Press Archive

Audubon International is excited to announce it has relocated to its newly purchased headquarters situated in the Rensselaer Technology Park in Troy, New York. The organization officially began operating out of the new space on February 18.

The new office will allow Audubon International to continue enhancing its program offerings through an expanded workforce, and also enable the organization to operate out of an energy-efficient building in a more central, convenient location. Audubon International’s new mailing address is as follows:  

120 Defreest Drive, Troy, New York 12180

phone: 518-767-9051 | fax: 518-767-9076

In order to facilitate a more orderly transition, Audubon International’s mainline telephone and fax numbers will remain the same. As such, all of the organization’s valued members, conservation partners, contacts in the news media, and other stakeholders should not experience any communications disruptions as a result of the move. Audubon International staff email addresses and the organization’s official website (www.auduboninternational.org) will also be unaffected.  

Over the course of the organization’s lengthy history, Audubon International has maintained its headquarters at the nature preserve known as Hollyhock Hollow Sanctuary in Selkirk, New York. This unique 138-acre property, which was generously gifted to us by the late Dr. Robert Rienow, is home to a fascinating history, rare geologic features, mature hardwood forests, a meandering segment of the Onesquathaw Creek, a tranquil pond, an expansive network of caves, and healthy populations of resident and migratory wildlife. In the time that Audubon International has operated out of Hollyhock Hollow, staff and volunteers have worked diligently to maintain hiking trails, excellent birding opportunities, and environmental interpretation exhibits for school groups and other members of the visiting public.

“Just like wildlife and the ecosystems they occupy, organizations that strive to conserve and restore our environment will undergo necessary changes in the course of their existence,” said Ryan Aylesworth, Audubon International’s Executive Director. “Audubon International is proud to have called Hollyhock Hollow Sanctuary ‘home’ for more than two decades, and we are excited to build on our long and successful history of incentive-based conservation by actively working with the many organizations located in Rensselaer Technology Park, as well as businesses and community leaders in Troy and throughout the Capital Region.”

Although Audubon International will no longer be headquartered at Hollyhock Hollow, the organization will continue serving as a responsible steward for the Sanctuary to ensure that the property’s natural landscape is managed in a “forever wild” state and it remains a unique place, free and open to the public to recreate and reconnect with nature.

Audubon International

Audubon International is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization dedicated to delivering high-quality environmental education and helping to implement sustainable natural resource management in all places where people live, work, and play. Through education, motivation, certification, and recognition, Audubon International educates people about the responsible management of land, water, wildlife, and other natural resources. Utilizing a set of award-winning environmental education and certification programs, Audubon International is able to positively impact the environment at levels ranging from individual properties to entire communities.

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Audubon International is excited to announce it has hired Katie Hopkins as the new External Communications Coordinator. Katie joined the team on February 12, 2013.

In this role, Katie will work closely with the Executive Director and other Audubon International staff and Board members to develop, manage, and implement innovative communications strategies that advance the organization’s programs, stakeholder relations, long-term goals, and overall mission. She will serve as the primary point of contact for the media and other external audiences, educating a wide range of stakeholders about the benefits of Audubon International’s certification programs and the importance of responsible environmental action. Katie will also play a leading role in developing written outreach products and perform marketing and promotional campaigns on behalf of the organization.

“Audubon International works with a diversity of stakeholders, and effectively communicating the social and economic benefits of environmental stewardship is central to cultivating a multi-sector commitment to sustainability,” said Ryan Aylesworth, Audubon International’s Executive Director. “We are very excited to bring Katie’s professional background and interdisciplinary talents to bear on all our outreach goals and strategies. Among many other valuable functions, she will enhance the overall value of the programs we deliver by directly helping Audubon International members effectively communicate their many commendable accomplishments.”

