Dans Papers - May 25, 2007 - Not The Dead Poets Society

Nestled in the secluded woods off the Long Island Sound in the town of Greenport lies The North Fork Audubon Society, with its diverse trail system, extending just over one and a half miles on about fifty acres of preserved parkland. The trails, (carved out by Vice-President and Conservation Chair John Sepenoski) wind through wooded areas, circumnavigate Inlet Pond, traverse a sandy stretch of Long Island Sound Beach, and journey alongside a small freshwater pond. Meetings take place in the Red House Nature Center once a month for members, and once a month for the Board. The North Fork Audubon Society is the steward of this property and maintains the grounds for the county.

The North Fork Audubon Society is a local chapter of the National Audubon Society. As the title would suggest, the North Fork Audubon Society is focused on birds (bird watching, bird habitats, and endangered bird species) that are local to this area such as the Osprey, Piping Plover and Common and Least Terns. The National Audubon Society was named after John James Audubon (1785-1851) who was the country's dominant wildlife artist for half a century. The Audubon Society's mission is to "conserve and restore natural ecosystems, focusing on birds, other wildlife, and their habitats for the benefit of humanity and the earth's biological diversity."

Although John Audubon had no role in the organization named after him, he was a keen observer of birds and nature. He had a deep appreciation and concern for conservation and in his later writings he warned us about the destruction of birds and their habitats. "Today, the name Audubon remains synonymous with birds and bird conservation the world over."

But the North Fork Audubon Society is not just for the birds. The NFAS takes a strong interest in both environmental issues local to the North Fork of Long Island as well as many national and global issues such as global warming, water pollution, land preservation and open space, wildlife protection; and the goal of achieving a balanced co existence between man and nature. In fact, in their mission statement, the North Fork Audubon Society aims to connect people with nature. They promote the preservation of birds and wildlife by protecting and restoring critical habitats of Long Island's North Fork. Their hands-on environmental and natural science programs encourage individuals of all ages to participate, and they hope to grow a strong community of active members and supporters who value nature.

Ironically, just about the time when the NFAS moved to Greenport in 2000 and when Maureen Cullinane came on board as President of the NFAS chapter, there began a trend in the North Fork population towards more nature-minded residents. As the North Fork grew, so did the NFAS. Membership has doubled in the past three years to over 500 members. These community-minded citizens who either came as new residents to the North Fork or had been here for a long time, were each attracted to this area and this organization because of their common interests in land preservation, conservation, endangered species, and bird habitat protection.

The growing environmental concerns of the North Fork residents has helped the NFAS to have an even greater role in the area, and together, this harmony of interests has helped bring awareness not just to the North Fork but to the bustling and glimmering beaches of the Hamptons as well. Everywhere you go, on any beach, on either the North or South Forks, there are birds that need protection, whether it is the endangered Piping Plover, the beach nesting birds whose eggs are in constant danger of destruction, or the Osprey, who nest high on platforms along the bayside flatlands. You may remember that they had been in danger of dying out due to pesticides, particularly from DDT in the 60s. These pesticides were banned in the 70s, and thanks to Rachel Carson, the birds came back and now continue to thrive here. They once were an endangered species, but now they are on the threatened list and there is a celebration of the recovery of the Osprey as an icon of the North Fork.

Diana Van Buren, the Vice-President and Program Chair, brings to the organization her own variety of interests and hopes of building a Butterfly house. Other serious topics of interest that the NFAS has taken up with help from the New York State Audubon Society are dark skies and light pollution, as they effect bird migration, the Liquid Natural Gas Terminal proposed for Long Island Sound, (which the society does not support) and the introduction of windmills proposed off Fire Island and Plum Island (which is supported by the society if the location does not endanger bird habitats).

According to the national Audubon Society's website, "The latest report from the National Academy of Sciences recognizes that properly-sited wind power holds great promise as a source of renewable energy that can reduce global warming pollution. If we don't find ways to reduce global warming pollution, far more birds and people will be threatened by climate change than by wind turbines. The report rightly concludes that our challenge is to design and locate wind-power projects to minimize the negative impacts on birds. It is essential that industry-wide, environmental safeguards be developed so that each wind project can be considered on its own merits with appropriate studies before and after construction."

Although the NFAS may be situated off the beaten track in Greenport, it is at the forefront of the greatest challenges we have facing us, preserving our environment.