2020-03-04T09:58:07-06:00 2019-08-31 WithumSmithBrown PC ONE TOWER CENTER BLVD 14TH FL EAST BRUNSWICK NJ 08816 990 2018-09-01 221539642 NEW JERSEY AUDUBON SOCIETY % SUDHA IYER NEWJ 9083967380 9 HARDSCRABBLE ROAD BERNARDSVILLE NJ 07924 ERIC STILES PRESIDENT AND CEO 9082048998 2020-03-02 true Catherine Bendall P00521196 7328281614 2020-03-02 65.124.179.67 22006220200645000082 2020-03-04 P E0E8058421EB814ED76340613A77D82ABF9ADC21 18FE6C785C3AEB2541D61864D8FA083D365D364E 2018 2020-09-22 18:59:49Z ERIC STILES 9 HARDSCRABBLE ROAD BERNARDSVILLE NJ 07924 9253856 false X WWW.NJAUDUBON.ORG X 1910 NJ OUR TWO FOLD MISSION IS CONNECTING PEOPLE TO NATURE AND STEWARDING THE NATURE OF TODAY FOR THE PEOPLE OF TOMORROW. 17 17 127 1747 0 4932908 5875398 1153064 1175131 273622 372272 285695 232008 6645289 7654809 0 0 0 0 3973113 4248773 0 0 1054751 2928164 2652608 6901277 6901381 -255988 753428 28079230 28573914 965460 918772 27113770 27655142 THE NEW JERSEY AUDUBON SOCIETY IS A PRIVATELY SUPPORTED, NOT-FOR-PROFIT, STATEWIDE MEMBERSHIP ORGANIZATION. (SEE SCHEDULE O FOR DETAILS). false false 2908924 1407139 EDUCATION AND SANCTUARIES - PROMOTE EDUCATIONAL AWARENESS AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION THROUGH SUMMER CAMPS, FIELD TRIPS, LECTURES AND WEEKEND EVENTS AND TO MAINTAIN WILDLIFE SANCTUARIES, EDUCATIONAL CENTERS AND OTHER PROPERTIES. FOR A MORE DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PROGRAM SERVICES PROVIDED, SEE SCHEDULE O FOR NEW JERSEY AUDUBON'S CONSERVATION UPDATE. 1817914 CONSERVATION - ENCOURAGE AND SUPPORT SOUND CONSERVATION AND STEWARDSHIP PRACTICES AND LAWS. FOR A MORE DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PROGRAM SERVICES PROVIDED, SEE SCHEDULE O FOR NEW JERSEY AUDUBON'S CONSERVATION UPDATE. 572894 RESEARCH AND MONITORING - DISSEMINATE AND ADVANCE KNOWLEDGE OF THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT THROUGH EDUCATIONAL AND RESEARCH PROGRAMS AND PUBLICATIONS. FOR A MORE DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PROGRAM SERVICES PROVIDED, SEE SCHEDULE O FOR NEW JERSEY AUDUBON'S CONSERVATION UPDATE. 5299732 true true false true false false true false false true true false false false false true true false false false true false false false true false false false false false false false false false false false false false true false false false false false false false false true 50 0 true 127 true false false false false false true true false false false false false false X 17 17 false false false false true true true true true false false true true true true true true true true false NJ X X SUDHA IYER 9083967380 9 HARDSCRABBLE ROAD BERNARDSVILLE NJ 07924 Randy Jones Board Chair 3.0 0.0 X X 0 0 0 Alan H Bernstein Esq 2ND Vice Chair 1.0 0.0 X X 0 0 0 STEPHEN R BUCKINGHAM ESQ BOARD COUNSEL 1.0 0.0 X 0 0 0 Charles M Chapin III Director 1.0 0.0 X 0 0 0 DAVID H HALL PHD Director 1.0 0.0 X 0 0 0 Harriett Druskin Director 1.0 0.0 X 0 0 0 James Gibson Director 1.0 0.0 X 0 0 0 Joseph Basralian Esq Director 1.0 0.0 X 0 0 0 diane c louie MD MPH Director 1.0 0.0 X 0 0 0 Elizabeth Wendy Wilkes Director 1.0 0.0 X 0 0 0 Ashley D Rey 1st VICE CHAIR 1.0 0.0 X X 0 0 0 Geraldine A Smith Esq Director 1.0 0.0 X 0 0 0 ANN LAWRENCE DIRECTOR 1.0 0.0 X 0 0 0 MEREDITH MUELLER DMin DIRECTOR 1.0 0.0 X 0 0 0 Dorothy Clair Director 1.0 0.0 X 0 0 0 Richard Kauffeld SECRETARY 1.0 0.0 X X 0 0 0 DANA POGORZELSKI TREASURER 1.0 0.0 X X 0 0 0 PHILIP H WITT PHD ABPP DIRECTOR 1.0 0.0 X 0 0 0 Eric P Stiles President & CEO 45.0 0.0 X 133919 0 5634 Sudha Iyer VP Finance & Administration 45.0 0.0 X 91932 0 17014 225851 0 22648 1 false false false COMMUNITY COUNSELING SERVICE CO LLC 461 5TH AVENUE NEW YORK NY 10017 CONSULTING 136258 Cox Printers 1634 East Elizabeth Avenue LINDEN NJ 07036 Printing 198595 2 X 430016 31446 461871 4952065 1021535 5875398 PROGRAM FEES 900099 909718 909718 FEES FOR USE OF SOCIETY FACILITIES 532000 8237 8237 TRAVEL FEES 900099 257176 257176 1175131 201133 201133 0 0 0 0 0 1049664 878525 171139 171139 171139 16719 31446 16719 0 0 0 931964 703803 228161 228161 CHANGE IN VALUE CASH VALUE LIFE INSURANCE 900099 3847 3847 3847 7654809 1407139 372272 0 0 0 0 267076 87897 149880 29299 0 3255548 2520837 195390 539321 75288 62921 1069 11298 384703 309877 16754 58072 266158 207449 19832 38877 0 0 0 0 0 17012 17012 896689 607988 80134 208567 40908 40783 125 381483 239645 6167 135671 0 0 353166 337011 6324 9831 122788 112180 6880 3728 0 0 488 488 0 220945 191178 29767 108240 91083 12161 4996 PROGRAM EXPENSES 503389 483383 5040 14966 BAD DEBT EXPENSE 7500 7500 6901381 5299732 546898 1054751 X 143615 254110 394090 10329 156170 290615 494082 469597 0 0 0 0 57088 54588 586177 598262 41592 33348 24786899 3947653 20088240 20839246 5445288 5346077 0 0 