In June 2009, Georgia and three neighboring states received a $1 million federal grant to increase the quality, quantity and connectivity of prime sandhill habitat. The three-year project was aimed at benefiting gopher tortoises and as many as 54 other sandhill species that need significant conservation measures.
Georgia, Alabama, Florida, South Carolina and groups such as Project Orianne, The Nature Conservancy and the Gopher Tortoise Council provided $1.66 million in matching money and work for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service grant, part of the State Wildlife Grants Competitive Program.
Plans called for increasing prescribed fire, removing non-native sand pines and overgrown hardwoods, and thinning pine plantations. These efforts are critical to the open canopy and diverse herbaceous groundcover typical of healthy longleaf pine, turkey oak-dominated sandhills.
The overriding goal: Restore nearly 40,000 acres of priority public and private sandhill sites, rebuilding habitat for the tortoise and other priority species. The project could help keep gopher tortoises off federal endangered or threatened species lists and set the stage for long-term conservation of sandhills species, from hognose snakes to Bachman’s sparrows.
One year in, the states and partners have made excellent progress.
Teaming with The Nature Conservancy of Georgia, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources conducted prescribed fires on 4,700 acres at high-priority sandhills sites across the Coastal Plain, including Yuchi Wildlife Management Area, Ohoopee Dunes Natural Area, Fall Line Sandhills Natural Area, and private lands in Marion, Taylor, Talbot and Bryan counties. Also, non-native sand pines have been removed or sold for cutting on nearly 1,000 acres of state and private lands.
At Ohoopee Dunes in Emanuel County, prescribed fire was conducted on more than 1,000 acres. Many of the areas had not seen fire in many years, leading to buildups of woody underbrush and suppression of grassy groundcover. Shan Cammack with the DNR’s Nongame Conservation Section planned and led the prescribed fires.
“Careful planning and execution produced successful entry burns at Ohoopee Dunes this year,” Cammack said. “With strategic ignition, drier sparse areas were burned hotter while sensitive areas with heavy fuel loads and duff were burned cooler.”
In Florida, the Gulf Coastal Plain Ecosystem Partnership, a land management public-private cooperative, did prescribed burning on more than 8,400 acres of state lands. Sand pine and hardwoods on another 265 acres were cleared.
In Alabama, The Nature Conservancy of Alabama and the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’ State Lands Division burned about 2,500 acres of sandhills on state lands, planted 186 acres of longleaf pine, thinned pine plantations on 122 acres and removed hardwoods on 76 acres.
During the project’s first year, ecological restoration was initiated on more than 15,000 acres in Alabama, Georgia and Florida.
The grant also included monitoring to track progress. This component involved baseline gopher tortoise surveys on a subset of properties, plus vegetation sampling and breeding bird surveys.
All pre-treatment vegetation, bird monitoring and tortoise surveys are either completed or in progress. The work has provided some interesting stories.
Florida is surveying gopher tortoises on the Hutton Unit of the Blackwater Wildlife Management Area in Santa Rosa and Okaloosa counties. Burrow densities have been low, about 0.1 burrows per acre surveyed. Comparatively, densities on the sand ridges of Townsend WMA in Georgia are about one per acre. At Ohoopee Dunes, they are about 0.7 per acre. In sandier soils on some more-regularly burned longleaf-wiregrass ecosystems in southwest Georgia, densities may reach two to three burrows an acre.
The low densities at the Hutton Unit may be attributed to several factors, including human predation, which was historically higher in northwestern Florida than other parts of the tortoise’s range, and fire suppression before the state acquired the property in 1998.
Yet, despite fewer burrows, the search at Hutton is anything but boring.
According to Barbara Almario with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, “Florida’s tortoise survey crew encounters snakes on an almost daily basis. One of the tortoise survey technicians accidentally stepped on an eastern diamondback rattlesnake one day.
“Fortunately, the snake was a little slow that morning and (the technician) escaped without injury.”
For the coming year, Georgia DNR is developing restoration plans for several private sites. Federal funding for longleaf planting on state lands has freed some sandhills grant funds. DNR is also considering burning even more acres at Ohoopee Dunes and Townsend, Yuchi and Penholoway WMAs. The hope at Ohoopee is to collaborate with adjacent private landowners on restoring sandhills.
Sandhills conservation is a priority in the Georgia Wildlife Action Plan, a comprehensive strategy that guides DNR efforts to conserve biological diversity. For more, go to www.georgiawildlife.com/conservation/wildlife-action-plan.
-----
Community News You Can Use
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Follow us on Twitter: @GAFrontPage
Showing posts with label conservation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label conservation. Show all posts
Monday, August 30, 2010
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Advanced Disposal Produces Gopher Tortoise Relocation Movie
Editor's Note: This is a great story and video about gopher tortoises and the conservation efforts of a large company. Our only disappointment in our viewing of it was the video is quite small when it is clicked on at the home site.
Watch the video. It's educational value is terrific. Kudos to Advanced Disposal for their efforts on behalf of the tortoise!
(BUSINESS WIRE)--Advanced Disposal is looking to make a certain colony of gopher tortoises famous in an effort to bring awareness to the federally-protected species. The environmental services company today released its documentary-style film “Relocating the Gopher Tortoise at Turkey Trot Landfill.”
