Chapel Hill, N.C. (September 15, 2016) – Audubon North Carolina (ANC) will soon reach out to 1,000 private landowners across nine Western NC counties to encourage them to protect and restore priority bird habitats, while simultaneously helping landowners enhance their property in cost-effective and sustainable ways. ANC staff will work with private landowners to maintain or enhance their land to benefit Golden-winged Warbler populations in Western North Carolina.

Western NC, because of its elevational range and forested landscape, is an important destination for Golden-winged Warblers to nest each year. The warbler has been petitioned for listing as an endangered species due to its rapid range-wide decline, making the nesting areas in North Carolina crucial for protection and ongoing maintenance.  Audubon has mapped privately owned land in Western North Carolina that contains preferred habitats for the species, in hopes of working directly with landowners to preserve the area for long-term sustainability. Landowners who meet certain criteria to participate in the program will be notified with a letter from an ANC representative in the next few weeks.   

“Audubon has crafted an approach to forest management that protects and restores habitats for birds, while simultaneously helping landowners enhance their property in cost-effective ways,” says Audubon Conservation Biologist Aimee Tomcho. “We have seen tremendous success engaging private landowners over the past three years, and we are excited to develop more local partnerships to continue protecting Golden-winged Warblers and North Carolina’s beautiful landscapes.”

The program will offer training opportunities, management plans and demonstration sites in order to work with private landowners to support environmentally sound practices, especially those that benefit native birds. Landowners who have been identified will receive a letter in the mail in the coming weeks detailing how they can learn more about participating in the program, and how they can receive land management support that will create these specialized habitats. For more information about Audubon North Carolina and the Working Lands initiative visit our webpage.

About Audubon North Carolina

With a century of conservation history in North Carolina, Audubon strives to conserve and restore the habitats we share with all wildlife, focusing on the needs of birds. Audubon North Carolina achieves its mission through a blend of science-based research and conservation, education and outreach, and advocacy. Audubon North Carolina has offices in Corolla, Boone, Wilmington and Chapel Hill.

###