0 0 0 0 672888 677742 28079230 28573914 467858 408073 0 0 497602 460699 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 50000 0 0 0 0 965460 918772 X 7484298 8763555 1181270 462378 18448202 18429209 27113770 27655142 28079230 28573914 X 753428 -193063 -18993 X false true X true false X 5945693 5858893 4773075 4932908 5875398 27385967 0 0 5945693 5858893 4773075 4932908 5875398 27385967 3227756 24158211 91432 105343 133583 163230 201133 694721 0 24866 3847 28713 28109401 5760260 0.85943 0.84810 X RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED 243 6741 6984 5987958 5994942 449747 112437 496043 439238 443343 449747 1828371 2742557 27668 14320 20063 6984 69035 124011 109810 110836 112437 457094 685641 9322 2889 4354 243 16808 X X 2 54.00 1 true 6.00 1 true 5926090 0 156755 640551 5442294 5260438 480729 343638 158715 5926090 4362669 652854 397769 152854 5260438 3279466 1011408 283205 211408 4362671 3473662 46793 -61489 179500 3279466 0.75050 0.20940 0.04010 false false 17833729 17833729 6297435 3415887 2881548 655735 531766 123969 20839246 0 0 X 7584081 -193063 141621 -2274 -53716 7637797 17012 17012 7654809 7042709 141621 16719 158340 6884369 17012 17012 6901381 Schedule D, Part II, Line 5 Conservation Easement Monitoring Protocol is intended to aid in the Conservation Easement monitoring process for New Jersey Audubon Society. Conservation Easements are defined as a voluntary agreement between NJA and a landowner that limits the type or amount of development on their property while at the same time allowing the landowner to maintain private ownership of the land. NJA accepts the easement with understanding that it must enforce the terms of the easement in perpetuity. After the easement is signed, it is recorded with the County Register of Deeds and applies to all future owners of the land. Conservation Easement Monitoring Protocol involves a site visit (monitoring) and follow-up report. Site visits are performed annually by a NJA representative. The landowner is contacted prior to the site visit and is invited to participate (however participation is not mandatory). The date of easement monitoring may vary annually (i.e. seasonally) to maximize opportunity to observe a wider variety of plants and animals making use of the easement. The easement monitoring report is completed during the site visit and placed in the property file. Photos are taken at each site visit as part of the monitoring report. A follow-up letter is sent to the landowner highlighting the results of the site visit. Schedule D, Part II, Line 9 Expenses associated with acquiring and maintaining the easements are expensed as incurred. Schedule D, Part X, Line 2 New Jersey Audubon Society is exempt from Federal income taxes under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Accordingly, the financial statements do not reflect a provision for Federal income taxes. There were no uncertain tax positions at August 31, 2019 and 2018. The Society did not have any income tax related penalties or interest for the years in question. Schedule D, Part XI and XII, 4b THE CHANGE IN VALUE OF A CHARITABLE REMAINDER TRUST ($18,993) HAS BEEN EXCLUDED FROM THE REVENUE SHOW IN THE 990 AND IS SHOWN ON AN OTHER ADJUSTMENT TO NET ASSETS IN PART XI. ADDITIONALLY, FUNDRAISING EXPENSE FOR THE SPECIAL EVENT OF $16,719 WERE NETTED WITH REVENUE AS REQUIRED BY THE FORM 990 INSTRUCTIONS SO HAVE BEEN REDUCED FROM BOTH REVENUE AND EXPENSE ON THE RECONCILIATION IN PART XI AND PART XII. South America Program Services SHOREBIRD RESEARCH 107695 107695 107695 false false false false false false SUMMER CAPE MAY 48165 31446 16719 16719 0 48165 31446 16719 16719 16719 X 16 71535 FMV X 1 950000 FMV false true false FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION A, LINE 6 The Society has an estimated 16,000 members. FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION A, LINE 7A The Society has members who may elect one or more members of the governing body. FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION A, LINE 7B The decisions of the governing body are subject to approval by members of the organization by a two-thirds vote of the members present and voting at the Society's annual or business meeting. FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION B, LINE 11B The Form 990 was prepared by the outside audit firm that has experience in the preparation of the form and was reviewed and approved by the executive and finance commmittees and then provided to the full board of directors. FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION B, LINE 12C Each member of the board of directors is required to sign an annual disclosure report regarding any conflicts of interest and risks of fraud within the