Nature in the City: The Audubon Society in San Miguel [] Rotary Club Presentation

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YouTube Link:  https://youtu.be/AJD5iRqMKZI

April Gaydos, president of Audubon de Mexico, is deeply concerned about the future of life on earth.  She believes that people living on this planet right now have all the tools they need to transition from the doom and gloom of  climate change, water scarcity and biodiversity loss to healing, harmony and resiliency.  But, she says, it will take a shift in how we think of ourselves and we must rebuild our connections with nature to get there.

In her talk to Rotary on July 13th, April shared how this perspective has reshaped Audubon’s focus toward plants as a way of protecting quality of life for birds, humanity, and all remaining creatures on our planet.  She explained her work to reduce the impact of urbanization on rivers and open spaces in the US, and how Audubon concentrates its efforts it the current urban areas of San Miguel de Allende as well as in those areas where urbanization is expanding rapidly.  April discussed the need to address and reshape the historic divide between people and nature, especially urban dwellers.  Such a divide disrupts the critical ecological services that nature provides.

Through images of the varied birdlife and nature in the San Miguel area, Rodrigo Lopez Valdez, Audubon Board Secretary and founder of Travelian Tours and Guanajuato Birding Adventures,  described the ancient kinship between birds, plants and humanity and how Audubon’s programs, including their new Care For Trees initiative, serve to connect people with birds and wildlife and their habitats as a pathway to a resilient and promising future.

April showed how tending Audubon’s pollinator garden at Parque Juarez has caused reflection on the law of reciprocity and the necessity of nature in the city.  She also shared what her experience in working with children through Audubon’s Niños y Naturaleza program has taught her, especially how connections to nature can provoke a sense of belonging and meaning and unleash and empower human potential.

April has lived in San Miguel since 2010 and has been Audubon’s President since 2014.  Rodrigo Lopez Valdez has been leading Birding, Natural History and Culture Tours for more than 10 years throughout Central and Southern Mexico.

Rotary is where neighbors, friends and problem-solvers share ideas, join leaders and take action to create lasting change.  For more information, contact President Skip Essick at skipessickmedia@gmail.com.