Weeshoff honored with Audubon's William Dutcher Volunteer Award

Dave Weeshoff received the 2017 2013 William Dutcher Award for the Pacific Flyway at last weekend’s Audubon Convention in Park City, Utah. Weeshoff was honored for his many years of contributions to the Audubon mission, including his work to make renewable energy safer for birds, establish Marine Protected Areas in Southern California, and support marine bird conservation through his work with International Bird Rescue. Audubon couldn’t have found a better advocate for birds in California.

William Dutcher was a prominent amateur ornithologist of the late 19th and early 20th centuries and in 1905 was appointed the first President of the National Audubon Society.  The Dutcher Award was created in his honor to recognize superior volunteer service by Audubon leaders that results in bird conservation at scale.

House passes H.R. 23, the worst water bill we've seen

The U.S. House of Representatives this morning passed H.R. 23, which we opposed because it seeks to wrest control over much of California's water from the state to the feds. If eventually signed by President Trump, it will overturn decades of negotiations on water in California. Audubon California opposes it because it will divert water from the Center Valley refuges, undermine the Endangered Species Act, and halt the restoration of the San Joaquin River. Audubon activists sent about 3,500 emails to Congress just in the last week in opposition to this bad bill. Now it moves on to the Senate, where we will continue our fight.

Protecting dairy land in Oceanside

Nice article from the San Diego Union Tribune about Buena Vista Audubon's recent land acquisitions north of San Diego. The Wimberly Fund, managed by Audubon California and National Audubon Society, contributed to this purchase.