President's Message - October 2022
Recently, I was asked about Tampa Audubon Society's mission statement, and whether it reflects what we do and what we want to work on in the future. So, I looked at the mission with a new eye, and I want to share my thoughts. 
Ann Paul, President
Tampa Audubon Society
Our mission is to:
Conserve and restore our ecosystems, focusing on birds, wildlife, and their habitats, through education, advocacy, and community involvement.
Our members want to make the world a better place, and we know we can't change everything. But we can address those concerns related to our passions and expertise. And, we have things we enjoy and that we can do together, as people of like minds. Plus, we just like to get together to talk birds.
So, with a lofty goal of restoring local habitats, we can use our influence and support to help our city, county and state land managers as they use science to improve and restore places in Hillsborough County, where birds and other animals live. We participate in volunteer activities and serve on committees that promote this end.
Our field trips, monthly meeting speakers, outreach tabling work, newsletter, and website create diverse and effective education tools for our members and others in the community. Over the last 16 years, our Osher Lifelong Learning Institute classes have also fulfilled this function, and for five years, so has our participation and promotion of the Florida Birding and Nature Festival. Volunteers at the newly renamed Joel Jackson Nature Center at Lettuce Lake Park share bird, wildlife and habitat information with visitors to Lettuce Lake Nature Park. This participation has been in place for over twenty years.
These activities also demonstrate to community leaders the value of conservation lands for ecotourism, which increases the regional economy as visitors and residents use restaurants and other businesses near preserves.
Our Conservation Committee, headed by Mary Keith and Doug DeNeve, provides well-stated and thoughtful positions to defend regional resources. This action is very effective and well-received by agency and government leaders, and often we can offer solutions that help significantly.
Our volunteer activities, including the Bluebird Trails, Project BUR-O for Burrowing Owls, clean-up participation, and more, show that we literally put ourselves where our mouths are. We help with our sweat – although hopefully not blood and tears!
Our mission has a lot of advantages. It's a short statement, and concisely includes the goals that we address. It still works for us, and effectively states what we do and what we want to do.
Ann Paul
President, Tampa Audubon Society
