Latest news with #AudubonFlorida
Axios
2 days ago
- General
- Axios
Birds in Florida and nationwide are vanishing — fast
Birds that call Florida's coastline and pine forests home are in serious decline, according to a sweeping new conservation report. Why it matters: Birds are indicators of the overall health of their habitats and signal early warnings of broader trouble. If these habitats can't support birdlife, they likely can't sustain other wildlife — or even humans — for long. What they're saying: A list of species that have lost more than half of their populations in the last 50 years is "like a hit parade of Florida birds," Audubon Florida executive director Julie Wraithmell told Axios. That's in part due to migration patterns, she said. "Florida has an outsized importance for birds of this hemisphere because we're kind of like a Grand Central Station." State of play: Coastal species, including the Wilson's plover, sanderling and least tern, have experienced steep declines, according to the North American Bird Conservation Initiative's 2025 State of the Birds report. So have woodland birds like the Bachman's sparrow and Florida scrub jay — the only bird endemic to the Sunshine State — as the pine forests they inhabit shrink or disappear due to development. Zoom in: Several of the declining shorebirds are nesting now along Tampa Bay beaches, Wraithmell said, including the least tern, Wilson's plover and snowy plover. So are black skimmers, a species that didn't make the list but that Wraithmell said is similarly struggling in Florida. Friction point: These birds lay their eggs directly on the beach, making their nests particularly vulnerable. That's why beachgoers may see areas of sand blocked off to pedestrians or Audubon Florida's bird stewards keeping watch. "People aren't expecting eggs in a small, shallow indentation of sand," Wraithmell said. "A single person cutting through can cause the failure of an entire colony." Struggling to find undisturbed beach sites, some birds have turned to flat gravel rooftops, which presents its own set of challenges. The big picture: It's not just Florida. Researchers tracked species nationwide and found declines almost everywhere — even among birds once thought resilient, like waterfowl. Roughly one-third of U.S. bird species — 229 in total — are now classified as high or moderate conservation concerns. Yes, but: There are signs of hope. Conservation efforts helped the breeding population for American oystercatchers, which also nest along Tampa Bay beaches, bounce back 43% since 2009, although further conservation efforts are needed to sustain that recovery, per the report. What's next: Scientists are calling for bigger investments in habitat protection — particularly on private lands and in partnership with local communities and Indigenous nations.
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘Stop the Swap:' St. Johns County residents, leaders protest against Guana land swap Saturday
The message Saturday morning in Ponte Vedra: 'Stop the Swap:' as hundreds of concerned neighbors, as well as state and county leaders, showed out with signs in hand to speak out against the proposed land swap of the Guana Wildlife Management Area. 'If we lose this, we have lost what is the crown jewel of this county,' county commissioner Sarah Arnold said at Saturday's protest. 'I can't sit by and see that happen. This land was placed in conservation years and years ago.' The proposed deal, which would swap 600 acres of Guana land for 3,000 acres of scattered land throughout central Florida, is an absolute non-starter for many of St. Johns County's residents. Many residents also say the proposal seemingly came out of nowhere, much like – residents say - the proposed developments Action News Jax told viewers about last year at Anastasia State Park that drew similar widespread outcry. 'This was just quietly published on the website, and Audubon Florida were the ones who found it and started sending it out to the organizations,' explained community organizer Stacy Strumph. 'So any time that the ARC or the FDEP quietly just submits something as significant as losing this rare piece of ecological, biodiverse area, it's suspicious. It's a red flag.' [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] Now, St. Johns County residents are calling on their neighbors to make their voices heard at Tuesday's county commissioners meeting, before the Acquisition and Restoration makes its recommendation to the governor and its cabinet Wednesday for final say. 'There's a county commission meeting on May 20, at 5 p.m.,' Strumph said. 'You can come, you can give your three minute speech to the county commissioners, who would be responsible for any rezoning of this land, should it come to fruition.' [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] 'The final vote will happen with the governor and the cabinet,' State Rep. Kim Kendall said. '[It] doesn't matter if ARC on Wednesday votes it down or up, that helps put some influence, but it comes down to those three individuals.' You can also find the 'Stop the Swap' petition by clicking on the link here. Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Conservationists alarmed by new land swap deal involving Guana River Management Area
Neighbors and environmental groups are raising the alarm about a newly proposed land swap deal that could take a significant chunk of land out of the Guana Wildlife Management Area. Spanning nearly 10,000 acres, the Guana Wildlife Management Area is considered a gem by locals in St. Johns County. 'We have Maritime Hammocks, we've got gopher tortoises. There are over 80 bird species that Fish and Wildlife has said are species of greatest conservation need. It's a wonderful ecological treasure,' said Chris Farrell, the Northeast Florida Policy Associate for Audubon Florida. It's why Farrell and other conservationists were floored when they caught wind of a proposed land trade that dropped late in the day Wednesday. 'Just like the state park proposal, this kind of came out last minute without a lot of public notice,' said Farrell. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] The trade would swap a 600-acre piece of land in the heart of the management area for just over 3,000 acres of land scattered throughout the Florida wildlife corridor. 'We don't want to have to trade conservation lands, one for the other. The idea is to build this portfolio over time,' said Farrell. The other party in the proposed deal is The Upland LLC, which according to Sunbiz records seems to be associated with Contega Business Services, LLC. We tried to reach the company to ask what its plans were for the Guana River land, but didn't hear back. Farrell said, based on previous attempts to acquire lands in the area by other entities, the suspicion is the company may want to develop it for residential use. 'The few details we have mention wetlands protection with some easements, but kind of says maybe the uplands are gonna be developed,' said Farrell. And while 600 acres may only make up a relatively small portion of the total management area, Farrell argued efforts to develop the land in question could pose serious issues for the maintenance and preservation of the Guana River Management Area as a whole, especially when it comes to prescribed burns. 'I just hope they learn from what happened with the state parks and they see the commitment that the people of Florida have to conservation,' said Farrell. The Acquisition and Restoration Council will make its recommendation next Wednesday. The proposal will then head for a final decision before the Governor and Cabinet on June 10th. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Mayor Deegan, community leaders join to launch ‘2025 Lights Out Northeast Florida Initiative'
Mayor Donna Deegan will join community leaders to launch the '202 Lights Out Northeast Florida Initiative' on Thursday. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] The event, held at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens at 11 a.m., aims to encourage community members to protect local and migratory birds during the Spring and Fall Migration periods, which respectively last from March 15 to May 15 and September 15 to November 15. The following attendees will be at the event: Mayor Donna Deegan, City of Jacksonville Jeff Ettling, CEO, Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens Julie Wraithmell, Executive Director, Audubon Florida Ashantae Green, Sustainability Manager, City of Jacksonville Alistair D.M. Dove, CEO, The Museum of Science & History (MOSH) Michael Taylor, Curator, Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens Elizabeth Filippelli, Conservation Director, Duval Audubon Society [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
