Liberty Bird Alliance Takes Flight

Wyncote Audubon Society has changed its name to  Liberty Bird Alliance.  The Liberty Bird Alliance will continue as the chapter of the National Audubon Society serving members in Philadelphia and major portions of Montgomery County.  The Board of Directors chose to change our name because of three factors. The first factor was the expansion of our chapter territory to include virtually all of Philadelphia. The second factor was the ongoing controversy over the “Audubon” name that has been the subject of extensive discussion across the National Audubon Society and the entire chapter network.  The third factor was the adoption of our new strategic plan that envisions an increase in the chapter’s impact through collaboration with key partners.

The Expansion of Our Chapter Territory

The expansion of our chapter territory to include virtually all of Philadelphia was a critical factor in the decision to change the name. We recognized that the term “Wyncote”, a small neighborhood in Cheltenham Township in Montgomery County, did not convey the full extent of the geographic range of our chapter territory. Our Board struggled with alternative names to capture both Philadelphia and Montgomery Counties. “Liberty” was the suggestion that was unanimously supported by the Board. View the Liberty Bird Alliance Service Area map here.

The “Audubon” Name

Reported in our Fall 2023 edition of the NATURALLY, there has been significant controversy over the course of the last two years associated with “John James Audubon” and the use of the “Audubon” name by the National Audubon Society and its local chapters. The controversy had garnered significant attention in public media outlets and throughout the Audubon network. Concerns were raised with regard to John James Audubon’s personal history that documented that he was a slave owner who bought and sold slaves and advocated racist positions in some of his writings. Other attributions to John James Audubon surfaced that seriously detracted from his heritage as the author of the “Birds of America.” 

The National Audubon Society engaged in a considered review of the continued use of the “Audubon” name for their organization. Earlier this year they announced its Board’s controversial vote to retain the “Audubon” name.  They invited individual Audubon chapters to make their own independent decisions with regard to the name. Virtually every urban chapter has undertaken a review.  Many urban chapters have made the decision to drop the “Audubon” name. This includes chapters that serve New York City, Chicago, Detroit, San Francisco, Seattle, Portland, and Buffalo to name a few.  It is noteworthy that these organizations will continue to be chapters of the National Audubon Society. The term “Bird Alliance” has been adopted by many urban chapters. Former “Audubon” chapters that have renamed themselves include the New York City Bird Alliance, Chicago Bird Alliance, Washington D.C. Bird Alliance, Golden Gate Bird Alliance, Northern Virginia Bird Alliance, and many others. We can now count the Liberty Bird Alliance among those that share this new “bird alliance” name!

Rebranding with Our New Strategic Plan

Our new strategic plan became an important driver in the decision to rename the chapter. It provided the opportunity to “rebrand” the chapter and the important work to “protect birds and the places they need” with a new vision. We recognized that achieving our conservation goals for the benefit of birds and other wildlife will require the engagement of new members and audiences who have not been attracted or worked with  “Audubon” in the past. We also dropped the word “Society” as it conveys a sense of being “in” or “out”.  We need to be inclusive. Note that while we encourage individuals to become “members” of the National Audubon Society, we welcome all individuals to participate in our programs, events, and all of our activities. The term ”Alliance” serves us well since our conservation goals can only be achieved by working with the many allies who are mission aligned with this important work.