organization. FORM 990, LINE VI, SECTION B, LINE 15 The executive committee of the board of directors reviews and approves the compensation of the president & ceo of the Society annually. Key elements of the process include use of benchmarking to determine comparable compensation and to facilitate a process where persons with conflict of interest with respect to the compensation agreement are excluded from the process. FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION C, LINE 19 the Society does not make public its by-laws which are its governing documents. the Society evaluates the by-laws on a regular basis and amends them as circumstances change. when an amendment is recommended by the board of directors, notice is given to the members that a proposed amendment will be considered at the annual or business meeting of the Society and the text of such proposed amendment will be made available in advance of the meeting upon request. The audited financial statements and the Form 990 are made available on the organization's website. FORM 990, PART III, LINE 4A the program service accomplishments shown below support the summary of the Society's accomplishments during the year ended August 31, 2019, which include: - Cities & Towns - New Jersey Audubons staff works across the state to deliver its mission of connecting people with nature and stewarding the nature of today for the people of tomorrow. We met with 33,500 people in the cities and towns space during 2019, including 2,270 teachers indirectly impacting 54,480 students learning ecological and sustainability principles through STEM+Art education (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math). Volunteer engagement is critical to our success in being able to accomplish our mission with close to 19,000 hours given to the organization from stewardship projects, to conducting educational programs to assisting in nature stores and in administrative capacities. - Forests & Farms - New Jersey Audubon staff worked throughout the Garden States approximately 2,000,000 acres of forest land and educating/engaging 42,286 people in forest conservation. Research and evaluation continued on habitat management recommendations for utility corridors in northwestern NJ. Ongoing monitoring and evaluation of Ruffed Grouse and Northern Bobwhite in NJ continued. Policy efforts advanced the use of prescribed fire as a habitat management tool with an emphasis on the use of fire in the Pinelands, continuing to advocate for Delaware Watershed conservation and protection of open space through our leadership of the Keep It Green Coalition. - Coasts & Wetlands Ongoing & intensive monitoring of Semipalmated Sandpipers (SESA) in Delaware Bay & beach nesting birds at Stone Harbor Point continued. We attached solar-powered radio transmitters on SESA to assess habitat use and stopover duration in Delaware Bay. We also attached digitally-coded and solar-powered tags on SESA in Brazil as part of our program to understand survival during their wintering period in northern South America. This work was bolstered by the installation of the first automated tracking stations in Brazil to compliment the seven currently operating in Suriname and French Guiana. Additionally, we positioned ourselves as a leading voice advocating for responsibly developed offshore wind based on the best available science, which protects our natural resources while transitioning us to a clean energy future. Program Service Accomplishments - Education and Sanctuaries 2019 New Jersey Audubons (NJA) education team creates and conducts programming that meets our mission of connecting people with nature and stewarding the nature of today for the people of tomorrow. In 2019 we conducted 2,088 programs which directly reached 23,683 children and 31,812 adults. Of the total number of adults 2,275 were teachers who impacted an additional 54,600 students (24 students/teacher). Programs were designed with the organizations conservation priorities in mind and range from connecting very young children with the wonders of nature to training teachers in environmental science and sustainability to sharing the magic of bird and butterfly migration to adults across the hemisphere. Lessons, classes and workshops utilize program design best practices as researched and outlined by national environmental education, sustainability and conservation organizations. Programs at our nature centers are place-based, utilizing the unique resources and habitats at each center and our statewide outreach programs work to serve people in diverse communities around the state. Specific programs led by NJA staff and volunteers include summer nature camps, bird and nature walks, school and scout field trips, passive nature recreation