“Relocating the Gopher Tortoise at Turkey Trot Landfill.”
The film takes viewers through the unique process of relocating a colony of gopher tortoises and teaches them why this keystone species is such an important part of the south uplands ecosystem.
Advanced Disposal was awarded a contract to build a municipal solid waste landfill on a permitted and approved site in Washington County, Ala. During the assessment process, the company and its regulatory partners discovered a colony of gopher tortoises on the 300-acre landfill site.
The film tells the story of how the gopher tortoises were relocated to a preservation owned by South Alabama Utilities just 30 miles away from Turkey Trot Landfill. It documents the burrow identification processes utilizing GPS technology, two types of capture techniques, medical assessment process and release at the new location. Countless hours were spent by several companies and organizations including U.S. Army Corp of Engineers; U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service; Alabama Department of Environmental Management; Board of Commissioners of Washington County, Alabama; Environmental Services, Inc.; South Alabama Utilities; Hodges, Harbin, Newberry & Tribble, Inc. and Advanced Disposal to ensure a smooth and successful transfer of the tortoises.
“Advanced Disposal strives to be a stellar corporate citizen in all of the communities in which we live and work,” said Mary O’Brien, chief marketing officer with Advanced Disposal. “When we learned that we would be relocating a colony of gopher tortoises, we decided to capture it on film and utilize it as a fun, engaging educational tool while showing our commitment to the environment. We think this film does just that and hope that others will help us build awareness for this special species.”
Projects like Turkey Trot Landfill assist in tortoise conservation actions that could not otherwise be developed without the scientific data collected during the relocation process. Taking specific measurements when collecting the species and conducting the long-term monitoring and research at the preserve help scientists understand more about the tortoises’ habitat needs, survival rates, and reproductive success. The information gained from relocating the tortoises from Turkey Trot Landfill will assist U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in making long term conservation goals to protect the species in perpetuity.
Copies of the DVD are being sent to local schools, environmental and conservation groups, wildlife preservations and youth organizations to help grow an appreciation for the gopher tortoises. People can also watch the film by going to www.AdvancedDisposal.com and clicking on the gopher tortoise video link.
-----
Community News You Can Use
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Follow us on Twitter: @GAFrontPage
Watch the video. It's educational value is terrific. Kudos to Advanced Disposal for their efforts on behalf of the tortoise!
(BUSINESS WIRE)--Advanced Disposal is looking to make a certain colony of gopher tortoises famous in an effort to bring awareness to the federally-protected species. The environmental services company today released its documentary-style film “Relocating the Gopher Tortoise at Turkey Trot Landfill.”
“Relocating the Gopher Tortoise at Turkey Trot Landfill.”
The film takes viewers through the unique process of relocating a colony of gopher tortoises and teaches them why this keystone species is such an important part of the south uplands ecosystem.
Advanced Disposal was awarded a contract to build a municipal solid waste landfill on a permitted and approved site in Washington County, Ala. During the assessment process, the company and its regulatory partners discovered a colony of gopher tortoises on the 300-acre landfill site.
The film tells the story of how the gopher tortoises were relocated to a preservation owned by South Alabama Utilities just 30 miles away from Turkey Trot Landfill. It documents the burrow identification processes utilizing GPS technology, two types of capture techniques, medical assessment process and release at the new location. Countless hours were spent by several companies and organizations including U.S. Army Corp of Engineers; U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service; Alabama Department of Environmental Management; Board of Commissioners of Washington County, Alabama; Environmental Services, Inc.; South Alabama Utilities; Hodges, Harbin, Newberry & Tribble, Inc. and Advanced Disposal to ensure a smooth and successful transfer of the tortoises.
“Advanced Disposal strives to be a stellar corporate citizen in all of the communities in which we live and work,” said Mary O’Brien, chief marketing officer with Advanced Disposal. “When we learned that we would be relocating a colony of gopher tortoises, we decided to capture it on film and utilize it as a fun, engaging educational tool while showing our commitment to the environment. We think this film does just that and hope that others will help us build awareness for this special species.”
Projects like Turkey Trot Landfill assist in tortoise conservation actions that could not otherwise be developed without the scientific data collected during the relocation process. Taking specific measurements when collecting the species and conducting the long-term monitoring and research at the preserve help scientists understand more about the tortoises’ habitat needs, survival rates, and reproductive success. The information gained from relocating the tortoises from Turkey Trot Landfill will assist U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in making long term conservation goals to protect the species in perpetuity.
Copies of the DVD are being sent to local schools, environmental and conservation groups, wildlife preservations and youth organizations to help grow an appreciation for the gopher tortoises. People can also watch the film by going to www.AdvancedDisposal.com and clicking on the gopher tortoise video link.
-----
Community News You Can Use
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Follow us on Twitter: @GAFrontPage
Monday, July 26, 2010
New Report Shows Sharp Declines in Populations of Wild Cats and Dogs
/PRNewswire/ -- The Fading Call of the Wild, a report released today by the world's leading wildlife conservation organizations, details the increasing threats and plunging populations of big cats and rare canids living in the wild. Faced with a striking loss of habitat and prey due to over-development of land and direct killing by poachers and others who see them as a threat, wild cats such as lions, cheetahs and snow leopards, and wild dogs like the Ethiopia wolf and bush dog face an uncertain future.
