Birding and Conservation are for Everyone!

Biodiversity is essential to resilient natural systems. At ASNV we believe diversity and inclusion are essential not only to the health of our community, but also to conservation of the birds we love and the habitats they need to survive. So, we are committed to building and sustaining an inclusive birding and naturalist community in which everyone is welcome. We embrace and look to increase diversity and inclusion throughout ASNV’s programs, whether they involve conservation, education, advocacy, citizen science, or just plain fun. 

Some Essential Definitions

• Diversity is the act of not discriminating among people because of ways they differ from one another, encompassing the characteristics that make one individual or group different from another. While diversity often is used in reference to race, ethnicity, and gender, we embrace a broader definition that includes age, national origin, religion, disability and other health concern, gender identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, education, marital status, language, and any other identifiers that make one individual or group different from another.

• Inclusion is the act of creating environments in which any individual or group can be welcomed, respected, and supported to participate fully in an activity or organization.

• Underrepresented groups are the populations of people who are fewer in number within an activity compared to their representation in the overall population.  For example, in the ASNV programs, we have data to suggest that younger adults are underrepresented in our programs. Likewise, we know that people from non-white racial and ethnic groups and people from lower socioeconomic groups are underrepresented in our activities compared to their representation in the population of northern Virginia.

Why Diversity and Inclusion are Essential for ASNV’s Mission

ASNV’s mission is:

“To engage all northern Virginia communities in enjoying, conserving, and restoring nature for the benefit of birds, other wildlife, and people.” 

Our mission requires us to include all groups in northern Virginia in our activities because:

• It is the right and fair thing to do. All communities deserve the opportunity to learn about and enjoy nature. It also may help change discriminatory historical patterns. Many non-majority groups have been excluded from environmental and conservation groups’ activities, and deserve representation. See Dorcetta E. Taylor, The State of Diversity in Environmental Organizations, 2014.

• It strengthens our ability to be effective. Protecting and conserving nature in the face of local development pressures and climate change requires immense efforts and the participation of as much of the population as possible. Northern Virginia is a rapidly diversifying area where, for example, the non-White population has grown from 29.7% in 2000 to 50.1% in 2020. See, Northern Virginia Regional Commission Dashboard. By recognizing and adapting to these demographic changes, ASNV can increase the effectiveness of its conservation efforts. We can:

  • recruit significantly more volunteers by tapping into the region’s diverse talent pool; 

  • generate more creative solutions based on a wide range of historical knowledge, differing perspectives, skills, and ideas from across our region; and

  • better understand, reflect and meet the needs of our communities.

What ASNV has been doing 

In 2020, ASNV’s board of directors built on existing efforts by forming a diversity and inclusion committee to identify opportunities to reach underrepresented groups.

The committee, supported by the board and a range of community volunteers, has expanded ASNV’s involvement with a broad range of northern Virginia communities. A few examples follow. ASNV:

• Continued the Black/Latinx nature walk series at Upton Hill Regional Park, engaging local families in exploring nature

• Conducted nature walks and other activities with residents in senior affordable housing primarily serving primarily Asian-Americans (See our 2022 Annual Report.) 

• Co-sponsored a conference in Spanish on sustainable landscaping

• Fostered relationships with organizations focused on helping groups underrepresented in our activities

• Increased inclusion of young people by providing scholarships for local teachers, particularly teacher from Title I schools, to attend Educator’s Week at National Audubon Society’s Hog Island camp

• Increased engagement of 21-45-year-olds through a new organization, NextGen Birders for Conservation

• Recruited ASNV board members from historically underrepresented groups and a variety of perspectives

• Continued to recruit a diverse group of contributors to our adult education programs to highlight scientists and birders from all backgrounds. 

ASNV also took steps to overcome some barriers to broader participation and involvement by underrepresented communities in its activities. Some examples follow.

• Limited English-language proficiency: We translated a free online publication, “Common Birds of Northern Virginia,” into Spanish. We also provided to our partners laminated bilingual instructional cards about birds, and arranged for volunteer translators for some outings.

• Limited access to a car: We researched and provided information on birding sites in northern Virginia that are accessible via public transportation.

• Limited mobility: We contributed over 80 entries to the Birdability map rating relative accessibility of trails and parks in northern Virginia. You can consult the map here.

• Limited hearing: We have included closed captioning to our virtual programming.

• Limited resources: We make sure that many of our programs and events are available to the public free of charge, and we offer loaner binoculars for some events.  

Our Goals for the Future

ASNV continues to work to reduce barriers to participation and expand the involvement of underrepresented groups in our programs and activities. We have begun developing a Spanish language “channel” to provide content in Spanish on our website and as a part of our monthly newsletter, the Potomac Flier. We also are investigating building a relationship with indigenous communities within our geographic area. 

Please consider helping us out. You can volunteer to support one of our programs or activities. We are looking for speakers, board members, walk leaders, and volunteers from groups that have been underrepresented in birdwatching and conservation and who can help us expand our reach to a broader audience. We are seeking bilingual birders to lead walks in Spanish. 

We also welcome your comments and suggestions on how we can be more inclusive, particularly if you feel your community is underserved. We welcome requests from underserved communities for events. You can contact us at diversity@audubonva.org. We can use your ideas and your help. We are a volunteer-run organization, and there is a lot to do! 

If you want to read more about diversity and inclusion in organizations, here are some additional resources.