activities, in-depth natural history workshops, festivals, special events, teacher professional development and ecotravel. NJA values our partners, collaborators and sponsors. With funding from the PSEG Foundation through National Wildlife Federation (NWF), NJA staff worked alongside the NJ School Boards Association to identify and recognize 9 school teams for innovative projects and prototypes designed to solve real world problems. All projects in this STEAM Tank competition had to include an environmental sustainability piece. BASF continues to support NJAs efforts to connect middle school students and teachers to environmental science learning through implementation of the BASF Nature of Chemistry series reaching 10 teachers and approximately 500 students in 2019 with the BASF Kids Lab Freshwater pHun Factor (water quality) and Tapping Natures Nutrients (soil quality). These programs are delivered in such a way as to support the Eco-Schools USA program that NJA administers as part of our partnership with National Wildlife Federation. Thanks to individual donations and lead sponsors Carl Zeiss SBE, LLC and the Stone Foundation of New Jersey, NJA held its 1st Young Birders Conference in March 2019. This event highlights bird-related projects and activities and had 50 individuals in attendance. Programs at Hawk Rise Sanctuary (Linden) and Pettys Island (Pennsauken) continue to serve hundreds of students and adults in these urban communities. Over 53,000 people visited our nature centers and walked miles of trails enjoying all manner of nature exploration. The health of our nature center habitats is a high priority for the organization. Sanctuary grounds are evaluated on an ongoing basis with plans in place to manage the habitat to the best of our resources including removing invasive plant species, creating native plant gardens (especially for pollinators) and conducting trail maintenance and enhancement. Much of the aforementioned is accomplished through the many volunteer efforts including corporate volunteer days, Coast Guard volunteers, scout and other community-based groups and individuals wanting to give back to the community through active habitat stewardship. NJA operates 7 migration watches during the year through its Cape May Bird Observatory (Cape May Hawkwatch, Avalon Seawatch, Songbird Morning Flight, Cape May Springwatch, Monarch Monitoring Program, Montclair Hawkwatch spring and fall). Funds to support these signature programs come from individual donors, Swarovski Optik, Actions@EBMF and others. These sites provided over 28,000 people with access to wildlife migration phenomena (hawk migration, songbird migration, butterfly migration) and information about the species through direct interpretive programming. Data from these watches helps monitor species population trends and inform conservation actions. Teacher workshops, summer institutes, webinars and face-to-face meetings are essential to train and support our teachers to integrate ecology, environmental science and sustainability into their curricula. Ashland, Inc. funded the Teachers School of Ecology, a weeklong intensive look at the geology, land use, habitats, species, water quality and human impact related to the Passaic Watershed. We continued to work with teachers from the 2018 Honeywell Institute for Ecosystems Education during the 2019 school year with a culminating Student Forum with over 250 middle school and high school students, their teachers and guests in attendance. Students shared their projects including ones that addressed reducing stormwater runoff, creating habitats for birds and pollinators, reducing energy usage to address climate change and campaigning for better schoolwide recycling to reduce the use of plastics. NJA has encouraged thousands of people to create habitat for birds, butterflies and other species through programs, native plant sales and incentive programs. We officially launched NJAs Garden for Wildlife program in 2019, using donor funding to hire our first Habitat Outreach Coordinator whose role is to help individual homeowners certify their properties and communities to certify their communities. During 2019, New Jersey Audubon had 1,747 volunteers who contributed 18,708 total hours to the organization. In addition to the stewardship work, these volunteers conducted programs, led field trips, participated in bird and butterfly monitoring, helped in our nature stores and provided assistance with all manner of administrative task. FORM 990 PART III, Line 4B Program Service Accomplishments - Conservation The Stewardship Department continued its focus on the Forest and Farms landscape throughout the State of New Jersey in 2019. Efforts over the past year included Forest Stewardship