Eighty percent of all wild cat species are experiencing population declines, as are 25 percent of wild canids - the family of foxes, wolves and wild dogs. The report looks beyond the raw numbers and delves into the plight of 15 of these species that are considered ecologically vital, detailing their current numbers in the wild, changes to the population in the last ten years, and conservation solutions for improving their status. The 15 species were chosen because they are considered umbrella species that, if conserved appropriately, protect their corresponding landscapes and other species dependent on those ecosystems.
A snapshot of the report's findings include:
-- A century ago there were as many as 200,000 lions living in Africa,
today there are fewer than 30,000. Lions are now extinct from 26
countries that they formerly occupied. The single greatest threat to
lions is killing by people who own livestock. Herders and ranchers
shoot, trap and poison lions across their range.
-- There are fewer than 500 Darwin's Fox living today. The animal are
found only in Chile and their restricted distribution makes them
highly vulnerable to extinction. The gentle and curious canids are not
fearful of people which contributes to their endangerment, however
timber exploration and land development are the two biggest factors
that have pushed the animals to the brink.
-- There are fewer than 7,000 snow leopards in the wild today. Snow
leopard poaching is rampant with their bones and hides frequently
confiscated in illegal shipments of wildlife parts bound for markets
in China and throughout Asia.
-- Fewer than 500 Ethiopian wolves remain with more than half found in
the Bale Mountains. The highly social animals live in packs which
makes them especially vulnerable when their populations decrease.
Entire packs are wiped out by rabies outbreaks, while those that
survive face rapid loss of habitat.
-- One of the most ecologically and genetically unique animals, African
wild dogs exist in less than seven percent of their historic range,
and are extinct in 22 countries that they formerly inhabited.
Accidental snaring and rabies have decimated populations throughout
Africa, and fewer than 8,000 of the animals remain.
The report calls for increasing conservation resources and swift policy changes, specifically passage of the Great Cats and Rare Canids Conservation Act that would provide conservation assistance to the 15 species highlighted in the Fading Call of the Wild report.
"Great cats and rare canids are currently suffering from a variety of threats and the positive impact from their protection will no doubt benefit them and many other species," said Jeff Flocken, DC Office Director, IFAW. "The Great Cats and Rare Canids Conservation Act offers viable and valuable methods to ensure a safe future for these majestic animals."
First introduced in July 2004, and set to expire this year unless the Senate takes action, the measure would provide wild cats and canids the same type of conservation assistance presently supporting tigers, great apes, elephants, sea turtles and other iconic species through the Multinational Species Conservation Funds, administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The funds were designed to conserve species deemed by Americans to be of special global value, but simultaneously endangered with extinction.
Senators Joe Lieberman (I-CT), Tom Udall (D-NM), Sam Brownback (R-KS) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) are leading the charge to usher the bill through their chamber this Congress. The House passed the measure in April 2009 with a two-thirds majority and bi-partisan support led by Reps. Jay Inslee (WA-01), Madeleine Bordallo (D-Guam) and the International Conservation Caucus. The Act is supported by more than 80 scientific, animal welfare, conservation, outdoor recreation organizations, zoos and aquariums.
Actress Glenn Close contributed the foreword for the report and noted, "Whether it is the iconic African lion or the shy Darwin's fox, these animals hold an important place in the landscapes they occupy. They are all ecosystem guardians. As predators, they maintain healthy functioning places, and their absence negatively affects wildlife and people. Not only would losing these species have drastic ecological and economic impacts, I believe their loss will impact us in ways we aren't event able to yet articulate."
The report was authored by Panthera, the International Fund for Animal Welfare, and the Wildlife Conservation Society, in cooperation with the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Canids and Cats Specialists Groups.
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Follow us on Twitter: @GAFrontPage
Eighty percent of all wild cat species are experiencing population declines, as are 25 percent of wild canids - the family of foxes, wolves and wild dogs. The report looks beyond the raw numbers and delves into the plight of 15 of these species that are considered ecologically vital, detailing their current numbers in the wild, changes to the population in the last ten years, and conservation solutions for improving their status. The 15 species were chosen because they are considered umbrella species that, if conserved appropriately, protect their corresponding landscapes and other species dependent on those ecosystems.
A snapshot of the report's findings include:
-- A century ago there were as many as 200,000 lions living in Africa,
today there are fewer than 30,000. Lions are now extinct from 26
countries that they formerly occupied. The single greatest threat to
lions is killing by people who own livestock. Herders and ranchers
shoot, trap and poison lions across their range.
-- There are fewer than 500 Darwin's Fox living today. The animal are
found only in Chile and their restricted distribution makes them
highly vulnerable to extinction. The gentle and curious canids are not
fearful of people which contributes to their endangerment, however
timber exploration and land development are the two biggest factors
that have pushed the animals to the brink.
-- There are fewer than 7,000 snow leopards in the wild today. Snow
leopard poaching is rampant with their bones and hides frequently
confiscated in illegal shipments of wildlife parts bound for markets
in China and throughout Asia.
-- Fewer than 500 Ethiopian wolves remain with more than half found in
the Bale Mountains. The highly social animals live in packs which
makes them especially vulnerable when their populations decrease.
