4 California chapters win 2009 Toyota Innovation grants!

San Diego, Los Angeles, Golden Gate and San Bernardino Valley Audubons were notified that they would be awarded Toyota Together Green Innovation grants totalling $ 124,632, or 33.8% of the total amount of grant awards to the 17 Audubon chapters in the U.S.

San Diego Audubon's winning project plans to connect communities with native habitat coridors for wildlife. Los Angeles Audubon will continue to restore Baldwin Hills Park using an education/intern program aimed at South Central high school students. Golden Gate Audubon will monitor shorebird populations in wetlands in the second year of a program engaging the diverse Bay Area community. San Bernardino Valley Audubon plans to restore wetlands at the Salton Sea to help Black Rail and other species of birds in partnership with the Torres-Martinez tribe.

Congratulations to these three Southern California and one Bay Area chapters!

Wintu Audubon is first chapter on wind project TAC

Wintu Audubon Conservation Chair Claudia Lyons-Yerion announced that her chapter will be the first Audubon chapter in California to sit on the Technical Advisory Committee to review wildlife impacts on a wind project. Claudia reported on the efforts of her chapter to protect Sandhill Cranes and other species that might conflict with Hatchett Ridge Wind Development Project near Mt. Shasta. She also announced the demise of the TANC powerline project. Claudia's full report is available by email from ggeorge at audubon.org.