Audubon North Carolina has announced John DeLuca as its new Director of Conservation. DeLuca, whose conservation roots run deep in eastern North Carolina, will lead efforts from coastal habitat restoration to urban forestry campaigns, all with the ultimate goal of reversing bird population declines statewide and beyond.
DeLuca began his career at Cape Hatteras National Seashore, where he inventoried, monitored, and protected vulnerable shorebirds such as the Piping Plover and Black Skimmer. On the coast, he played a key role in monitoring American Oystercatchers and establishing conservation programs for at-risk species. At Camp Lejeune, DeLuca led saltmarsh restoration and created monitoring programs for birds like the Seaside Sparrow and Painted Bunting.
His work frequently combined habitat management with ecosystem-level strategies, including integrating bird conservation into wildfire management plans developed with the U.S. Forest Service.
Officials said DeLuca’s hands-on experience along the coast and in key ecological areas positions him to lead Audubon’s efforts both locally and across the hemisphere. He began his new role earlier this month.