Entire packs are wiped out by rabies outbreaks, while those that
survive face rapid loss of habitat.
-- One of the most ecologically and genetically unique animals, African
wild dogs exist in less than seven percent of their historic range,
and are extinct in 22 countries that they formerly inhabited.
Accidental snaring and rabies have decimated populations throughout
Africa, and fewer than 8,000 of the animals remain.
The report calls for increasing conservation resources and swift policy changes, specifically passage of the Great Cats and Rare Canids Conservation Act that would provide conservation assistance to the 15 species highlighted in the Fading Call of the Wild report.
"Great cats and rare canids are currently suffering from a variety of threats and the positive impact from their protection will no doubt benefit them and many other species," said Jeff Flocken, DC Office Director, IFAW. "The Great Cats and Rare Canids Conservation Act offers viable and valuable methods to ensure a safe future for these majestic animals."
First introduced in July 2004, and set to expire this year unless the Senate takes action, the measure would provide wild cats and canids the same type of conservation assistance presently supporting tigers, great apes, elephants, sea turtles and other iconic species through the Multinational Species Conservation Funds, administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The funds were designed to conserve species deemed by Americans to be of special global value, but simultaneously endangered with extinction.
Senators Joe Lieberman (I-CT), Tom Udall (D-NM), Sam Brownback (R-KS) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) are leading the charge to usher the bill through their chamber this Congress. The House passed the measure in April 2009 with a two-thirds majority and bi-partisan support led by Reps. Jay Inslee (WA-01), Madeleine Bordallo (D-Guam) and the International Conservation Caucus. The Act is supported by more than 80 scientific, animal welfare, conservation, outdoor recreation organizations, zoos and aquariums.
Actress Glenn Close contributed the foreword for the report and noted, "Whether it is the iconic African lion or the shy Darwin's fox, these animals hold an important place in the landscapes they occupy. They are all ecosystem guardians. As predators, they maintain healthy functioning places, and their absence negatively affects wildlife and people. Not only would losing these species have drastic ecological and economic impacts, I believe their loss will impact us in ways we aren't event able to yet articulate."
The report was authored by Panthera, the International Fund for Animal Welfare, and the Wildlife Conservation Society, in cooperation with the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Canids and Cats Specialists Groups.
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Follow us on Twitter: @GAFrontPage
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
International Whaling Commission Fails to Find a Way Forward for Whales
/PRNewswire/ -- Dr Susan Lieberman, director of international policy for the Pew Environment Group, issued the following statement today in response to the International Whaling Commission's (IWC) Annual Meeting concluding without any results from the three-year effort to reconcile the impasse between pro-whaling and anti-whaling countries.
"We are deeply disappointed that the governments present here, after more than 3 years of intense work, could not reach a solution that will benefit whale conservation. In particular, the lack of sufficient flexibility shown by Japan to phase out its whaling in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary prevented a decision from being adopted. Continuation of the impasse here may retain the whaling moratorium on paper, but unregulated whaling outside of IWC control, by Japan, Norway, and Iceland, will now be able to continue.
"We had hoped that for the first time since World War II, the waters of the Southern Ocean--the fragile waters off of Antarctica--would finally be free of high seas whaling vessels. The key reaching that positive outcome at this meeting was always in Japan's hands--and now only Japan can decide if the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary will exist in reality, or only on paper.
"This year has seen the failure of international efforts to guarantee the future of Atlantic bluefin tuna, several species of sharks, coral species, and now whales, at the CITES meetings earlier this year, and now IWC. Japan, the country with the most active role in defeating all of these marine conservation measures, is hosting the Conference of the Parties of the Convention on Biological Diversity this October. The conference will give Japan the opportunity to finally reverse course and show leadership in marine biodiversity conservation."
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Follow us on Twitter: @GAFrontPage
"We are deeply disappointed that the governments present here, after more than 3 years of intense work, could not reach a solution that will benefit whale conservation. In particular, the lack of sufficient flexibility shown by Japan to phase out its whaling in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary prevented a decision from being adopted. Continuation of the impasse here may retain the whaling moratorium on paper, but unregulated whaling outside of IWC control, by Japan, Norway, and Iceland, will now be able to continue.
"We had hoped that for the first time since World War II, the waters of the Southern Ocean--the fragile waters off of Antarctica--would finally be free of high seas whaling vessels. The key reaching that positive outcome at this meeting was always in Japan's hands--and now only Japan can decide if the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary will exist in reality, or only on paper.
"This year has seen the failure of international efforts to guarantee the future of Atlantic bluefin tuna, several species of sharks, coral species, and now whales, at the CITES meetings earlier this year, and now IWC. Japan, the country with the most active role in defeating all of these marine conservation measures, is hosting the Conference of the Parties of the Convention on Biological Diversity this October. The conference will give Japan the opportunity to finally reverse course and show leadership in marine biodiversity conservation."
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Follow us on Twitter: @GAFrontPage
Friday, May 7, 2010
USAID Works With Private Sector To Encourage Sea Turtle Conservation Efforts
/PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) hosted a diverse group of private sector representatives in San Salvador today, encouraging them to join the sea turtle conservation effort. Sea turtles, which are an endangered species, nest along the Salvadoran coastline.
