Date: 1/28/26 6:30 am From: Mitchell Pruitt <mitchellpruitt24...> Subject: Re: Name Change
Regardless of whether the reason is to discontinue honorific names, reduce confusion among organizations, or both doesn’t really matter. The proposal AAS has put forth is not to change the organization itself, just the name. Same people, same organization, same values, different name. The identity of AAS is attached to the people within it and the community of birders and research the organization supports. To add, National Audubon actually predates AAS by at least 50 years and is certainly no enemy here, given their work in avian conservation across the globe.
Thank you to Dan Oko for sharing your relevant experience from outside Arkansas. This is similar to what has been the experience here.
Best,
Mitchell Pruitt
> On Jan 27, 2026, at 6:11 PM, Sandy Berger <sndbrgr...> wrote:
>
> Historically of all these groups using the Audubon name, which entity was first to use it in Arkansas? This “confusion” really began when Audubon Arkansas came to town, if I recall correctly. I joined the Arkansas Audubon Society back in the 90’s. Became a life member of the Arkansas Audubon Society a couple of years ago. I’ve been proud to be a member of the Arkansas Audubon Society. And now, because of this “confusion”, all of a sudden it is felt that a change in name needs to be made. Honestly, I’m very disappointed.
> Are we really changing the name because of “confusion”, or does it have to do with the controversy surrounding Mr. Audubon?
>
> Thank you,
> Sandy Berger
>
> On Tue, Jan 27, 2026 at 1:02 PM Ragupathy Kannan <0000013b0ad14faf-dmarc-request...> <mailto:<0000013b0ad14faf-dmarc-request...>> wrote:
>> Not really, Sandy. It is to avoid the eternal confusion between National Audubon Society, Arkansas Audubon Society, Audubon Arkansas, Audubon Delta, Central Arkansas Audubon Society, Northwest Arkansas Audubon Society, etc etc., and everything in between!
>>
>> On Tuesday, 27 January 2026 at 12:43:21 pm GMT-6, Sandy Berger <sndbrgr...> <mailto:<sndbrgr...>> wrote:
>>
>>
>> So basically the officers think that the Arkansas Audubon Society needs a name change to get rid of the word Audubon. Is that correct?
>>
>> Sandy Berger
>>
>>
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