Audubon Mid-Atlantic will be hosting I Bird I Vote at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation on Saturday, February 11, 2023. Plan to attend this in person event (and possibly streamed) at the Philip Merrill Environmental Center, 6 Herndon Ave., Annapolis, MD 21403. The links in this post are not active. Please contact Tess Wilson at tess.wilson@audubon.org for an active link or alternative registration information.
Dear Friend,
Audubon Mid-Atlantic invites you to attend Maryland’s annual I Bird I Vote Conservation Summit on Saturday, February 11th, 2023 from 9:00am until 4:00pm. We’ll be meeting in person at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation headquarters in Annapolis, MD.
Environmental advocates including Maryland Senator Sarah Elfreth, Maryland League of Conservation Voters’ Political Director Kristen Harbeson, and National Audubon Society’s Senior Director of Govt. Affairs Jesse Walls and Senior Director of the Migratory Bird Initiative Jill Deppe will join together to speak on policy priorities that will address the impact that climate change and habitat loss have had on birds. Other speakers will include Audubon Mid-Atlantic staff, elected officials, and leaders of Maryland environmental organizations.
This event will provide an opportunity to learn how to advocate for Maryland’s birds and the places they need to survive. Registration is $30 per person, and will include coffee, snacks, lunch, and admission to all sessions.
The day will start with an optional bird walk led by Audubon Mid-Atlantic's Dave Curson at 8:00am, followed by Audubon chapter updates and mingling over coffee and snacks with National Audubon Society’s Gregoriah Hartman.
We’ll begin the day’s programming with a warm welcome from Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s leadership and a strategic plan update and welcome from Audubon Mid-Atlantic Executive Director Suzanne Biemiller.
11:00am – We'll hear from Sen. Sarah Elfreth and other elected leaders about their priorities for Maryland’s Environment. (More to be announced soon.)
After a boxed lunch and networking hour, we’ll reconvene to hear from:
1:00pm: Kristen Harbeson of Maryland League of Conservation Voters, Josh Hastings of Forever Maryland, and Mark Southerland of Safe Skies Maryland – 2023 Bird and Conservation Policy Panel for Maryland.
2:00pm: Jesse Walls and Jill Deppe, Audubon – National Audubon Society 2023 Federal Policy Priorities and an overview of the Migratory Bird Explorer Tool.
3:00pm: Dave Curson, Audubon Mid-Atlantic Director of Bird Conservation – Local Conservation Update on Audubon’s Coastal Conservation Work. (Additional speakers to be announced soon.)
4:00pm: Jim Brown, Audubon Mid-Atlantic Policy Director – Closing Remarks
*exact times subject to change
If you have any questions, please email Tess Wilson (tess.wilson@audubon.org).
Register for your spot today, and we’ll see you in a couple weeks!