U.S. Embassy Charge d'Affaires Robert Blau and representatives from USAID participated in a breakfast with business leaders and members of environmental conservation groups, along with two special guests: Biologist Wallace J. Nichols and Oceanographer and Environmental Economist Fabien Cousteau (grandson of Jacques Cousteau, the celebrated French sailor and researcher).
"The U.S. Government is pleased to support the efforts to protect and restore these important natural and economic resources," Blau said. "With the financial support of USAID, studies have been carried out which reveal that this country is the most important country in all of Latin America for the survival of the Hawksbill turtle."
The goal is to establish public-private partnerships to finance both the management of marine resources and the conservation of the turtle species, by raising $1.2 million over the next five years. These funds will aid in the collection, incubation, and release of at least 80 percent of the sea turtle eggs laid on the beaches in El Salvador.
Even just two years ago, human beings had consumed more than 95 percent of the turtle eggs in El Salvador. In February 2009, the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources established a complete and permanent ban on the sale and consumption of sea turtles and sea turtle products. As a result, diverse sectors of society are working together more effectively to increase the number of hatcheries in the country. These USAID-supported actions have resulted in the incubation of more than one million turtle eggs. Nevertheless, the challenges continue. Experts estimate that the species remains on the brink of extinction.
Within the sea turtle conservation component of the USAID Improved Management and Conservation of Critical Watersheds Project, USAID has supported the setup and operation of more than 30 hatcheries on beaches which are crucial for sea turtle reproduction. The program's achievements include: the protection of over 120 kilometers of coastline, the release of 900,000 newborn turtles, the development of ecotourism, and the awarding of a $400,000 direct economic incentive to tortugueros (poachers) who now work as beach keepers and are paid for egg collection and beach protection services. Additionally, the project has contributed to diminishing the demand for turtle eggs though a mass media campaign and has promoted a national strategy for the conservation of El Salvador's sea turtles.
It is because of these efforts that Fabien Cousteau is visiting the country. He forms part of the third generation of explorers in his family. Cousteau has proposed innovative solutions to achieve a balance between regional environmental problems and market realities. Together with his father, Jean-Michel Cousteau, he works to explore the oceans and raise awareness about the need to conserve the planet. Cousteau has also launched the Nature Entertainment program to share conservation efforts via the media. This year, he will support sea turtle conservation, motivating various countries to participate in order to release one billion baby turtles into the ocean. El Salvador will be the starting point of this effort, beginning with the inauguration of the hatchery season that is planned for May 7 at San Diego Beach, La Libertad.
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Follow us on Twitter: @GAFrontPage
U.S. Embassy Charge d'Affaires Robert Blau and representatives from USAID participated in a breakfast with business leaders and members of environmental conservation groups, along with two special guests: Biologist Wallace J. Nichols and Oceanographer and Environmental Economist Fabien Cousteau (grandson of Jacques Cousteau, the celebrated French sailor and researcher).
"The U.S. Government is pleased to support the efforts to protect and restore these important natural and economic resources," Blau said. "With the financial support of USAID, studies have been carried out which reveal that this country is the most important country in all of Latin America for the survival of the Hawksbill turtle."
The goal is to establish public-private partnerships to finance both the management of marine resources and the conservation of the turtle species, by raising $1.2 million over the next five years. These funds will aid in the collection, incubation, and release of at least 80 percent of the sea turtle eggs laid on the beaches in El Salvador.
Even just two years ago, human beings had consumed more than 95 percent of the turtle eggs in El Salvador. In February 2009, the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources established a complete and permanent ban on the sale and consumption of sea turtles and sea turtle products. As a result, diverse sectors of society are working together more effectively to increase the number of hatcheries in the country. These USAID-supported actions have resulted in the incubation of more than one million turtle eggs. Nevertheless, the challenges continue. Experts estimate that the species remains on the brink of extinction.
Within the sea turtle conservation component of the USAID Improved Management and Conservation of Critical Watersheds Project, USAID has supported the setup and operation of more than 30 hatcheries on beaches which are crucial for sea turtle reproduction. The program's achievements include: the protection of over 120 kilometers of coastline, the release of 900,000 newborn turtles, the development of ecotourism, and the awarding of a $400,000 direct economic incentive to tortugueros (poachers) who now work as beach keepers and are paid for egg collection and beach protection services. Additionally, the project has contributed to diminishing the demand for turtle eggs though a mass media campaign and has promoted a national strategy for the conservation of El Salvador's sea turtles.
It is because of these efforts that Fabien Cousteau is visiting the country. He forms part of the third generation of explorers in his family. Cousteau has proposed innovative solutions to achieve a balance between regional environmental problems and market realities. Together with his father, Jean-Michel Cousteau, he works to explore the oceans and raise awareness about the need to conserve the planet. Cousteau has also launched the Nature Entertainment program to share conservation efforts via the media. This year, he will support sea turtle conservation, motivating various countries to participate in order to release one billion baby turtles into the ocean. El Salvador will be the starting point of this effort, beginning with the inauguration of the hatchery season that is planned for May 7 at San Diego Beach, La Libertad.
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Follow us on Twitter: @GAFrontPage
Friday, March 12, 2010
Not too Late to Register for Youth Birding Competition!
