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Audubon Leaders: John Flicker,
President & CEO
 John Flicker became President of the National Audubon Society in 1995. Under his leadership, Audubon has expanded its influence and effectiveness as one of the nation's preeminent environmental organizations.
One of Flicker's passions and a key priority for Audubon is connecting people with nature, whether they live in urban, suburban or rural areas. To achieve this goal and as part of Audubon's effort to engage broader and more diverse audiences, John Flicker has overseen the addition of over two dozen Audubon Centers, including 10 in urban areas such as Los Angeles and Brooklyn. He envisions each Center as the environmental equivalent of a local library, serving as a community resource for enjoying and learning about nature, and a hands-on laboratory for building environmental stewardship.
"When it comes time to make hard choices, people fight to protect the things they really value. Conservation will only work if people care about and value nature," Flicker said. "We have learned over the years that direct experiences in nature are the best, if not the only way for people to gain a genuine and lasting appreciation of the environment we share with birds and other wildlife."
Flicker believes Audubon is "ideally suited" to mobilize people, drawing strength from the combined impact of its national and local presence and outreach. His development of an expanding network of state offices, currently in 24 states, allows Audubon to augment and complement the grassroots power of its 491 Chapters nationwide. Flicker also spearheaded broad campaigns marshalling Audubon's public policy, education, and science to address challenges facing critical ecosystems from the Alaskan tundra to the Long Island Sound. Among these is an ambitious long term initiative to return the entire Mississippi River watershed, from the river's headwaters in Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico, to a healthy environment for birds and people.
Under Flicker's leadership, Audubon has championed sound environmental public policy, from protection of America's Endangered Species and National Wildlife Refuges, to critical legislation in the fight to restore vital wetlands and curb global warming.
The launch of Audubon's Important Bird Areas (IBA) program, which provides a framework for community stewardship of habitats essential to bird populations, is another of Flicker's achievements. With 2,100 IBAs encompassing more than 220 million acres in 48 states, the program is engaging communities coast to coast in environmental stewardship and connecting them to international efforts and partners throughout the western hemisphere. Flicker is also credited with enhancing Audubon's historic position as the leading voice and resource for bird conservation issues through the establishment of Audubon's periodic State of the Birds reports. The most recent of these analyses, "Common Birds in Decline," and "WatchList 2007" sounded the alarm about threats to both common and rare species, generating widespread attention, concern and conservation engagement.
"We care about birds and we care about the quality of the future they will share with us," Flicker stated when announcing Audubon's WatchList 2007. "These birds are sending us a clear message that their fate is determined by human activity more than anything else. When we help them through conservation, their chances improve. When we hurt them by harming their land, air and water, then they are more likely to become extinct."
A native of Minnesota, Flicker developed an early affinity for being outdoors, and a strong commitment to conservation. Growing up on a farm, he learned "everything comes from the land. If you take care of it, it takes care of you." Prior to becoming Audubon's President, he spent 21 years with The Nature Conservancy, where, as Florida State Director and then General Counsel and Chief Operating Officer, he helped preserve more than one million acres. "He helped launch the single largest acquisition and preservation program ever undertaken in any state," said Carol Browner, former head of the EPA and now Chair of the Audubon Board.
John Flicker resides in New York City with his wife Jane.
Publications:
- Audubon, the Second century: Connecting People With Nature
TV appearances:
Downloadable Resources:
To request an interview with John Flicker, contact Delta Willis.
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