Duval Audubon Society

Serving Clay, Duval, and Nassau Counties

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Conserve

The first part of Audubon's strategic plan is to "Focus on the conservation of birds, other wildlife, and their habitats." In this section of our website, we hope to provide enough information for you to take part in conservation efforts and communicate what you can do to help.

Laurel Wilt Disease Info

Red bay and Swamp bay trees in Florida are all dying due to laurel wilt disease. Many have called this an environmental catastrophe. While this is indeed an environmental catastrophe, it's also a costly nuisance and human health hazard. Many homes in our area have red bays in their yards that are dead and in various stages of decay. These trees are costly to remove and a safety hazard if left to rot and fall down in areas we inhabit. Additionally, many nature trails frequented by birders are dangerous, because they traverse forested areas with dead red bays ready to fall down any minute. Please be careful when out in the woods these days. The avocado is in the laurel family (Lauraceae) and the avocado industry in south Florida is threatened by laurel wilt disease. The first confirmed case in avocados has recently been reported from south Florida.

Info on Laurel Wilt Disease can be found at the FDACS website.

Allen Tilley's List Serve and White Papers on Climate Change

Allen Tilley is a local Jacksonville scholar and activist on Climate Change. While an English professor at UNF, he helped organize and teach an interdisciplinary program of courses on Climate Change. His course was called "The Rhetoric and Ideology of Global Warming", in which the class reviewed and discussed issues around the various sources of information on Climate Change. He has presented programs on climate change to many groups and organizations throughout northeast Florida including the Duval and St Johns Audubon Societies.

Dr. Tilley is an avid reader and author of several books (not on climate change). He sends out a weekly (or so) listserve with his summaries of, and web-links to, the latest news articles, scientific articles, and information related to energy and climate change.

To Join the Listserve contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Click listserve updates to view/sample them on the Sierra Club Northeast Florida Group website.

White Paper on Energy and Global Warming -- Sierra Club Northeast Florida Group, by Allen Tilley

White Paper on Energy and Global Warming (Documentation)

Recommended Reading List:

See above White Paper on Energy and Global Warming (Documentation)

Thin Ice, by Mark Bowen; 2005. Bowen gives a fascinating account of how climate change science evolved, where it is today, and interesting tales of well known climate scientists collecting ice cores from mountain top glaciers around the world.

A World Without Ice, by Henry Pollack; 2009. Pollack is a geophysics professor at the University of Michigan. His book provides an easy to understand account of the history of polar ice on earth, polar and glacial ice system dynamics, and natural solar, earth system and anthropomorphic influences on our biosphere, lithosphere, hydroshpere, atmosphere and climate change.

Solar Power to the People

Here is everything you need to know to go solar in Florida. This information was provided by Sarah Ridley in support of a Solar Power to the People presentation at the 2009 Audubon Academy.

Solar Power to the People -- cheat sheet!

Engage Your Members of US Legislature and Submit Letters to the Editor Calling for Them to Pass Climate Change Legislation

Guides to taking political action on the issue of Climate Change. These are well thought out guidance from professional policy staff at Audubon of Florida. We are long overdue in dealing with Climate Change through laws that cut carbon emissions and promote energy efficiency and renewable energy production. The sizable reductions in carbon dioxide emissions necessary to reduce and stop climate change can only be made through smart policy solutions. Florida Governor Charlie Crist and President Obama are leading the way, but they need our help to spur stubborn legislators to get on board. Several of our legislators in NE Florida are ones that really need to be convinced to vote for Climate Change legislation such as Cap and Trade.

How to Engage Your Members of Congress

We Can -- Audubon of Florida's Policy Strategy for Reducing Climate Change (for distribution to your congress person)

How to submit a Letter to the Editor - tips for how to get published

Please consider setting up a meeting with your U.S. Senators and Representatives asking to help deal with Climate Change. It's a truly interesting and rewarding experience. Make a difference!

Another rewarding experience is getting your letter to the editor published in the paper. The more attention we bring to this important issue the better.

Contact Pete Johnson for help and support:

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Check Audubon of Florida and National Audubon Society websites for their latest news, info, advocacy action networks, and Climate Change campaigns.

Why Take Action on Climate Change?

This section provides links to good information that outlines why we, as Florida citizens, need to press our leaders to take action on solving Climate Change! We all have a lot to lose. Duval County alone will lose many millions of dollars worth of property due to sea level rise according to the FSU study linked below.

State of the Birds 2010 Report on Climate Change

FSU Sea Level Rise Impacts on Florida Report Summary

Florida Energy and Climate Change Action Plan -- Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) website

Mean Sea Level Trends for Stations in Florida -- National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) website

White Paper by Allen Tilley of Sierra Club Northeast Florida Group

Documentation - White Paper by Allen Tilley of SCNFG

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