Prior to joining Audubon International, Katie earned a Master of Public Affairs from Indiana University’s nationally-renowned School of Public and Environmental Affairs. Her graduate program included a concentration in Sustainable Development and Nonprofit Management. While at Indiana University, Katie served an instrumental role in launching a local business certification program to promote sustainable business practices and consumer empowerment in the community of Bloomington, Indiana. In her capstone project, she worked with a small team to compile a report for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that examined the social and environmental issues surrounding off-road vehicle use on national wildlife refuges. The findings of this report are expected to be published in the journal Environmental Management later in 2013. As part of her degree program, Katie spent several months in Brazil interning for Imaflora, a nonprofit certifying body for the Forest Stewardship Council and the Sustainable Agriculture Network. There she became very familiar with the concept of certification and the ways in which economic incentives and market-based techniques can encourage adoption of sustainable natural resource management practices. Katie also has professional interests in the field of sustainable tourism, and she focused multiple graduate research projects on the topic, including an examination of the costs and benefits of the cruise industry for ports of call.

Before completing her master’s degree, Katie worked in a communications and marketing role for a travel company in her home state of Wisconsin. She has had a variety of professional experiences including an internship at The British Museum in London, an education facilitator position at The Central Wisconsin Children’s Museum, and a publicist role for The Thailand Project. In addition to her Master of Public Affairs degree, Katie earned a Bachelor of Arts in Arts Management and Theatre from University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point.

Katie enjoys traveling, outdoor recreation, attending art events, and photography. Having recently relocated to the Albany area from Wisconsin, she is excited to explore her new community and begin taking advantage of the many recreational and cultural experiences the region has to offer.

SELKIRK, N.Y. (Jan. 29, 2013) – Ronald G. Dodson is retiring from Audubon International after serving as the organization’s founder and president of the board for more than 25 years.

Audubon International, a not-for-profit environmental organization headquartered in the Albany area of New York, provides education and technical assistance to businesses, government agencies and communities throughout the United States and over 30 other countries to implement sustainable natural resource management in all places people live, work and play.

After playing a central role in Audubon International’s intensive search for a new executive director, which culminated in the hiring of Ryan Aylesworth (formerly of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) in June 2012, Dodson informed Audubon International’s board of directors at a recent board meeting of his intention to retire.

 “Audubon International has a unique and important mission,” said Dodson. “Under its new executive leadership, the organization is making considerable progress toward its mission and will continue the vision of a public that is well-educated in environmental issues and a society committed to sustainable natural resource management practices.

“It is not without nostalgia that I bid farewell to the organization’s dedicated staff and board members – many of whom I have worked with for decades,” Dodson said. “But I am very excited about what the future has in store for Audubon International under Ryan’s capable leadership.” 

Dodson is credited with re-establishing the Audubon Society of New York State in 1987 after the pioneering environmental organization had been inactive for several decades. Dodson shaped and guided much of the work the organization does today under the name Audubon International.

Over the course of a more than 30-year career in natural resource management, land-use planning and “green” design, Dodson has assisted hundreds of small businesses, major corporations, educational institutions, government agencies, not-for-profit organizations and communities around the world in achieving their goals while advancing sound environmental stewardship. As a wildlife biologist, educator and avid birder, Dodson will remain an ardent environmental leader and champion of biodiversity and watershed protection.

“Ron has helped set a vision for a sustainable future that will allow Audubon International to continue thriving far beyond the conclusion of his long tenure with the organization,” said Aylesworth. “Audubon International will honor Ron’s legacy by building on our past accomplishments and continuously improving to even more effectively address new and evolving environmental challenges.”

During Dodson’s tenure, Audubon International saw substantial growth in program offerings, services and organizational outreach. Under Dodson’s long-time leadership, Audubon International has emerged as a highly reputable organization that employs education, technical assistance, certification and recognition to implement environmental management practices that ensure natural resources are sustainably used and conserved. Dodson also worked closely with the United States Golf Association to grow the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program, an internationally renowned education and certification program that helps golf courses protect our environment and preserve the natural heritage of the game of golf. Since its founding, Audubon International has enrolled more than 3,000 properties – including golf courses, cemeteries, ski areas, housing developments, hotels and many others – and communities in its rigorous certification programs.

