How to contact us:
Hernando Audubon Society, Inc.
P.O. Box 1678
Brooksville, FL 3460
photo by Lucille Lane
The Hernando Audubon Society was established in 1959. It is a nonprofit organization and a Florida chapter of the National Audubon Society. We serve members in Hernando and south Sumter counties.
Our Mission is to promote an awareness and appreciation of nature, to preserve and protect natural ecosystems, and to encourage responsible environmental stewardship.
Outreach and Education have always been an important part of our activities in the community. Our programs and field trips are open to everyone, and we do not charge a fee. Hernando Audubon Society strives to ensure a welcoming, inclusive, and safe environment for all people to engage with the chapter, especially in nature-based and conservation activities.
For many years, we funded an environmental scholarship that was awarded to many local graduating senior high school students. The Stephen B. Fickett, Jr., Environmental Scholarship, established in honor of one of our founding members, helped many outstanding young scholars defray some of the cost of college. Recipients have gone on to hold leadership jobs in conservation and related fields.
Beginning in 2024-2025 Hernando Audubon Society has modified its scholarship, instead offering an internship program for local high school students—see details about the Stephen B. Fickett, Jr., Conservation Internship Program here.
Our History
Hernando Audubon was established in February 1959 as a chapter of the Florida Audubon Society. At that time, Hernando County had fewer than 12,000 year-round residents. Wellman Tucker, a forward-thinking conservationist, was the first president and Lisa Von Borowsky, who later established Audubon of Florida's Ahhochee Hill Sanctuary, became treasurer. Steve Fickett, a biologist with the Florida Game and Freshwater Fish Commission (now the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission) was the society's first field trip chair. The internship offered annually by Hernando Audubon is named in his honor.
In 1971, Hernando Audubon was incorporated as a nonprofit organization, clearing the way for the society to accept major gifts. In 1974, Lisa Von Borowsky donated 20 acres of land to the chapter for sale to raise money for a nature center on land recently acquired by the Fish and Game Commission. Hernando Audubon eventually contributed approximately one-third of the funds needed to build what is now the Chinsegut Conservation Center, completed in 1986.
2025-2026 Officers and Committee Chairs:
Officers:
President - Tom St Clair (904) 303-0919
Vice President - Claudia Amsler
Vice President - Mike Chapo
Secretary - Joe Murphy
Treasurer - Ken Larsson
Committee Chairs:
Conservation - Tom St Clair
Conservation Internship - Kristi Strazzullo
Education - Mike Chapo
Field Trips - Claudia Amsler
Hospitality - Vera Huckaby
Membership - Donna Smetko
Newsletter - Bev Hansen
Programs - Joe Murphy
Social Media - Bonnie Morgan
Student Participation - Brianna DeRosa Green