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ANNUAL REPORT 20201WELCOME FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 2PROGRAMS CONSERVATION & RESTORATION 3 EDUCATION 7 RESEARCH 9 ADVOCACY 10TRAVIS AUDUBON BY THE NUMBERS 11PEOPLE 13FINANCES FINANCIAL STATEMENT 14 OUR GENEROUS MEMBERS & DONORS 15 OUR GENEROUS PROGRAM PARTNERS 19TRAVIS AUDUBON TIMELINE 21HIGHLIGHTS 23JOIN US! 25CONTENTSOUR VISION is to inspire conservation through birding. OUR MISSION is to promote the enjoyment, understanding, and conservation of native birds and their habitats through land conservation, habitat restoration and management, environmental education, and conservation advocacy.Support is a word that came to English from Latin. It is an assimilated and shortened form of sub, meaning “up from under” and portare, meaning “to carry.” In its literal sense, to support someone is to carry them up from under something, like a diver emerging from under water. How we have needed and felt your support in 2020!Our members and friends have carried us up from under financial uncertainty, up from under isolation anxiety, up from under the disappointment of so many cancelled events and changed plans. Your support has allowed TAS to make it through perhaps the biggest challenge our organization has yet faced. Much of what you’ll see in this report is from “before times,” from the pre-COVID world that feels very distant in so many ways. Though our day-to-day operations have changed immensely over the time represented in this report, our work and our mission have continued. In fact, Travis Audubon is moving forward with more members and even stronger partnerships than ever before. For me, the most beautiful silver lining comes from an even greater appreciation for the ways that birds and nature are a balm and comfort. There is so much to celebrate and be grateful for, even in the midst of such isolation and uncertainty. Birds have also helped bring me up from under the grief that has settled over this year—I bet they have for you, too.And so we thank you, members and friends, for your support. Your encouragement has allowed us to keep the fires lit and our chins up in 2020. We have been buoyed by your enthusiasm for our virtual programming, by your willingness to try new technology, and by the ways you continue to share the joy of birds, even if we’re not tromping around the Hill Country together to see them. Thank you for all the ways you have helped Travis Audubon remain successful in a time when we could scarcely imagine what success could look like. You have carried us up from under this pandemic.With appreciation and best wishes,Nicole NethertonExecutive Director, Travis AudubonDEAR MEMBERS & FRIENDS2CONSERVATION & RESTORATIONConservation is essential to our mission, one of our founding priorities since 1952. People are central to conservation, and the crucial work of protecting birds and their habitats requires the hard work of many hands. Travis Audubon members and friends are the reason we can be effective in restoring and protecting natural spaces for birds and bird watchers in Central Texas.GOLDEN-CHEEKED WARBLER HABITAT AT BAKER SANCTUARYWe continue our efforts to provide critical habitat for the Golden-cheeked Warbler (GCWA) at Baker Sanctuary, a part of the Balcones Canyonlands Preserve. Our top priority here is for the management of a healthy, productive population of GCWA, now and into the future. Current research has shown that GCWA generally do best in a woodland composed of native species in a 70:30 ratio of Ashe Juniper to hardwoods. To keep the habitat at Baker Sanctuary healthy, we use two strategies: removing non-native, invasive plants, and caging desirable hardwoods in the uplands to protect them from deer. Some of the desirable hardwoods include Spanish Oak, Shin Oak, Texas Ash, and Escarpment Black Cherry. Last year, we saw continued progress in both areas with the removal of 4,398 individual non-native, invasive plants and the caging of an additional 31 hardwoods, for a total of 251 individual trees caged to date. Wildfire is also a concern at Baker Sanctuary, especially since we share our southeast boundary with approximately 85 houses of the Cypress Creek subdivision. Research has shown that wildfires typically originate at the Wildland/Urban Interface, sometimes caused by homeowner activities then spread into the woodlands. We were awarded a FEMA grant to install a shaded fuel break between the preserve and the neighborhood, a project which began in fiscal year 2018-2019 and was officially completed in 2020. The shaded fuel break removes underbrush that serve as fuels to lessen the chance of a potentially devastating