“Ron’s passion for environmental conservation is well known, and he retires from an organization with a cadre of individuals who share that same passion,” remarked Aylesworth. “We wish Ron a very happy and well-earned retirement, and will continue drawing on his wisdom as we work with our valued conservation partners across the globe to provide valuable environmental education and help proliferate application of sustainability principles.” 

About Audubon International

Audubon International is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization dedicated to delivering high-quality environmental education and helping to implement sustainable natural resource management in all places where people help the environment where they live, work and play. Through education, motivation, certification and recognition, Audubon International educates people about the responsible management of land, water, wildlife and other natural resources. Utilizing a set of award-winning environmental education and certification programs, Audubon International is able to positively impact the environment at all levels from individual property to entire communities.

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For more information, please contact Ryan Aylesworth at 518-767-9051, ext 106 or Ron Dodson at 518-859-5370.

Audubon International is very excited to announce that Laura Karosic has been hired as the organization's Special Projects Coordinator, a newly created interdisciplinary position. Laura reported for duty on December 3, 2012.

As Special Projects Coordinator, Laura will coordinate the development and implementation of a new individual professional certificate program in sustainable natural resource management (which will primarily target professional property managers, such as golf course superintendents and resort managers), play a leading role in establishing and managing important partnerships between Audubon International and other entities, and support the implementation of the organization’s long-standing environmental education and certification programs. Laura will also lead the development and implementation of a comprehensive natural resource management strategy to help Audubon International effectively use its existing landholdings to further the organization’s core mission functions.

“Audubon International is very fortunate to have Laura join our team, and I am very excited that she’ll be playing a leading role in a number of important areas, including the establishment of an individual professional certificate program that our industry partners strongly demand,” said Ryan Aylesworth, Audubon International’s Executive Director. “Laura’s academic training in sustainable natural resource management and her professional background in community engagement make her uniquely suited for this position, which will involve interfacing with a wide range of property managers, environmental professionals, industry representatives, educational institutions, and other important stakeholder groups.

Prior to joining Audubon International, Laura was a Graduate Research Assistant in the Department of Geography, Geology, and the Environment at Slippery Rock University, where she led a research team in identifying the origins of sustainability within the National Park Service. Her responsibilities in this capacity included identifying a national park that was implementing exemplary sustainable practices and developing a research plan to assess park visitor perception of these practices within the park. Her plan consisted of compiling historical research, the development of original surveys to be distributed to park visitors at Denali National Park, data synthesis and analysis, and the publication of research findings in a professional journal (expected to be completed in early 2013).

Before completing her master’s work at Slippery Rock University, Laura was involved in numerous environmental restoration projects and volunteer management programs. While a student at Merritt College in Oakland, California, she recruited and trained fellow students and community members to restore an ecologically sensitive public nature area near Merritt College’s campus. Working with community stakeholders and student volunteers, Laura developed a comprehensive site assessment and restoration plan, collected native plant donations, implemented restoration techniques, and monitored site progress. During this time, Laura served as a volunteer with California watershed and creek groups, and was charged with using GIS and GPS to monitor invasive species, restore native wildlife populations, and assess water quality. This experience fueled her interest in how community members can be trained to utilize these tools in obtaining scientific data. Prior to this volunteer experience, Laura worked in the field of education, first as a Community Outreach Specialist for an afterschool program in Oakland, and then as a Project Manager for an afterschool consulting firm, also in Oakland, where she wrote numerous articles, reports, case studies, and grant proposals in the interest of advancing opportunities for low-income young people.

Laura holds a Master of Science in Sustainable Systems from Slippery Rock University and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from West Chester University. She resides in Albany with her dog, Timber, and enjoys spending her free time cooking, hiking with Timber, traveling, and sewing.

