invasions by non-native plants, bird predators and nest parasites, like cowbirds. High quality forest blocks larger than 5000 acres, which can best support our native biological heritage, are extremely rare in the Bluegrass and Knobs regions of Kentucky and deserve our utmost protection from further fragmentation. This pipeline cut will degrade the entire forest’s ability to support native wildlife, like warblers and whippoorwills, which require undisturbed interior habitat to reproduce. Furthermore, they will require that Bernheim spend thousands more to control and manage invaders, a COST NOT BORNE by LG&E and its parent company, PPL.
LG&E has stated that they want to provide natural gas energy to Bullitt County while minimizing the pipeline’s impact on natural areas. As experts in natural areas, we know that this gas pipeline will NOT minimize impact on a conservation area vital to sustaining populations of birds and other wildlife in Kentucky. LG&E’s Bullitt County pipeline will permanently harm wildlife in Bernheim Forest and the State of Kentucky by accelerating their loss and, for some, accelerating local to regional species extinction. LG&E has been granted an energy monopoly in this region. We believe this is a time when they are not serving the longer-term best interests of the environment, the Commonwealth, or the public, who are outraged by their decision to run this pipeline through a cherished and important forest.
Therefore, the Louisville Audubon Society stands with Bernheim Forest in opposing this LG&E pipeline, so that the forest may better support the ever-more vulnerable and precious web of life in Kentucky.
Sincerely,
The Board of the Louisville Audubon Society
Rev. Lee Payne, Jr., Tavia Cathcart Brown, Dick Dennis, Tim Niehoff, Dr. Margaret Carreiro, Carol Kaufmann, Mary Yandell, Diane Shott, Jacob Crider