crown fire. The fuel break keeps the canopy intact, keeping the trees that the GCWA need to forage and nest. With multiple habitat conservation strategies in place, we hope to provide excellent habitat for this special bird for years to come.COMMONS FORD PRAIRIE AND METROPOLITAN PARKCommons Ford Ranch Metropolitan Park is a 215-acre preserve along the Colorado River in West Austin, with 40 of these acres as prime riparian restored native prairie habitat. The restoration project, led by Ed Fair, continues to be maintained and spearheaded by the Commons Ford Prairie Committee and their many volunteers and partners. This successful restoration effort has been significant and exciting given that less than 1% of native prairies still exist today in the United States. We are honored to be a part of protecting this beautiful habitat – and the birds and wildlife that thrive there – in Central Texas.The Committee enjoyed a tour of Spicewood Ranch during their burn in January 2020 and are now prepared for a future burn at Commons Ford. Our Austin Parks and Recreation Department (PARD) partners have continued fencing along the road during this time to help protect the prairie, and repairs are also being completed on the road to the park. Austin PARD and the Austin Parks Foundation continue to be valuable assets in preserving and protecting this beloved West Austin oasis for birds and visitors alike. 33CHAETURA CANYONThe conservation and preservation efforts for the lower canyon and watershed at Chaetura Canyon were greatly improved by a generous grant from the Hershey Foundation and several other donors. Those made possible the acquisition of a new parcel at the headwaters of the canyon, a critical part of the ecosystem at Chaetura Canyon. The new property acquisition was scouted for native vegetation, including a promising mix of Escarpment Cherry, Shin Oak, Yaupon, Rusty Blackhaw, and mature Cedar Elm. Restoration of diminished open grassy areas continued this year with the removal and 4chipping of dozens of cubic yards of scrubby, immature Ashe Juniper with the help of volunteers early in 2020, which was was used as mulch to improve the walking trails. A new and more extensive water feature was installed at the Windows on Nature wildlife viewing area, which we hope will allow more opportunities for folks to see their favorite birds when we are able to gather again. With new growth of native grasses, forbs, and understory plants, the diverse mix of species at Chaetura Canyon continues to offer magical opportunities to enjoy birds and wildlife.CONTINUEDMASTER PLANNING AT BLAIR WOODS SANCTUARYBlair Woods Sanctuary, a ten-acre property on East MLK was gifted to the Society in 1985 by Dr. Frank and Fern Blair. Dr. Blair was a preeminent zoologist at UT, known for his studies of reptiles and amphibians, with much of his field work taking place on the property. We believe Fern was the birder and history buff in the family, and likely the inspiration for their gift. As East Austin has grown over the past decades, it became clear to TAS that Blair Woods was well situated to be the center of our education programming. Starting in 2018, Travis Audubon and its Board have undertaken a master planning process for Blair Woods that will help us best steward the property and focus our efforts there even more towards outreach and education. At the outset, Board members made three important decisions: (1) Travis Audubon was committed to retaining Blair Woods and honoring the legacy of Frank and Fern Blair’s gift (2) the vast majority of the property (nine acres) would be maintained as a bird and nature sanctuary, guided by the Habitat Plan developed in 2013 (3) we would explore the possibility of building a new Travis Audubon office and learning center on the remaining acre. Along the way, supporting our Blair Woods neighbors and preserving the unique history of the property have become additional guiding principles.The “Blair Build” master planning process has focused on the one-acre area containing the Blair House and several historical outbuildings close to the home. In 2019 the Board decided to begin the formal planning process and adopted the following goals: a new-construction office building that can accommodate future growth of TAS, an adjacent learning center and classroom space for adult and youth learners, adequate parking, and a reimagining of the Blair House to honor the legacy of their gift. In 2019 and 2020, we have partnered with Sunland Engineering group to complete an initial Site Development Plan, and with Clayton Korte, led by Nathan Quiring, AIA/Partner, to complete a Master Plan. This is just the beginning of our visioning