Following the conclusion of an extensive search and candidate review process, Audubon International is very excited to announce that Joanna Nadeau has been selected as the new Program Manager for the Sustainable Communities Program. Joanna reported for duty on October 15, 2012.

As Program Manager, Joanna will serve as a senior staff member of a collaborative team of experienced natural resource management professionals who directly engage a diverse array of stakeholders (i.e., homeowner’s associations, municipal leaders, state and federal agency officials, nongovernmental organizations, academic institutions, and members of the business community) on an equally diverse range of issues. Reporting directly to the Executive Director, Joanna will help to meet annual membership, fiscal, environmental performance, and service goals.

“We are thrilled that Joanna is coming on board to administer our Sustainable Communities Program and assist with other education and certification programs being implemented by the organization’s team of interdisciplinary environmental specialists,” said Ryan Aylesworth, Audubon International’s Executive Director. “Joanna is a proven consensus-builder, holistic and critical thinker, innovator, and problem solver. Her professional background with Cooperative Extension and expertise in a wide range of educational, planning, and natural resource management disciplines make her uniquely suited to effectively help communities achieve their long-term environmental, economic, and social goals.”

Audubon International’s Sustainable Communities Program uses incentive-based strategies to help whole communities become healthy and vibrant places in which to live, work, and play–both today and tomorrow. That vision is founded in the three pillars of sustainability–a healthy local environment, quality of life for citizens, and economic vitality. The program is tailored to each community to ensure that its specific values, goals, needs, and challenges are effectively addressed in a manner that simultaneously advances environmental health as measured by numerous sustainability indicators (i.e., wildlife habitat and biodiversity protection). Through the program, communities work with Audubon International to establish priorities, develop an overarching plan, and take action that leads to environmental benefits at the community level.

Prior to joining Audubon International, Joanna was a Research Analyst for the environmental water program at the University of Arizona Water Resources Research Center (WRRC). In this capacity, which she served for over five years, Joanna coordinated the WRRC’s research and outreach program designing and implementing projects to identify sustainable supplies of water for the environment in the face of growing human water demands in the western U.S. She was responsible for securing grants for numerous projects; providing science translation and technical assistance for community-level water sustainability programs; representing projects through professional presentations, publications, press interviews, and newsletters; participating in water planning processes across the Colorado River basin; and developing partnerships with government officials, resource managers, and the public. She compiled and synthesized an inventory of over 100 research studies of environmental water needs into a searchable spatial database, a Methodology Guidebook, a Statewide Assessment Report, and regional bulletins. As part of her work establishing pilot programs of Conserve to Enhance (C2E), an innovative mechanism to secure water for the environment through municipal water conservation, she developed outreach materials, including a C2E program development guide, and initiated a pilot program evaluation plan.

Before starting her work in water resources, Joanna spent four years providing ecological assessments for sustainable management efforts by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and USDA Forest Service through her work at The Nature Conservancy. Involving spatial analysis, literature research, and technical writing, this provided her with a strong background in natural resources management.

Joanna holds a Master of Environmental and Healthy Cities Planning from the University of Arizona, and a Bachelors of Science in Biology from Haverford College. She spent her childhood in New Jersey and Nashville, Tennessee, but now resides in Albany with her husband. In her free time Joanna enjoys hiking, cycling, cooking, and travel.

Seabrook Island, SC – The Seabrook Island Property Owners Association has earned the Green Community Award from Audubon International, a non-profit environmental education organization. The Green Community Award is bestowed when a community completes the first stage of the three-stage Sustainable Community education and certification program administered by Audubon International. By completing the first stage of the program, Seabrook Island is the first homeowner’s association – and only the second community – in South Carolina to receive the Green Community Award.

"As the first homeowner’s association to receive the Audubon International Green Community Award in the State of South Carolina, Seabrook Island Property Owners Association has demonstrated a strong commitment to ensuring their economic vitality, a healthy local environment, and superior quality of life," said Ryan Aylesworth, Audubon International Executive Director. “Our organization applauds Seabrook for its dedication to promoting sustainability, and we look forward to actively working with the community’s Steering Committee while the remaining two phases of the certification process are being completed.