Planning and Implementation with emphasis on young forest habitat creation in northwestern NJ and forest management in the Pinelands. In the Delaware River Watershed, we continued to focus on engaging landowners and farmers in southern NJ and the Highlands regions in the implementation of best management practices protective of water quality and the enhancement of wildlife habitat. We supported a range of partnerships including the Delaware River Watershed Initiative, the NJ Invasive Species Strike Team, the North Atlantic Fire Science Consortium, NJ Natural Lands Trust and others. Staff continued to participate on the steering committee and science advisory committee of the NJ Conservation Blueprint project, which unveiled a new video to promote the tool (see https://vimeo.com/XXX-XX-XXXX). Following the passage of the Prescribed Burning legislation in August 2018 we have been working to raise awareness about the ability to use fire as a management tool, encouraging public and private landowners to do so. Fire is (and has always been) a powerful management tool. Wildfires are becoming more prevalent out west and this can create a perception that fire is dangerous or unwanted. Its important to understand that prescribed burns are thoughtfully planned out, completely safe, and necessary to fostering a healthy ecosystem. This year staff assisted NJ Forest Fire Service by installing a fire break at the Hovnanian Sanctuary and subsequently conducting a prescribed burn on the property. Fire is just one tool that we use to manage ecosystem health. In close partnership with the Natural Resources Conservation Service, Stewardship staff have been taking actions to benefit a suite of Working Lands for Wildlife species in New Jersey, including Northern Bobwhite, American Black Duck, Golden-winged Warbler and Bog Turtle. A Working Lands for Wildlife (WLFW) meeting with NRCS was held to chart next steps on Golden-winged Warbler, American Black Duck and Northern Bobwhite habitat creation. WLFW actions included monitoring species migration at an American Black Duck restoration site and recruiting 65 acres of Pinelands private land into the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Partners program for young forest habitat management. Efforts to advance the recovery of Northern Bobwhite in NJ continued in 2019. With the Division of Fish and Wildlife, we co-hosted a workshop for partners from NJ, PA, DE, and MD. Tall Timbers shared research findings from more than 6,000 quail translocations as well as highlights and insights from the research in the mid-Atlantic region and several NJ sites were visited. A landowner outreach event was hosted in Chatsworth focused on Northern Bobwhite; quail continue to be monitored at Pine Island research and quail restoration site. A wetland plant id workshop was held for NRCS staff. At the Sparta Wildlife Management Area staff oversaw the thinning of 20 acres and plans were made for additional young forest creation. Additional forest stewardship efforts throughout the state included 42 acres of invasive plant control, the installation of two deer fences at forest project sites covering 25 acres, and forest inventory data was collected at several sites. A Forest Stewardship Plan for Scherman-Hoffman Sanctuary was completed this year, which outlines future management plans at our Bernardsville-based headquarters. Stewardship staff also assisted with the acquisition of 23 acres of forest, added to the Scherman-Hoffman Sanctuary. Site visits for forest habitat landowners were conducted and a field-day was held for landowners and NRCS staff. Working with Morris County Parks staff, the draft Forest Stewardship Plan for the Mahlon Dickerson Reservation was presented to the Parks Commission. We continue to work with Merrill Creek Reservoir, developing a new Forest Stewardship Plan for them and assisting with forest stewardship projects. Stewardship staff accepted the Outstanding Forest Steward of the Year Award on behalf of Merrill Creek Reservoir. Among many actions weve taken to advance the goals of the Delaware River Watershed Initiative (DRWI) this year one project included the planting of 280 trees in northwestern NJ in partnership with the NJ Youth Corps and Trout Unlimited. This project addressed the habitat needs of numerous species while also protecting water quality. NJ Youth Corps assisted with planting 150 native shrubs at the Salem County Bog Turtle Site and Stewardship staff, with NRCS, planted an additional 520 native shrubs. Supporting the Delaware River Watershed Initiative, trees and shrubs were planted for a wetland enhancement project, and cattle fencing and trees were installed for an American Black Duck habitat project. A Building Soil for