The registration cutoff for the 2010 Youth Birding Competition is near! Teams have only until March 31 to sign up for the statewide conservation event, set for April 23-24.
Competition coordinator Tim Keyes urged would-be participants to turn their interest into action.
“It’s not too late but the deadline is rapidly approaching,” said Keyes, a wildlife biologist with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Nongame Conservation Section.
The Youth Birding Competition is free, and open to teams from kindergarteners to high school seniors. Everyone from experienced birders to first-timers is welcomed.
This fifth annual bird-a-thon starts at 5 p.m. Friday, April 23, and ends at 5 p.m. Saturday, April 24. Teams, competing against others their age, can use as much or as little of that time to count as many birds as possible throughout Georgia. But all must arrive at Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center near Mansfield by 5 p.m. Saturday. A banquet and awards ceremony packed with prizes is held that evening at the wildlife center.
The competition is sponsored by DNR’s Wildlife Resources Division and The Environmental Resources Network Inc., or T.E.R.N., the friends group of the Nongame Conservation Section.
Goals include focusing children on birds and cultivating a deep interest in wildlife and conservation.
About 140 birders ages 4-18 took part last year. The event has grown each year. As part of the competition, teams can raise money to support organizations. There is also a bird journal option and a T-shirt Art Contest (the submission deadline for the art contest has passed).
For registration details, check out the event links at www.georgiawildlife.com or contact Lacy Mitchell at the Charlie Elliott Conference Center, (770) 784-3152 or lacy.mitchell@dnr.state.ga.us. Tim Keyes, at (912) 262-3191 or tim.keyes@dnr.state.ga.us, can answer questions about the competition.
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Follow us on Twitter: @GAFrontPage
Competition coordinator Tim Keyes urged would-be participants to turn their interest into action.
“It’s not too late but the deadline is rapidly approaching,” said Keyes, a wildlife biologist with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Nongame Conservation Section.
The Youth Birding Competition is free, and open to teams from kindergarteners to high school seniors. Everyone from experienced birders to first-timers is welcomed.
This fifth annual bird-a-thon starts at 5 p.m. Friday, April 23, and ends at 5 p.m. Saturday, April 24. Teams, competing against others their age, can use as much or as little of that time to count as many birds as possible throughout Georgia. But all must arrive at Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center near Mansfield by 5 p.m. Saturday. A banquet and awards ceremony packed with prizes is held that evening at the wildlife center.
The competition is sponsored by DNR’s Wildlife Resources Division and The Environmental Resources Network Inc., or T.E.R.N., the friends group of the Nongame Conservation Section.
Goals include focusing children on birds and cultivating a deep interest in wildlife and conservation.
About 140 birders ages 4-18 took part last year. The event has grown each year. As part of the competition, teams can raise money to support organizations. There is also a bird journal option and a T-shirt Art Contest (the submission deadline for the art contest has passed).
For registration details, check out the event links at www.georgiawildlife.com or contact Lacy Mitchell at the Charlie Elliott Conference Center, (770) 784-3152 or lacy.mitchell@dnr.state.ga.us. Tim Keyes, at (912) 262-3191 or tim.keyes@dnr.state.ga.us, can answer questions about the competition.
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Follow us on Twitter: @GAFrontPage
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Anheuser-Busch Answers the Call of the Wild
/PRNewswire/ -- Encountering an alligator or black bear on work property may be unusual, but employees at several Anheuser-Busch locations find such animal encounters completely normal. In fact, many look forward to seeing their wild neighbors when enjoying the wildlife sanctuaries Anheuser-Busch developed to promote conservation to employees and residents in the surrounding communities.
Anheuser-Busch's efforts to conserve the lands around its facilities have once again been recognized by the Wildlife Habitat Council's (WHC) Wildlife at Work(SM) certification program. In total, eight Anheuser-Busch operating facilities received this certification for various projects creating a healthy and biodiverse natural world.
"One of the responsibilities of being a good corporate citizen is protecting the natural habitats of the plant and animal species that call our facility lands home," said Peter Kraemer, vice president Supply for Anheuser-Busch, Inc. "This includes animals such as the peregrine falcon that built a nest on the top of the malt house in Manitowoc and the bullfrogs creating entertaining sounds at the Baldwinsville brewery."
The following Anheuser-Busch operations became WHC-certified Wildlife at Work(SM) programs.
-- Jacksonville Brewery and Nutri-Turf Farm (Jacksonville, Fla.) -
certified since 1997
-- Elk Mountain Farms (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) - certified since 1998
-- Manitowoc Barley Malt Plant (Manitowoc, Wis.) - certified since 1999
-- Ft. Collins Brewery (Fort Collins, Colo.) - certified since 2006
-- Ft. Collins Nutri-Turf Farm (Fort Collins, Colo.) - certified since
2001
-- Cartersville Brewery (Cartersville, Ga.) - certified since 2004
-- Merrimack Brewery (Merrimack, N.H.) - certified since 2007
-- Baldwinsville Brewery (Baldwinsville, N.Y.) - certified since 2008
"The Wildlife Habitat Council believes collaboration among all stakeholder groups is critical to addressing the complex issues facing the sustainability of the planet," said Robert Johnson, WHC President. "WHC members take a leading role in connecting community stakeholders through wildlife habitat enhancement, community outreach and conservation education. Congratulations to Anheuser-Busch for their commitment to a healthy natural world and connected communities."
