Audubon magazine
I’m the social media manager and an Associate Editor for Audubon magazine, where I’ve worked since 2009. The bi-monthly magazine and its blog, The Perch, cover all environmental topics; I specialize in birds and green living. In both 2010 and 2011, the publication was a finalist in the General Excellence category for ASME’s National Magazine Awards, up against New York magazine, W, Texas Monthly and The Atlantic.
I write for every issue of the magazine, as well as for the website. I also blog three times a week on The Perch.
Upcoming stories: crane prostheses (website), how a photographer captured his award-winning underwater shot of a loon (website), a woman working with prison inmates on an organic garden (M-A print issue), green weddings (M-J print issue), and an exciting bluebird project in Virginia (J-A print issue).
2012
Biker Chick, Audubon magazine, Jan-Feb 2012
Lena Gallitano rode 500 miles in seven days, all to raise money for birds and Audubon North Carolina.
Review: The Beekeeper’s Lament, Audubon magazine, Jan-Feb 2012
Bee guys are a rough-around-the-edges bunch, solitary souls who prefer their buzzing wards to other humans, characters who place their fate and livelihood on honeybees’ wings and nature’s whims.
2011
Boom-Chick-a-Boom, Audubon magazine, Nov-Dec 2011
Least terns in one corner of Florida cleverly set up shot on roofs of industrial buildings. One Audubon group took action when the birds’ chicks started falling.
Take a Puffin Home, Audubon magazine, Nov-Dec 2011
Through Audubon’s Adopt-a-Puffin program, bird lovers have the chance to become adoptive parents of one of these adorable auks.
Q&A: Jenga Mwende, Audubon magazine, Sept-Oct 2011
This New Orleans native is planting gardens in her home town where drab concrete used to be. And she’s not doing it alone.
Review:In Bear Country, Audubon magazine, Sept-Oct 2011
Writer Jake McDonald recounts terrifying, wonderful tales of grizzlies, black bears, and polar bears.
Tower Power, Audubon magazine, Jul-Aug 2011
This sidebar to the feature High Hopes describes how Minnesota’s going to bat for chimney swifts.
Indelible Impact, Audubon magazine, Jul-Aug 2011
A unique project uses body art to help save endangered species.
Survivor, Audubon magazine, Jul-Aug 2011
Wisdom, one of the world’s oldest and most-famous Laysan albatross, survived the tsunami that collided with her home in mid-March.
The Scoop on Coffee, Audubon magazine, May-June 2011
In this sidebar to the feature Gold Standard, we look at how six of the most popular coffee companies stack up when it comes to greening their businesses.
Makeup Makeover, Audubon magazine, May-June 2011
The makeup industry is making changes that go far beyond cosmetic.
The Long Haul, Audubon magazine, May-June 2011
A year after the Gulf oil spill, there’s still work to be done.
Tree Huggers, Audubon magazine, May-June 2011
Garry Oak and his new pal, Douglas-fir (funded by a state Department of Natural Resources grant), give tree ecology lessons to tots in the preschool program at Seattle’s Seward Park Environmental & Audubon Center.
Review: The Moneyless Man, Audubon magazine, May-June 2011
Money doesn’t make Mark Boyle’s world go round, and he’s out to prove that it’s possible to survive comfortably without it.
Special Food Issue: Harvest, Prepare, Savor, and Cleanup sections, Audubon magazine, Mar-Apr 2011 Note: Audubon magazine migrated to a new website in September 2011 and not all content was brought over.
Liquid Gold – Thanks to beekeepers in North Carolina, anyone in the state who tries to call faux honey the real stuff could get stung with fines.
Green Giant – Author-gourmand Mark Bittman dishes on his “sane eating” approach to food.
Don’t Have a Cow – Meatless Mondays are back, in a tradition that dates back to World War I.
Brewing in the Wind – A brew farm in Wisconsin takes green beer to the next level with its wind-powered brew.
Kick the Can – Atlanta is one of the first major cities to attempt becoming a Zero Waste Zone. So far, more than 3,000 tons of food and organic scraps so far have been transformed into energy and nutrient-rich soil rather than rotting in landfills.
