Treehugger Tuesday

From National Audubon Society:

Audubon and National Geographic Declare 2018 as Year of the Bird

More than 100 organizations join forces for 12 months of storytelling and science to examine how our changing environment is impacting birds around the globe.

Audubon and its partners have teamed up to officially make 2018 the Year of the Bird. Join today to help make the world a better place for birds and the planet.
Join Us

“If you take care of the birds, you take care of most of the big environmental problems in the world.”
—Thomas E. Lovejoy, Tropical Conservation Biologist and National Geographic Fellow

2018 marks the centennial of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, the most powerful and important bird-protection law ever passed. In honor of this milestone, National Geographic, the National Audubon Society, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and BirdLife International will join forces with more than 100 other organizations and millions of people around the world to celebrate 2018 as the “Year of the Bird.”

This effort aims to heighten public awareness of birds because of their wonder and beauty—and because they symbolize nature’s interconnectedness and the importance of caring for our shared planet. To get started, visitors to BirdYourWorld.org will discover simple but meaningful steps that anyone can take to help birds each month and join a pledge to participate. For example in February, participants are invited to join the Great Back Yard Bird Count and report the tally to help scientists track the health of bird populations. In March, participants will be invited to use a zip-code based native plant finder for their yards, gardens or balconies to help attract nesting birds and provide a needed sanctuary for migrating birds.

Through 12 months of storytelling, science research and conservation efforts, Year of the Bird will examine how our changing environment is driving dramatic losses among bird species around the globe and highlight what we can do to help bring birds back.

Participating organizations include nonprofit and conservation groups, state and federal agencies, zoos, nature centers, and ornithological societies that are working together to raise the visibility of birds and inspire action through #BirdYourWorld throughout 2018. The campaign will also utilize National Geographic’s portfolio of media platforms reaching millions of people around the world with engaging bird content that will educate, inspire and raise awareness about the challenges that birds are facing and what people can do to help.

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