Welcome to Duval Audubon Society

Serving Clay, Duval and Nassau Counties

Our mission:

Connecting people with nature, conserving and restoring natural ecosystems, focusing on birds and other wildlife.

We are a chapter of the National Audubon Society and have about 1,100 members in Clay, Duval, and Nassau Counties in Northeast Florida. We host monthly online informational meetings throughout the year and also offer special events, volunteer opportunities, and other activities. Please check our calendar of events for a current listing of our upcoming activities. We hope you'll join us!

2021 EVENTS UPDATE: Although the news of an effective coronavirus vaccine is encouraging, it looks like it will still be some months before the spread of the virus slows down. With the pandemic still surging, our Board of Directors has decided that we will continue to limit hosted in-person activities this year (at least for the first few months) to ensure the health and safety of our members and volunteers. Registration will be limited and participants and volunteers will be required to observe COVID-19 safety measures including masks and social distancing for most in-person activities.

Please Donate to Duval Audubon!

As a volunteer-run 501(c)(3) non-profit, we are grateful for your support. Every contribution helps us continue our work in Northeast Florida!

A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION (#CH4724) AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION FOR DUVAL AUDUBON SOCIETY, A FLORIDA-BASED NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION, MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE 1-800-HELP-FLA (435-7352) WITHIN THE STATE OR VISITING WWW.FLORIDACONSUMERHELP.COM. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE.

  • In Remembrance: Emil Kotik (1945-2021)

    Crosby Emil Kotik raking flipped CBW 20150926We are deeply saddened to share the devastating news of the passing of one of our most dedicated volunteers, Emil Kotik, who lost his life in a traffic accident earlier this year.

    Emil grew up in California in the 1960s and served as an Army Ranger during the Vietnam War. He worked a variety of jobs after his military service, including plant nursery handyman and machinist. He loved exploring the desert when he lived out west and once hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon and back in one day!

    Emil's love of nature continued with his move to Florida. He volunteered with our chapter for many years at our Crosby Sanctuary conservation property in Orange Park, FL, and contributed an incredible amount of time and effort on projects to enhance the preserve.

    (Read more...)

     

  • Many Voices for Conservation and the Environment: Hazel M. Johnson

    202104 Hazel JohnsonContinuing our series focusing on the contributions of historically under-recognized groups to the conservation and environmental advocacy movement, this month we are highlighting the work of Hazel M. Johnson. Known as “The Mother of Environmental Justice” for her grassroots efforts to combat environmental racism, Johnson was a working-class woman who lived in a housing project managed by the Chicago Housing Authority on the South Side of Chicago for most of her adult life.

    Ten years after her husband died of lung cancer in 1969, she became aware of the high rate of chronic health problems like respiratory and skin conditions among area residents, including her own children. She realized that these illnesses were likely caused by exposure to toxic fumes from local steel mills, refineries, and chemical companies, asbestos used in the construction of the buildings they lived in, and contaminated drinking water. In addition, the housing project itself was built on top of land that had previously been used as a toxic sludge dump for the Pullman Motor Company. Residents of the area were found to have the highest incidence of cancer in the city of Chicago.

    (Read more...)

     

  • Lights Out Northeast Florida

    With spring migration right around the corner, here's a reminder about our Lights Out Northeast Florida initiative in partnership with the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens, and St. Johns County Audubon Society.

    Flyways of NA Map by USFWSIt is widely known that many of our feathered friends fly south for the winter and north for the summer. But did you know that 3.5 billion birds make this twice-per-year journey, and that Northeast Florida is the second-largest migration path for birds on the Atlantic Flyway?

    We commonly see Canada Geese migrating overhead during the day, but many of our favorite songbirds travel at night under the cover of darkness using the moon and stars as their guiding lights. However, bright artificial lights on buildings draw birds toward these lights and off their natural migration paths. The birds will often aimlessly circle a brightly lit building until they collide with it or collapse from exhaustion. By turning out the lights, we can remove a major source of mortality from bird populations already threatened by predators, bad weather, food availability disruptions due to climate change, habitat loss, and more.

    (Read more...)

     

  • Proposed Board of Directors 2021-2022

    DAS Board 202012Duval Audubon Society is an all-volunteer organization operated by a Board of Directors who manage the day-do-day business of running a chapter of the National Audubon Society. The following have indicated their interested in serving on Duval Audubon Society's 2021/2022 Board of Directors:

    • President: Carol Bailey-White
    • Treasurer: Helen Kehrt
    • Community Outreach Director: Johnna Bellen
    • Conservation Director, Clay County / Crosby Sanctuary Director: Pete Johnson
    • Conservation Director, Duval County: Carolyn Antman
    • Conservation Director, Nassau County: Andrew Schumann
    • Equity, Diversity & Inclusion / Volunteer Director: Chris Conner
    • Membership Director: Christine Lucas

     

    We bid a grateful farewell to our current Education Director Cristina Tuckness - Cris, thank you for your service to Duval Audubon Society and our community!

    Current board openings include two officer positions, Vice President & Recording Secretary; and a director position, Field Trips & Programs Director. We are also in need of an Education Director for 2021/2022.

    Board members attend monthly meetings (held virtually via Zoom) and participate in chapter activities on a regular basis. Board officers are appointed for a one-year term, and directors serve for two years. If you would like to join our board to help our chapter achieve its mission of connecting people with nature, please complete our online application form or download our paper application form and send via US Mail to:

    Duval Audubon Society
    PO Box 16304
    Jacksonville, FL 32204

    Questions? Please feel free to reach out to us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

     

  • Upcoming Events

    Here's what's happening in April:

     

    We look forward to seeing you soon!