process for the property, and we have even more exciting work to accomplish to increase accessibility, uncover the history and archaeology of the site, and learn the best ways we can meet the needs of the surrounding community. Blair Woods is a true diamond in the rough. What a gift it was and is to our organization, and how exciting it is to watch this diamond’s sparkle emerge!Conceptual Renderings courtesy of Clayton KorteHABITAT RESTORATION AT BLAIR WOODS SANCTUARY Blair Woods restoration continued last year with 123 volunteers investing 454 hours in preserve management, which included the removal of approximately 142 cubic yards of invasive, non-native plants, chipping and mulching, and planting of native species in designated areas. A U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service grant provided the opportunity for Travis Audubon to construct a viewing pavilion for a pollinator garden in the pocket prairie, in which plants were installed in the winter of 2019-2020. There are many special places within Blair Woods, but the Pollinator Garden is now one of the favorite places for visitors to enjoy the diversity of plants and wildlife.56Informed community members are our most important asset. Our investment in education helps us focus on environmental stewardship, ensuring that birds and the places they need have knowledgeable allies, committed observers, and confident community scientists ready to stand up when birds need an ally.CLASSESEven with the transition from in-person to virtual programming in March 2020, Travis Audubon had a successful year with adult education classes. We hosted 24 classes that served 374 people, with newer classes including Be a Better Birder (B3) and an Intro to iNaturalist. Moving to virtual programming has opened a new world (literally) for our outreach. Future leaders anywhere in the world can join us to grow their appreciation for birds and learn about the importance of conservation.SUMMER LUNCH SERIES Central Texas summers often don’t lend themselves to comfortable birding experiences. So why not enjoy birds from indoors? Amidst the pandemic, especially in early days with limited access to parks and extra social distancing, Travis Audubon launched summertime virtual programming. To safely nurture our need for nature, we started a series of lunchtime lectures through Zoom in June 2020; every Thursday, we had one-hour presentations on topics related to birds and conservation, including subjects like shorebirds, Golden-cheeked Warbler conservation, creating bird-friendly habitat, and where to go birding in Central Texas. Our June lunch series was so successful –235 registrants!—that we continued the lectures into July and August.7EDUCATIONBAKER SANCTUARY EDUCATION PROGRAMSIn spite of the pandemic shutdown in the spring of 2020, Baker Sanctuary education and outreach activities did go on successfully in the early part of the fiscal year. With 16 guided hikes for a variety of groups, such as the Sierra Club, scouts of all stripes, Master Birders, Sun City Hiking Club, and local community family hikes, Baker Sanctuary hosted a total of 486 participants. In February 2020, the ever-popular Great Backyard Bird Count was held and attended by 42 aspiring birders of all ages and abilities. Six presentations were given to elementary schools in the Leander Independent School District, serving an estimated 485 students and teachers. Another four presentations were given to the general community, educating and amazing an estimated 162 attendees. Whether in a presentation or on a socially distanced hike, Baker Sanctuary continues to be a spectacular place for folks to enjoy birds and nature.COMMONS FORD PRAIRIEIn December 2019, Assistant Professor AmyConcilio of St. Edwards University held a presentation on the Response of Vegetation and Ecosystem Services to the Commons Ford Prairie Restoration Treatments. She discussed the beauty and diversity of forbs and grasses in the Commons Ford native prairie. Dr. Concilio was still able continue her field research solo amidst the pandemic. Small, quarterly bird and vegetation surveys continued (adhering to the CDC and Austin Public Health guidelines). Even during a worldwide pandemic, the Commons Ford prairie remains a wonderland of wildlife, native grasses, and birds. CHAETURA CANYON With a transition from in-person events at Chaetura Canyon to virtual, Mikael Behrens produced a video of a walk through the Canyon. Before the Sanctuary was closed to the public in March 2020, volunteers participated in two Stewardship Days. Paul and Georgean Kyle hosted a virtual World Swift Day in June 2020 with a video introduction by Dr. Jane Goodall.8Next >