While the Presidential and Congressional contests dominated national headlines, Audubon and its allies were successfully advanced hard-fought local initiatives that mean big gains for conservation.

Audubon Minnesota:

Ten years in the making, Tuesday's passage of Minnesota's Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment will devote $230 million to conservation in the state for each of the next 25 years. Funds will be distributed by a Citizens Commission on a competitive basis, enabling grass roots groups to help direct resource to the state's most pressing conservation needs. Audubon Minnesota and local Chapters joined sportsman's groups in making securing this investment in the state's natural heritage.

Audubon Ohio:

The state's Clean Ohio Fund received a resounding vote of confidence from voters. Its renewal means hundreds of millions of dollars will continue to be available for clean-up of "brown fields" contaminated by pollution, preservation of dwindling agricultural lands, acquisition of parklands and trails.

Audubon of Florida:

Passage of the state's Amendment 4 will exempt lands with conservation easements from property taxes and allows lands managed for water and wildlife benefits to be taxed according to use. The overwhelming voter response was helped by Audubon involvement and translates into enhanced incentive for the conservation and sound management ecologically significant areas.

Across the state, voters in several counties gave the nod to a variety of land acquisition and protection measures. In Alachua County, voters approved continuation of that county's successful land conservation program. A Sensitive Lands Program in Flagler County was extended after 20 years of conservation success, as was another in Hillsborough County. And in Pinellas County, Pinellas voters approved an ordinance that strengthens protection for designated environmental lands by requiring voter approval for changing the environmental uses.

Conservation measures won in 62 of 87 cases, or 71%, on November 4th. Combined, they’ll generate over $7.3 billion in new conservation funding.

For the entire year, conservation ballot measures took 88 of 124 contests. That means conservation will get $8.4 billion in funding, the most conservation funds ever generated in one year.

Given the current economic climate, their success is remarkable reaffirmation that protecting our environment has broad appeal.