Better Crops workshop was hosted with the South Jersey Land and Water Trust, drawing 45 people and ending with a farm tour demonstrating multi-species cover crops, no-till, and livestock grazing. Stewardship Staff participated in the National Fish and Wildlife Foundations Delaware Watershed Agricultural Roundtable and led a Wildlife Habitat and Water Quality BMP workshop, as well as joined partners from both NJ DRWI Clusters in presenting updates on progress to staff at the William Penn Foundation. Form 990, Part III, Line 4b, continued Throughout the work that we have undertaken we are often working to eradicate non-native invasive species. This is a core component of many of the Forest Stewardship Plans that are developed and implemented and invasive species treatments have occurred across most of the young forest habitat creation sites weve worked on over the last year. At the Salem River Wildlife Management area 150 tree tubes were replaced and at a private land site in Salem County work was undertaken to eradicate a population of the non-native invasive Kudzu. Work to restore the forest at Cape May Point State Park continued, including treatment of over 12 acres of non-native invasive vines and 11-acres of invasive vines and plants were mowed to restore the maritime forest. Also in southern NJ, work to conserve the Federally Threatened Bog Turtle continued with the restoration of a state wildlife management area, converting farmed land back to a functioning wetland and natural cover supportive of the resident Bog Turtle population. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphys office released a Bog Turtle video, with production assistance from Stewardship staff (http://bit.ly/2Vf3G3l). Additionally, the Kirkwood Cohansey Aquifer Cluster produced a video that features NJ Audubon, NJ Division of and Fish and Wildlife, and private landowners in South Jersey who are working to restore habitat for bog turtles (see https://www.sjwatersavers.org/saving-a-turtle-protecting-the-aquifer/). At the southern Bog Turtle site, trapping for turtles was conducted and invasive species management took place. New Jersey Audubon held the eighth Corporate Stewardship Council meeting hosted by the NJ Department of Environmental Protection in Trenton. Co-chairs, Keith Campbell (Chairman of the Board of Mannington Mills) and David Daly (President and Chief Operating Officer of Public Service Electric and Gas) were joined by NJDEP Commissioner Catherine McCabe in offering opening remarks and welcoming member companies and fellow NJDEP ex officio member the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Also, in April, Verizon recognized NJ Audubons stewardship efforts with a Nonprofit Partnership Award. We continue to work across NJ Audubons own network of properties and sanctuaries, creating Forest Stewardship Plans and implementing habitat restoration projects. The Surfrider Foundation provided funds for native plants for the habitat project at the Nature Center of Cape May and a volunteer event was conducted to remove invasive plants. Staff attended and presented at numerous conferences and leadership opportunities throughout the year including: the Fire in Eastern Oak Forests Conference, the Northeastern Partners for Reptile and Amphibian Conservation Conference, NJ Land Conservation Rally, Harding Land Trusts Annual Meeting, Alliance for New Jersey Environmental Education annual meeting, meetings of the NJ Chapter of The Wildlife Society and participated in the NJ Conservation Leadership Program. NJ Audubons work with the agriculture community was featured in the Natural Resources Conservation Services Fridays on the Farm series - http://nrcs.maps.arcgis.com/apps/Cascade/index.html?appid=3ff11b6ae6a040fa a3459db17c678a8f . New Jersey Audubon continued its leadership in cutting edge conservation policy at the state and federal level, including continuing its long-standing efforts advancing several legislative issues as well as critical state and regional coalition leadership. NJ Audubon continued coordination of the state-wide Keep it Green Coalition supporting millions of dollars in appropriations for open space, parks, farmland and historic sites in 2019. Additionally, we were able to secure implementation legislation that will guide the expenditure of roughly $150 million for these purposes from 2020 into the future. The continued funding for these projects comes at a critical time as NJ is slated to reach full buildout by the middle of the century. NJ Audubon continued co-leading the four-state, nearly 150-member Coalition for the Delaware River Watershed. The Coalition was successful in advocating for the second round of federal funding for the Delaware River Basin Restoration Program