Three Anheuser-Busch facilities also maintain certified Corporate Lands for Learning(SM) (CLL) programs. CLL facilities serve as educational resources for local educators and wildlife researchers. CLL certified Anheuser-Busch facilities include:
-- Cartersville Brewery - certified since 2006
-- Fort Collins Brewery and Nutri-Turf Farm - certified since 2007
-- Jacksonville Brewery and Nutri-Turf Farm - certified since 2008
Since 1990, WHC has certified 560 programs worldwide, of which 113 have been designated CLL programs. The certification program recognizes outstanding wildlife habitat management and environmental education efforts at corporate sites, and offers third-party validation of the benefits of such programs. Certification requirements are strict and require programs apply for periodic renewal.
The Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC) is a nonprofit, non-lobbying organization dedicated to increasing the quality and amount of wildlife habitat on corporate, private and public lands. WHC devotes its resources to building partnerships with corporations and conservation groups to create solutions that balance the demands of economic growth with the requirements of a healthy, biodiverse and sustainable environment. WHC-assisted wildlife habitat and conservation education programs are found in 48 states, the District of Columbia and nine other countries. To learn more, visit www.wildlifehc.org.
Based in St. Louis, Anheuser-Busch is the leading American brewer, holding a 49.2 percent share of U.S. beer sales. The company brews the world's largest-selling beers, Budweiser and Bud Light. Anheuser-Busch ranked No. 1 among beverage companies in FORTUNE Magazine's Most Admired Global Companies list in 2009. The company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch InBev, the leading global brewer, and continues to operate under the Anheuser-Busch name and logo. Anheuser-Busch is a major manufacturer of aluminum cans and one of the world's largest recyclers of aluminum cans. For more information, visit www.OurPledge.com.
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Follow us on Twitter: @GAFrontPage
Anheuser-Busch's efforts to conserve the lands around its facilities have once again been recognized by the Wildlife Habitat Council's (WHC) Wildlife at Work(SM) certification program. In total, eight Anheuser-Busch operating facilities received this certification for various projects creating a healthy and biodiverse natural world.
"One of the responsibilities of being a good corporate citizen is protecting the natural habitats of the plant and animal species that call our facility lands home," said Peter Kraemer, vice president Supply for Anheuser-Busch, Inc. "This includes animals such as the peregrine falcon that built a nest on the top of the malt house in Manitowoc and the bullfrogs creating entertaining sounds at the Baldwinsville brewery."
The following Anheuser-Busch operations became WHC-certified Wildlife at Work(SM) programs.
-- Jacksonville Brewery and Nutri-Turf Farm (Jacksonville, Fla.) -
certified since 1997
-- Elk Mountain Farms (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) - certified since 1998
-- Manitowoc Barley Malt Plant (Manitowoc, Wis.) - certified since 1999
-- Ft. Collins Brewery (Fort Collins, Colo.) - certified since 2006
-- Ft. Collins Nutri-Turf Farm (Fort Collins, Colo.) - certified since
2001
-- Cartersville Brewery (Cartersville, Ga.) - certified since 2004
-- Merrimack Brewery (Merrimack, N.H.) - certified since 2007
-- Baldwinsville Brewery (Baldwinsville, N.Y.) - certified since 2008
"The Wildlife Habitat Council believes collaboration among all stakeholder groups is critical to addressing the complex issues facing the sustainability of the planet," said Robert Johnson, WHC President. "WHC members take a leading role in connecting community stakeholders through wildlife habitat enhancement, community outreach and conservation education. Congratulations to Anheuser-Busch for their commitment to a healthy natural world and connected communities."
Three Anheuser-Busch facilities also maintain certified Corporate Lands for Learning(SM) (CLL) programs. CLL facilities serve as educational resources for local educators and wildlife researchers. CLL certified Anheuser-Busch facilities include:
-- Cartersville Brewery - certified since 2006
-- Fort Collins Brewery and Nutri-Turf Farm - certified since 2007
-- Jacksonville Brewery and Nutri-Turf Farm - certified since 2008
Since 1990, WHC has certified 560 programs worldwide, of which 113 have been designated CLL programs. The certification program recognizes outstanding wildlife habitat management and environmental education efforts at corporate sites, and offers third-party validation of the benefits of such programs. Certification requirements are strict and require programs apply for periodic renewal.
The Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC) is a nonprofit, non-lobbying organization dedicated to increasing the quality and amount of wildlife habitat on corporate, private and public lands. WHC devotes its resources to building partnerships with corporations and conservation groups to create solutions that balance the demands of economic growth with the requirements of a healthy, biodiverse and sustainable environment. WHC-assisted wildlife habitat and conservation education programs are found in 48 states, the District of Columbia and nine other countries. To learn more, visit www.wildlifehc.org.