 “The Leadership of Seabrook Island has embraced the Audubon International Sustainable Communities planning model," states John Thompson, Seabrook Island Property Owners Association Executive Director. “The Community owes a debt of gratitude to Audubon International as well as to our resident volunteers who have tirelessly pursued the Green Community designation. We envision our participation will become the umbrella under which the pillars of sustainability are assessed continually to help the various island entities inform their individual strategies, programs, and projects.”

Audubon International’s Sustainable Communities Program helps communities take steps to ensure that they are healthy and vibrant places in which to live, work, and play–both today and tomorrow. That vision is founded in the three pillars of sustainability–a healthy local environment, quality of life for citizens, and economic vitality. The program is tailored to each community to ensure that its specific needs, priorities, resources, and challenges are addressed.  Through the program, the community works with Audubon International to establish priorities, develop an overarching plan, and take action that leads to environmental benefits at the community level.

Seabrook Island Property Owners Association strives to be a private residential community with lifestyle amenities for all ages. With a mixture of developed homes, undeveloped lots, condo and villas, the association oversees 2680 individual properties and 521 acres of common space. As a private community association, Seabrook Island Property Owners Association has the power to drive sustainability through comprehensive planning and education.

For more information about Seabrook Island Property Owners Association’s involvement the Audubon International Sustainable Communities Program, contact Ryan Aylesworth, Executive Director by phone at (518) 767-9051, ext. 106, e-mail at ryan@auduboninternational.org, or visit www.auduboninternational.org.

SELKIRK – Marriott’s Grande Vista in Orlando, Fla., and Marriott’s Shadow Ridge in Palm Desert, Calif., are the first resorts to be designated as Green Resorts by Audubon International, an international conservation and environmental education organization. The Green Resorts designation recognizes properties that have been eco-rated by Audubon International’s Green Lodging Program and have achieved certification in at least one other Audubon International program, such as the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program for Golf Courses. 

MARCO ISLAND – The Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Green Lodging Program today re-designated Marco Island Marriott Resort, Golf Club & Spa in partnership with Audubon International’s Green Lodging Program, in Marco Island.

 

During the ceremony, Marco Island Marriott Resort, Golf Club & Spa was presented with a designation certificate along with a Green Lodging flag. Speakers for the ceremony included the Department’s South District Director Jon Iglehart, the Department’s Sustainable Initiatives Director Brad Stombock, Audubon International Executive Director Ryan Aylesworth and David Robinson, Senior Director of Golf, Grounds, & Operations for Marriott Golf.

“Through this partnership with Audubon International, the Florida Green Lodging Program will be able to better recognize members of Florida’s lodging sector for their proven dedication in protecting Florida’s environment and natural resources,” said Sustainable Initiatives Director Brad Stombock. “Further, the partnership will allow us to provide a greater level of technical assistance opportunities across the state, focusing on conserving our valuable natural resources and assisting in the development of operational efficiencies.”

The Florida Green Lodging Program is similar to Audubon International’s Green Lodging Program, recognizing lodging facilities that have met environmental best practice standards and have demonstrated a strong commitment to water quality, water conservation, waste minimization, resource conservation and energy efficiency. 

“This new partnership builds on an already long and impressive history of strong cooperation between Audubon International and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection,” said Audubon International Executive Director Ryan Aylesworth. “By launching this joint venture in the State of Florida, both organizations are demonstrating their steadfast commitment to collaborative natural resource management and a public-private partnership that will advance environmental quality where people live, work and play.”

Adding to the Department’s Green Lodging Program, Audubon International conducts a comprehensive site visit, along with providing lodging facilities personalized staff support, access to an extensive repository of peer-reviewed resources and best management practices that enable more effective environmental education. 