Sniff Test, Audubon magazine, Mar-Apr 2011
Across the country, canines are aiding researchers, from locating grizzly bear scat in Montana to sniffing out invasive wolf snails in Oahu, Hawaii.
Where Food Comes From, Audubon magazine, Mar-Apr 2011
Note: Scroll down halfway to find article. Aullwood Audubon Center in Dayton, Ohio, devotes 72 of its 200 acres to farming, allowing many of the animals to roam and graze freely.
Fruit Stand, Audubon magazine, Mar-Apr 2011
Without Japanese melons, more than 400 bird species in Paraguay might be homeless. In the area around San Rafael, the country’s first Important Bird Area, 70 farmers now grow the fruit organically instead of slashing and burning the forest for cattle grazing.
Ferreting out a Victory, Audubon magazine, Jan-Feb 2011
Endangered black-footed ferrets won a victory when a Kansas judge ruled that landowners could freely refuse to kill the animals’ main food source—prairie dogs.
2010
Volunteer Army, Audubon magazine, Nov-Dec 2010 cover story
Almost 35,000 people signed up to volunteer with the National Audubon Society after the oil spill. Here are their stories.
Extreme Bird Counting, Audubon magazine, Nov-Dec 2010 issue
National Audubon’s Christmas Bird Count takes place every December. Some people even go to extremes to participate in this citizen science bonanza. Find out how.
Audubon Family: Hands On, Audubon magazine, Nov-Dec 2010 issue
[Note: Scroll down to bottom of page to reach article] Turn invasive species into real paper, with this quick, step-by-step process.
Review: Bottled & Sold, Audubon magazine, Nov-Dec 2010 issue
Americans have an obsession with bottled water. It’s gotten really bad. But author Peter Gleick offers a couple simple solutions.
Sting Operation, Audubon magazine, Sept-Oct 2010 issue
This summer, bees across the U.S. delayed funerals, camped out in movie theatres, even stopped traffic. Find out why.
Review: Birdology, Audubon magazine, Sept-Oct 2010 issue
Naturalist Sy Montgomery takes readers through an adventure with pigeons, raptors, and four other unique birds. Did you know that pigeons earned the animal equivalent to the Medal of Honor more times than dogs and cats combined? Or that baby hummingbirds need constant care when they’re young?
Slide Show: Deep in Oil, Audubon web exclusive, July 2010
A look at how oil from the horrific April 2010 spill will affect a dozen wildlife species, set to music written by two Seattle artists describing their feelings about the disaster.
Audubon in Action, Audubon magazine, July-August 2010 issue
A bird-friendly vegetable garden, a newly discovered colony of purple martins, and more news from the National Audubon Society.
Slide Show: A Garden Fit for Birds, Audubon web exclusive, July 2010
Take a tour of Bedford Audubon Society’s bird-friendly vegetable garden, which has attracted as many as 14 nesting pairs in one season.
Hisss-y Fit, Audubon magazine, July-August 2010 issue
How do two types of Australian snakes from the same family respond to perceived danger? One researcher dared to find out.
Coastal wardens sidebar, Audubon magazine, July-August 2010 issue
[Note: Scroll down to bottom of page to reach sidebar] To accompany an article about volunteers who patrol and protect the coastal islands off of Texas to help the area’s birds, this sidebar looks at what could happen to six bird species if oil hits that area.
Audubon in Action, Audubon magazine, May-June 2010 issue
An energy task force in Connecticut, a South American beef-related conservation effort, a Together Green winner in Arizona, and more news from the National Audubon Society.
Oil spill coverage, The Perch, May 2010
Since the Deepwater Horizon rig exploded at the end of April, hundreds of thousands of gallons of oil have spilled into the water along the Gulf Coast. We covered the event’s horrific aftermath.
Audubon in Action, Audubon magazine, March-April 2010 issue
A good-bye from Audubon’s president of 15 years John Flicker, a profile of Bird-a-Thon legend Donal O’Brien, a call for your pennies, and more news from the National Audubon Society.
Pecking Order, Audubon magazine, March-April 2010 issue
Can pigeons tell the difference between good art and bad? Researchers in Japan think so.
