Statement of Purpose:

The New Jersey Audubon Society (NJAS) is a privately supported, not-for profit, statewide membership organization. Founded in 1897, and one of the oldest independent Audubon societies, NJAS has no connection with the National Audubon Society.

The New Jersey Audubon Society fosters environmental awareness and a conservation ethic among New Jersey’s citizens; protects New Jersey’s birds, mammals, other animals, and plants, especially endangered and threatened species; and promotes preservation of New Jersey’s valuable natural habitats.

In order to achieve its purpose, New Jersey Audubon, through its Board of Directors, professional staff, members, and volunteers, endeavors to:

• Develop, encourage, and support sound conservation practices, programs, and legislation.
• Disseminate information on the natural environment through education programs, information services, and publications.
• Advance knowledge of New Jersey’s flora and fauna, and their relationships to the habitats on which they depend, through field research.
• Acquire, establish, and maintain wildlife sanctuaries and educational centers.

New Jersey Audubon maintains stewardship of 34 sanctuaries and conducts its programs through ten staffed facilities.

The objectives of the Society are implemented by its professional staff under the leadership of its Executive Director and supervision of an elected, voluntary Board of Directors.

NJ Audubon Staffed Centers:

There are currently ten staffed centers throughout the state.

NJAS Nature Preserves:

New Jersey Audubon Society maintains stewardship of 34 nature preserves throughout the state. Some of these preserves are open for hiking, birding and nature study. Others are closed to the public in order to preserve critical habitat or endangered species.

NJAS Staff:

The staff of New Jersey Audubon Society is a talented, dedicated group of people, eager to be of service to our members and friends. Under the leadership of our Executive Director, the staff endeavors to foster environmental awareness and a conservation ethic among New Jersey’s citizens, to protect New Jersey’s birds, mammals, other animals, and plants, especially endangered and threatened species, and to promote preservation of New Jersey’s valuable natural habitats.

NJAS Research:

The New Jersey Audubon Society fosters the application of sound scientific principles and practices to address conservation issues related to vertebrate and invertebrate fauna, and the natural habitats with which they are associated. Our mission is to design and conduct scientifically valid research that provides information to support ongoing conservation initiatives in our state and region wide.

Much of our research effort takes place at the Cape May Bird Observatory Center for Research and Education. Northern NJ research is based mainly out of our Scherman Hoffman Wildlife Sanctuary. Our staff, along with an impressive team of dedicated volunteers, works to monitor and investigate the status of our environment. In recent years we have worked to help provide data on pressing environmental matters such as the horseshoe crab population decline, wind energy, and airport grasslands management while developing and maintaining tools like our atlas, The Birds of New Jersey, to preserve and protect our natural heritage.

NJAS Research Department endeavors to:

-Advance knowledge of New Jersey’s flora and fauna, and their relationships to the habitats on which they depend, through field research

-Evaluate and support conservation and management activities in New Jersey through monitoring

-Help set priorities on environmental issues in the state based on assessing needs and status of bird species