in the amount of $6 million. Federal dollars appropriated to the Program has supported 54 on-the-ground projects to date designed to conserve and protect fish and wildlife habitat, improve water quality, and more. NJA continues to lead the effort for to support continued robust and increased yearly funding for this program. Due to the collective efforts of the Coalition and its members, for the first time in decades, the governors of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware stood up together for the watershed, as they held the Delaware River Governors Leadership Summit. NJA, through the Coalition also began a roadside signage project that will help the public know when they are entering Americas Founding Waterway. At the federal level, NJA worked with partners to pass the Public Lands Package which included the permanent reauthorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund. We also continued our efforts partnering with state, regional and federal groups to provide meaningful support for the Recovering Americas Wildlife Act, the Environmental Justice Act of 2019, the Coastal Barrier Resources Act and more. Finally, we worked to protect against environmental rollbacks such as the opening of offshore lease areas for offshore oil and gas exploration and development, and rollbacks of the Clean Water Act. At the state level, we continued to focus on, and advance, our key priorities including plastic pollution, pollinator protection, forest management, and responsibly developed offshore wind. In 2019, we have successfully worked with a state-based coalition to support the regulation of plastics to prevent them from entering our environment and harming people and wildlife and anticipate New Jersey to pass one of the strongest plastic laws in the country in early 2020. We also continued to develop information about the significant impacts of pesticides on pollinators and have been working with partners to end the outdoor use of a class of pesticides proven to have caused significant population declines. Over the past year, we have actively been working to educate key state decision makers about our forest health and current obstacles in management, which has led to a package of bills being drafted with the anticipation that we will begin a robust advocacy effort on them starting next year. Finally, we have positioned ourselves as a leading organization fighting for responsibly developed offshore wind. We provided input, and ultimately applauded, the Murphy Administrations selection of the nations largest single offshore wind project, which they conditioned on the company implementing to strong environmental protections. Since the decision, we have been regularly meeting with the developer and appropriate agencies to ensure they adhere to the order, so that offshore wind can be implemented in New Jersey in a way that also protects our vital natural resources. Form 990, Part III, Line 4C RESEARCH AND MONITORING We continue intensive monitoring of Semipalmated Sandpipers (SESA) during spring migration staging periods in Delaware Bay, a critical stopover for shorebirds to rest, feed and store fat reserves ahead of the final leg of their migration to the arctic breeding grounds. SESA have been identified as a high priority conservation concern species, as their Atlantic Flyway populations have declined by 80% since the 1980s. In FY 2019, we attached solar-powered radio transmitters to assess habitat use and stopover duration in Delaware Bay. We also attached digitally-coded and solar-powered tags on SESA in Brazil as part of our program to understand survival during their wintering period in northern South America. These data, combined with survival data during migration and breeding periods, will be used to better understand when and where SESA are experiencing situations that significantly affect population declines. This work was bolstered by the installation of the first automated tracking stations in Brazil to compliment the seven currently operating in Suriname (3) and French Guiana (4). NJA Research staff continue to collaborate with partners in northeastern Brazil to assess the effects of shrimp aquaculture on migratory shorebirds. Specifically, the project is designed to understand how shorebirds use habitats in shrimp farms and whether they are exposed to contaminants at these sites. Our preliminary results suggest that several species use shrimp aquaculture ponds extensively, especially when water levels are drawn down during harvesting. Our research also indicates that shorebirds, specifically SESA we sampled at shrimp farms in Brazil, have higher levels of heavy metals than those we sampled in Suriname and Delaware Bay, where bird habitat use was not associated