Strategic Plan for Fiscal Year 2010

On July 10, 2010, board members for Audubon Society of Forsyth County met to develop a Strategic Plan for Fiscal Year 2010. The board followed a brainstorming format recommended by National Audubon Society to assess our chapter's overall strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and targets (SWOT analysis) to develop annual objectives in four goal areas: Conservation, Education, Citizen Science and Advocacy. These were programmatic goals. In addition, Membership and Fundraising were two operational areas that were the subject of considerable discussion. It is likely that the board also will takel one or both of these issues this year.

The board intends to review progress with this plan on a regular basis during the coming months. plans to review our progress in these various areas. Of course, the more members who volunteer to take part in our initiatives, the more our chapter can accomplish.

Following are an outline of the board's SWOT analysis, the Strategic Plan that the board has developed for the year, and an addendum listing many of the activities and initiatives of the chapter. We welcome your participation in any and all of the programs that interest you.

Results of SWOT Analysis

A. Strengths

• Membership:
• strong board
• expertise
• enthusiasm
• Communication:
• Ron & Phil's newspaper column
• Listserv
• newly updated website
• Great programs – meetings and field trips that are well-attended

B. Weaknesses

• Membership:
• Recruitment of new members is low
• Relatively few members are active
• Membership lacks diversity

C. Opportunities

• Work with local governments to improve management of public lands
• Education

D. Threats

• Funding: we're uncomfortable asking people for money...having a specific cause might help
• There are few opportunities to improve and enhance habitat in Forsyth County. [There certainly are enough for us to consider in the short term.]

Strategic Plan

A. Conservation goal: 

ASFC will preserve and improve habitat in Forsyth County through the following actions.

Bethania: The Conservation Committee will develop a plan for Bethania and present its recommendations to the Board. The plan will include such actions as removing invasive plant species, other methods of improving habitat, continued partnering with Bethania in land management, and developing a long-range written plan. Lead: Lois Schneider – Target date: September 7.

Tanglewood: meadowlark sanctuary management proposal will be presented to Forsyth County Parks Director on July 14, 2010.  Outcome of this presentation will be communicated to the Board on July 26.
Lead: Ron and Carol; Target date: July 26.

Bethabara: Continue to remove sacred lotus. Lead: Kim; Target dates: August 7 and 16. Conduct stream clean-up as part of Big Sweep
Lead: Susan Jones; Target date: September 7.
                       

B. Education goal: 

ASFC will teach its members, participants, the children of our area and the public at large about the wonders of nature and importance of environmentally sustainable human affairs by:

1. Continuing its broad range of activities. (see Addendum: Education)
2. Adding an additional event each month such as advanced birding, plant-specific or general nature walks, workshops on a variety of topics, walks for kids. Lead: Bill Gifford, with Jeremy and Kim; Target date: September 7
3. Developing educational displays for fairs; Lead: Kim Brand; Target date: October 5 proposal.
4. Making education fun and conducting fun public events; Lead: All activity leaders; Target date: Ongoing.

C. Advocacy goal:

ASFC will be a forceful advocate for nature and natural areas by:
1. Working with local government to improve habitat management practices;
2. Forming a coalition of like-minded groups. Lead: Ron Morris; Target date: October 5.
3. Tracking environmental issues at government meetings.  Investigate Neighborhood Alliance as a means and report findings to the Board.
Lead: Shelley Rutkin; Target date: September 7.

4. Lobbying Winston-Salem Recreation and Parks Department Grant for greenway ADA compliance. Lead: Susan Jones; Target date: ongoing.

Note: Bill Gifford reviewed chapter by-laws on the spot and determined that we can attempt to influence legislation so long as our efforts do not become "a substantial portion of chapter activities." We may not attempt to influence elections.

                    
D. Citizen Science goal:

ASFC will contribute to the knowledge of bird biology by participating in a variety of bird surveys in western NC (see Addendum: Citizen Science) and by:
           
1. Encouraging members to use eBird. Lead: Shelley Rutkin; Target Date: November newsletter.
2. Organizing past count records. Lead: John Haire; Target Date: September 30.
3. Iinvolving more members and validating their contributions. Lead: Designated leader of each event.
4. Conducting easy/fun training sessions for participants
Lead: Organizer of each training session.

E. Other Brainstorming Ideas:

The following ideas were offered during the goals brain-storming exercise but failed to receive a significant number of votes when we prioritized the activities.  Many of them are worthwhile, however, the action plan must be limited to the breadth of our resources of time, expertise and money.  More of these actions will be undertaken when and if ASFC members volunteer to champion and take responsibility for them.

Conservation:

• leverage relationship with PLC to conserve habitat;
• investigate opportunities at Friedburg Marsh;
• investigate opportunities at Civitan;
• create wetland at Archie Elledge;
• increase participation by membership;
• form partnerships with other groups e.g. Piedmont Land Conservancy, Sierra Club, Trout Unlimited, etc including governmental organizations;
• become an effective land-management resource for municipalities
  poll members about their interests;
• develop long-range written conservation plan for chapter;
• explore Together Green grants

Education:

• develop relationships with schools and teachers
  fund teacher scholarships for Audubon camp;
• educate city about benefits of conservation;
• work with IBA on spending money on conservation and education;
• add educational content to ASFC website;
• educate public about ASFC's activities;
• create presence at visitor centers, etc. with brochures and checklists;
• promote membership involvement in education;
• educate members at chapter meetings e.g. "Audubon at Home;"
• educate members about accomplishments and goals;
• leverage Second Saturday Bird Walks (teach more);
• develop links between field trips and mission;
• develop lesson plans for tours at Bethania;
• develop Powerpoint presentation for use by any member;
• promote our ability/availability to educate;
• be more creative with Great Backyard Bird Count;
• distribute David Disher's "Birding Guide to Forsyth County;"
• add mission statement and information about chapter activities to checklist;
• nature program at SciWorks;
• presentation at Arbor Acres.

 Advocacy:

• develop relationships with government officials.

Note: Advocacy does not fall under one of our established committees.

Addendum

Ongoing ASFC activities and projects

Citizen Science:

• Christmas Bird Counts: (4): Forsyth County, Hanging Rock SP, Mount Jefferson, New River
• Forsyth County Spring Bird Count
• New River IBA Point Count
• Hanging Rock IBA
• Historic Bethabara Breeding Bird Survey

Education:

• Second Saturday Bird Walks (12)
• Monthly programs (8)
• Day Trips (4)
• Field Trips (2)
• Pilot Mountain Hawk Watch
• Big Sit
• Swift Watch
• Earth Day
• Great Backyard Bird Count
• Forsythbirds listserve
• Numerous classroom and community group presentations
• IBA interpretive sign & NC Birding Trail signs: New River, Tanglewood, Bethabara, Muddy Creek, etc.
• Hanging Rock SP – kids binoculars and field guides