National Audubon Society

National Audubon Society, private conservation organization that works to advance public understanding of the need to conserve soil, water, plants, and wildlife and to encourage appreciation of the importance of their intelligent use for human purposes. The organization'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. The organization is named after American naturalist and wildlife painter John James Audubon.

The organization was founded in 1905 as the National Association of Audubon Societies for the Protection of Wild Birds and Animals, an alliance of state Audubon societies. In 1940 the organization shortened its name to the National Audubon Society. It is funded chiefly by membership dues, gifts, and bequests, and it is one of the largest organizations of its type in the country. Based in New York City, the organization has about 550,000 members and more than 500 chapters throughout the Americas. It also operates more than 100 sanctuaries and nature centers in the United States, ranging from small islands to a coastal marshland in Louisiana covering about 11,000 hectares (about 26,000 acres).

Among the society’s key objectives are preserving wetlands; promoting a responsible U.S. population policy; preserving endangered forests; conserving marine wildlife; protecting and promoting growth of national wildlife refuges; and protecting corridors for migratory birds. In working toward these goals, the organization lobbies the federal government and state governments and works to educate the general public about environmental issues.

The society’s publications include Audubon magazine, featuring articles and photography on wildlife and nature; Audubon Adventures, a grade-school newsletter; and various materials on natural history and environmental subjects. The organization also produces “World of Audubon” nature specials for commercial television and sponsors nature books, field guides, and environmental software.

The National Audubon Society conducts a variety of educational programs for children and adults. It runs summer ecology workshops and field-study programs aimed at developing environmental teaching techniques for schoolteachers, camp counselors, and others. The Audubon Expedition Institute offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs in environmental education.

Reviewed by: National Audubon Society