The Greenest Profession, Audubon magazine, March-April 2010 issue
Review: The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, Audubon magazine, March-April 2010 issue
An African boy figures out how to build a windmill from practically nothing, proving wrong those who called him crazy and bringing electricity to his small village for the first time.
Unstuff It, Audubon web exclusive, March 2010
In this Q&A with Annie Leonard, the environmentalist discusses her Internet movie sensation The Story of Stuff, her book by the same name, and why we should still have hope that we can clean up our mess. Plus, a review of her new book.
Audubon in Action, Audubon magazine, January-February 2010 issue
A new iPhone app, the reopening of Hog Island camp, and more news from the National Audubon Society.
Audubon Family: Can You Count to 11 Million? Audubon magazine, January-February 2010 issue
The 13th Annual Great Backyard Bird Count took place February 12-15, 2010. Read about how to participate and why it’s important.
Review: The Jaguar’s Shadow: Searching for a Mythic Cat, Audubon magazine, January-February 2010 issue
[Scroll down past Wild Moments review] Journalist Richard Mahler spent almost 10 years and traveled around the globe searching for a jaguar. Does he ever find the elusive cat?
2009
The Bird Ambassador, Audubon magazine, November-December 2009 issue
Glenn Olson, a 33-year Audubon veteran helped revive the California condor population, set up state offices all over the country, and much more. Now, he’s the Donal O’Brien Chair in Bird Conservation and Public Policy.
Zero Waste: Beyond ‘Reduce, Reuse, Recycle,’ Audubon web exclusive, November 2009 issue
There’s a new movement afoot, and it’s called zero waste. The goal is, literally, to produce no waste. Schools are doing it. Companies are trying for it. We even talked to individuals who hate to throw away anything. Is this zero-waste dream feasible?
An Audubon Wedding Story, Audubon web exclusive, October 2009
In lieu of gifts, one couple opted to give out copies of Audubon and E Magazine as wedding favors. Find out how else they greened their wedding.
In the Cards, Audubon magazine, September-October 2009 issue
In this Q&A, Jessica Zelt, coordinator of the U.S. Geological Survey’s North American Bird Phrenology Program, describes what it’s like to scan and transcribe six million note cards filled with personal observations about bird migrations.
Strong, Silent Type, Audubon magazine, September-October 2009 issue
A University of California study shows that the strongest male bison have the quietist calls.
Rock On, Audubon magazine, September-October 2009 issue
Peridotite, a rock found below the surface on every continent but Antarctica, could help reduce greenhouse gas emissions by absorbing carbon dioxide, according to Columbia University research.
Film Review: The National Parks, Audubon magazine, September-October 2009 issue
Ken Burns spent a decade putting together his documentary The National Parks: America’s Best Idea. Here, a review of the film, plus a Q&A with the filmmaker.
The Butterfly Effect, Audubon magazine, July-August 2009 issue
Monarch butterflies migrate thousands of miles every year. They spend the winter in Mexico or California, then make the long haul back to the northern U.S. and Canada. It’s quite a wildlife spectacle.
Elk No. 6, Cow-loving Casanova, Dies, Audubon magazine, July-August 2009 issue
Yellowstone National Park says a sad good-bye to one of its best-known and most-beloved elks.
Review: The Dangerous World of Butterflies, Audubon magazine July-August 2009 issue
[Scroll past Eco Barons review] A look at journalist Peter Laufer’s book about the dark underbelly of the butterfly trade.
Journal: Not Just your Grandma’s Hobby, Audubon web exclusive, July 2009
Think bird watching is just for seniors? Think again. Many people in their twenties and thirties enjoy the hobby, including this journalist. In fact, from 2000 to 2006, more than 38 million 20- to 34-year-old Americans reported studying, photographing, or identifying birds.
Lassoing the Wind, Audubon magazine, May-June 2009 issue
A look at an Audubon initiative unveiled in March 2009 that uses Google Earth and mapping data to show areas with wind-energy promise that won’t harm important bird habitats.
Happy Birthday J.J. Audubon, Audubon web exclusive, April 2009
Audubon’s birthday falls right around Earth Day. In honor of the magazine’s namesake, we compiled some of his illustrations and articles about him and his life.
Updated January 2012