The Audubon Naturalist Society, a long-standing conservationist alliance whose efforts are centered in the Washington D.C. region, has helped in the effort to shift the District away from gas-powered leaf blowers.

Now the ANS newsletter has announced that the organization itself has made the switch. Sample:

Knowing what we do about how important it is to protect wildlife habitat from sensory assault, we at ANS have long been careful to use low outdoor lighting at our Woodend Sanctuary so as not to confuse or harm birds and other animals at night. But, for a long time we have used traditional gas-powered leaf blowers to clear our many driveways, lawns, and pathways, because it’s such a big job that older electric technology wasn’t up to the task. But this fall, in time with our advocacy on the D.C. Council bill, our Property Manager Bjorn Busk made the switch! Check out this video [available at ANS site] of how quiet and effective his new electric battery-powered leaf blower is.

The birds and other animals of the Woodend Sanctuary thank the leadership of ANS, and so do we.