The Marco Island Marriott Resort, Golf Club & Spa’s sustainable initiatives include recycling efforts, water conserving toilets and shower heads in all guest rooms, motion sensor and timed light switches in all offices and storage rooms and more.  

“As a longtime leader in the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program, we believe that promoting property-wide sustainability and wildlife enhancement at Marco Island Marriott represents the best of environmental stewardship,” said David Robinson, Senior Director - Golf Grounds, Marriott International/The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Co., LLC. 

Florida’s Green Lodging Program encompasses everything from four-room bed and breakfast facilities to properties that have more than 5,000-room facilities; whereas, participating lodging facilities within Audubon International’s Green Lodging Program range from three-room bed and breakfast facilities to 1,500-room destination resorts. Of Audubon International’s approximately 2,300 members, there are 67 lodging facilities also participating in Florida’s Green Lodging Program.

DEP Florida Green Lodging Program

The Florida Green Lodging Program is a voluntary initiative of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) that designates and recognizes lodging facilities that make a commitment to conserve and protect Florida’s natural resources. The program’s environmental guidelines allow the hospitality industry to evaluate its operations, set goals and take specific actions to continuously improve environmental performance. Learn more about Florida Green Lodging Program.

Audubon International

Audubon International is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization dedicated to delivering high-quality environmental education and helping to implement sustainable natural resource management in all places where people help the environment where they live, work, and play. Through education, motivation, certification, and recognition, Audubon International educates people about the responsible management of land, water, wildlife, and other natural resources. Utilizing a set of award-winning environmental education and certification programs, Audubon International is able to positively impact the environment at all levels from individual property to entire communities.

After a nationwide search and interview process, Audubon International's Board of Directors has named Ryan Aylesworth as the new executive director for the environmental education organization. As Executive Director, Ryan will be responsible for supervising and guiding the overall operations of the organization, including the management, growth and development of the programs and activities, as well as the operations of internal support services. In addition to assuming responsibility for overseeing the day-to-day administration, budget, human resources and business operations of the organization, the Executive Director plays a leading role in the creation and implementation of all service standards and processes, outreach and education efforts, and special initiatives.

Prior to joining the Audubon International team, Ryan was the Intergovernmental Affairs Liaison for the Midwest Region of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. In this capacity, which he served in for approximately three-and-a-half years, Ryan was responsible for many functions, including: planning, coordinating and implementing congressional outreach activities for the Service in the Midwest Region; monitoring, analyzing and reporting on relevant federal and state legislative developments; preparing members of the Service's leadership to deliver congressional testimony; advising the Service's regional/national leadership on policy issues; representing the Service on multiple interagency groups comprised of federal, state, and nongovernmental natural resource organizations, and; serving as a senior staff member of the Service's regional public affairs team that engaged the news media and the public-at-large.

Ryan is also currently a PhD candidate in Natural Resources Science and Management (NRSM) at the University of Minnesota. Ryan's interdisciplinary doctoral research program has tackled questions at the nexus of environmental, sociopolitical and institutional systems. More specifically, his research examines the role of interagency collaboration and the efficacy of institutional arrangements governing natural resources in the Mississippi River Basin (MRB), with a primary focus on the role and importance of various policy dimensions and factors influencing interagency collaboration. The primary purpose of the research is to inform practice and generate findings of applied value to decision-makers, natural resource managers, and other stakeholders in the MRB while adding to the literature on collaboration, ecosystem governance, public policy and organizational development. Ryan intends to complete his dissertation and conduct a final defense in the fall of 2012 before publishing on his research in the spring or summer of 2013.

Ryan holds a Master of Public Policy and Administration from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and a Bachelors of Science in Natural Resources from Cornell University. He is originally from northwestern Maine, but now resides in western Massachusetts with his wife and their two dogs. In addition to serving as a volunteer member on his local conservation commission, in his free time Ryan enjoys fly-fishing, upland bird hunting, golf, and cooking.