New Hampshire Audubon

New Hampshire Audubon
Name	New Hampshire Audubon
Formation	1914
Type	Nonprofit
Headquarters	Concord, New Hampshire
Region served	New Hampshire
Leader title	President

New Hampshire Audubon is a conservation organization focused on the protection of birds, habitats, and environmental education across New Hampshire. Founded in the early 20th century, it operates sanctuaries, conducts scientific studies, and delivers educational programs for schools, communities, and policymakers. The organization collaborates with federal, state, and local partners to influence land-management decisions, wildlife policy, and habitat restoration.

History

New Hampshire Audubon traces roots to conservation movements associated with figures and organizations such as John James Audubon, the Audubon Society of New York State, and regional chapters inspired by the broader Audubon movement. During its formative years, it intersected with national developments including the passage of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the era of the National Audubon Society. The organization engaged with New England conservation networks that included the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, the New England Wild Flower Society, and contributors from institutions like Dartmouth College and the University of New Hampshire. Throughout the 20th century it worked alongside agencies such as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, and municipal bodies in towns like Concord, New Hampshire, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and Keene, New Hampshire. Influential conservation debates in which the organization participated referenced events and policies linked to the National Environmental Policy Act, the Clean Water Act, and regional disputes over land use in watersheds such as the Merrimack River and the Connecticut River valley. Partnerships and campaigns connected it to national conservation leaders and organizations including the Sierra Club, the Nature Conservancy, and the National Wildlife Federation.

Organization and Governance

The organization is guided by a board of directors and staffed by professionals with expertise from institutions like Dartmouth College, the University of New Hampshire, and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Governance aligns with nonprofit practices found at entities such as the National Audubon Society and regional nonprofits like the Vermont Audubon Society. Its strategic planning references frameworks used by the IUCN and coordination with state agencies including the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services and the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department. Fundraising and development efforts engage philanthropy channels common to organizations like the Ford Foundation, the Rockefeller Foundation, and regional grantmakers such as the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation. The governance structure involves committees addressing finance, land protection, and education—mirroring committee models at institutions such as the Trust for Public Land and the Conservation Law Foundation.

Programs and Conservation Initiatives

Programmatic work spans habitat protection, bird monitoring, and restoration in areas tied to landscapes like the White Mountain National Forest, the Merrimack River, and coastal sites near Great Bay and Seacoast New Hampshire. Conservation initiatives include grassland restoration comparable to efforts by the Natural Resources Conservation Service, shorebird protection reminiscent of projects at Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge, and inland wetland conservation akin to work at the Chesapeake Bay Program though focused on New Hampshire systems. The organization has engaged in species-specific initiatives involving birds such as the Piping Plover, American Kestrel, Bald Eagle, Common Loon, and Rusty Blackbird, and has contributed to regional responses to threats like avian influenza and habitat fragmentation from infrastructure projects like highway expansions near Interstate 93. Collaborative projects have linked it with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission, the Nature Conservancy, and municipal conservation commissions in towns including Dover, New Hampshire and Hanover, New Hampshire.

Education and Community Outreach

Educational programs target audiences from preschoolers to adults, partnering with school districts such as Concord School District and higher-education partners including Dartmouth College and the University of New Hampshire. Outreach includes citizen-science training modeled on protocols from the Christmas Bird Count and the Breeding Bird Survey administered by organizations like the National Audubon Society and the U.S. Geological Survey. Programs connect with community groups and events such as state fairs, municipal Earth Day celebrations in Manchester, New Hampshire and Nashua, New Hampshire, and regional festivals like the New Hampshire Flower Show. Volunteer networks resemble those at the Appalachian Mountain Club and collaborate with local historical societies, libraries, and youth organizations including the Girl Scouts of the USA and the Boy Scouts of America. Public advocacy and policy education mirror civic engagement efforts seen in partnerships with the New Hampshire League of Conservation Voters and participation in legislative processes at the New Hampshire State House.

Sanctuaries and Facilities

The organization manages a system of sanctuaries, nature centers, and preserves located across New Hampshire landscapes similar to protected areas such as the Pawtuckaway State Park and the Harold Parker State Forest. Sites provide habitat for species documented by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and serve as outdoor classrooms paralleling facilities like the Mass Audubon Society centers. Sanctuaries near coastal estuaries and inland lakes offer habitat protection strategies akin to those at Great Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve and Lake Sunapee State Park. Facilities host tours, field trips, and research collaborations with entities like the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests and municipal parks departments in communities such as Rochester, New Hampshire.

Research and Citizen Science

Research efforts emphasize bird monitoring, habitat assessment, and climate impacts on species distributions, drawing on methodologies from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the U.S. Geological Survey, and academic partners at University of New Hampshire and Dartmouth College. Citizen-science programs align with national efforts such as the eBird platform and regional monitoring similar to the New England Bird Collaborative. Studies have examined phenology shifts comparable to research at the National Phenology Network and collaborated on projects addressing pollutants studied by the Environmental Protection Agency and disease surveillance in coordination with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Data from sanctuary monitoring inform conservation planning with stakeholders including the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and nonprofit partners like the Nature Conservancy and the Audubon Society of Rhode Island.

Category:Environmental organizations based in New Hampshire