with shrimp farms. In 2019, NJA and partners at AQUASIS, a Brazilian conservation NGO, developed a best management practices document to reduce impacts of shrimp farming on shorebirds wintering in Brazil. In FY 2019, we also completed an aerial survey of the north and northeastern regions of Brazil to assess the abundance and distribution of shorebirds during the wintering period in these regions. Aerial surveys are an ongoing component of our international shorebird conservation program. Our shorebird conservation efforts in South America also includes working with partners in Suriname, French Guiana and Brazil to curtail illegal or poorly regulated shorebird hunting. Through grants from US Agency for International Development, US Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, NJA has helped support law enforcement capacity in Suriname, which includes providing gasoline and maintenance for patrol vehicles, conduct a survey on hunters and develop a program to educate hunters about game laws and the importance of conserving species of conservation concern, like SESA and other migratory shorebirds. As part of a grant from the National Park Service, Research staff continue to monitor responses of beach nesting birds to the habitat restoration at Stone Harbor Point carried out by NJA and its partners in 2014 and 2015. The restoration, funded by a $1.28 million grant through the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the US Department of Interior, NJ Audubon Research, improved critical habitat for endangered beach nesting and migratory shorebirds while protecting neighboring communities from storm surges. More than 40 acres were restored or enhanced during the project, which raised the elevation of nesting areas, thereby reducing potential flooding of nests of federally threatened Piping Plovers, state endangered Black Skimmers and Least Terns and American Oystercatcher, a species of special conservation concern. Data collected since 2016 suggest that the number of nesting pairs and the number of chicks produced at the site has increased significantly compared to the period prior to restoration. New Jersey Audubon Research staff continued to assess the response of wildlife species to routine maintenance activities on PSEG transmission line corridors in the Highlands. The goal of this project is to develop management recommendations that meet safety and regulatory requirements for powerline Rights-of-Way, while also providing habitat for early successional species of conservation concern. In 2018, we completed the fourth year of bird, reptile, amphibian, and habitat surveys along spans that received maintenance 2012 2014. We also worked closely with PSEG and the NJ Endangered and Nongame Species Program to develop span-specific maintenance plans for areas that provide critical habitat for breeding Golden-winged Warbler populations. Treatments continued during the winter of 2017/2018, and Golden-winged Warbler responses to habitat modifications were assessed during the 2018 breeding season. In 2016, New Jersey Audubon partnered with a private landowner in Sussex County, New Jersey, to help develop and guide forest stewardship practices on more than 3,000 acres of largely forested habitat. Management actions will be implemented over the next ten years following an approved Forest Stewardship Plan. One of the primary goals of the landowner is to manage habitat for Ruffed Grouse and Golden-winged Warbler, both considered species in decline throughout the Northeast. Active management will be required to maintain young forest habitat for these and a variety of other bird species of conservation concern. Starting in March 2016, New Jersey Audubons Research Department implemented a Before-After-Control-Impact survey design to determine whether Ruffed Grouse are currently present on the property. This work continued in 2018. Surveys were also conducted at two control sites in northwest New Jersey (Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area and Sparta Mountain Wildlife Management Area) known to support healthy Ruffed Grouse populations. NJA Research staff continue to monitor bird populations in the urban landscape through surveys at brownfield sites in Linden, Pennsauken and the Hackensack Meadowlands. Form 990, Part III, Line 1 THE NEW JERSEY AUDUBON SOCIETY IS A PRIVATELY SUPPORTED, NOT-FOR-PROFIT, STATEWIDE MEMBERSHIP ORGANIZATION. FOUNDED IN 1897 AND ONE OF THE OLDEST INDEPENDENT AUDUBON SOCIETIES,NEW JERSEY AUDUBON HAS NO CONNECTION WITH THE NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY. NEW JERSEY AUDUBON FOSTERS ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS AND A CONSERVATION ETHIC AMOUNG 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.