Based in St. Louis, Anheuser-Busch is the leading American brewer, holding a 49.2 percent share of U.S. beer sales. The company brews the world's largest-selling beers, Budweiser and Bud Light. Anheuser-Busch ranked No. 1 among beverage companies in FORTUNE Magazine's Most Admired Global Companies list in 2009. The company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch InBev, the leading global brewer, and continues to operate under the Anheuser-Busch name and logo. Anheuser-Busch is a major manufacturer of aluminum cans and one of the world's largest recyclers of aluminum cans. For more information, visit www.OurPledge.com.
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Follow us on Twitter: @GAFrontPage
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Fishing by the Rules: Sport Fishermen Embrace Sustainable Techniques
/PRNewswire/ -- Unlike commercial fishing, the major player in depleted fish populations, sport fishing makes up less than 12 percent of the global harvest. And though they are equipped with the latest tools and technology to increase their haul, today's sport fisherman embodies a surprising combination of conservation and conquest.
With one eye on environmental responsibility and the other on sportsmanship, most sport fishers have adopted a plethora of sustainable fishing techniques. From reduced-impact gear like lead-free lures to biodegradable bait and hooks, recreational fishermen now have ample opportunities to land their next big catch while preserving big game fish populations for future anglers.
An ardent proponent of aquatic habitat conservation, the International Game Fish Association supports fishermen with guidelines that promote ethical sport fishing practices, including instructions for the best catch-and-release tactics.
"Releasing fish is important, but more important is the way fish are caught and released. Using circle hooks with bait and fish-friendly handling practices that minimize slime loss and damage to the fish help ensure that released fish have the chance to reproduce, and perhaps be caught again," says Jason Schratwieser, Conservation Director for IFGA.
"In my experience, 90 percent of sport fishermen follow the rules," says Captain Lee A. Campbell of the Panama Big Game Fishing Club in Boca Chica, Panama, where sport fishing is a huge draw for serious marine fishermen. In order for the region to maintain its status as a sport fishing hotspot, Panama players like Campbell stress the importance of sustainability.
"Panama is lucky to have a great population of fish, and we want it to stay that way," says Campbell. "If sustainable practices are followed and commercial fishing is banned, Panama could remain one of the best sport fishing destinations in the world. It's too late for many fishing destinations which have already depleted their fish, but for Panama there's still time."
Amble Resorts, an environmentally responsible real estate development company, supports sustainable sport fishing for their new Panama eco resort, The Resort at Isla Palenque. Amble President Ben Loomis notes, "Done correctly, sport fishing is very sustainable. Certainly catch-and-release fishing has a limited impact. But even if we're catching several tuna or Wahoo and taking them back home to share, our impact is nothing compared to commercial fishermen."
Loomis concludes, "Isla Palenque is a great jumping-off point for sport fishing throughout Panama's Gulf of Chiriqui, and we want to protect that. We're less than two hours from famous sites like Hannibal Bank, and we've got a number of other great locations within 45 minutes, like Ladrones or Islas Secas. With sustainable practices, this will remain a fishing paradise for a long time."
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
With one eye on environmental responsibility and the other on sportsmanship, most sport fishers have adopted a plethora of sustainable fishing techniques. From reduced-impact gear like lead-free lures to biodegradable bait and hooks, recreational fishermen now have ample opportunities to land their next big catch while preserving big game fish populations for future anglers.
An ardent proponent of aquatic habitat conservation, the International Game Fish Association supports fishermen with guidelines that promote ethical sport fishing practices, including instructions for the best catch-and-release tactics.
"Releasing fish is important, but more important is the way fish are caught and released. Using circle hooks with bait and fish-friendly handling practices that minimize slime loss and damage to the fish help ensure that released fish have the chance to reproduce, and perhaps be caught again," says Jason Schratwieser, Conservation Director for IFGA.
"In my experience, 90 percent of sport fishermen follow the rules," says Captain Lee A. Campbell of the Panama Big Game Fishing Club in Boca Chica, Panama, where sport fishing is a huge draw for serious marine fishermen. In order for the region to maintain its status as a sport fishing hotspot, Panama players like Campbell stress the importance of sustainability.
"Panama is lucky to have a great population of fish, and we want it to stay that way," says Campbell. "If sustainable practices are followed and commercial fishing is banned, Panama could remain one of the best sport fishing destinations in the world. It's too late for many fishing destinations which have already depleted their fish, but for Panama there's still time."
Amble Resorts, an environmentally responsible real estate development company, supports sustainable sport fishing for their new Panama eco resort, The Resort at Isla Palenque. Amble President Ben Loomis notes, "Done correctly, sport fishing is very sustainable. Certainly catch-and-release fishing has a limited impact. But even if we're catching several tuna or Wahoo and taking them back home to share, our impact is nothing compared to commercial fishermen."
Loomis concludes, "Isla Palenque is a great jumping-off point for sport fishing throughout Panama's Gulf of Chiriqui, and we want to protect that. We're less than two hours from famous sites like Hannibal Bank, and we've got a number of other great locations within 45 minutes, like Ladrones or Islas Secas. With sustainable practices, this will remain a fishing paradise for a long time."
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Monday, November 30, 2009
Southern Company Sponsors Operation Migration USA to Help Protect Endangered Whooping Crane
/PRNewswire/ -- For the second consecutive year, Southern Company is sponsoring Operation Migration USA, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the conservation of migratory species, including the most famous endangered bird in North America - the Whooping crane.
The support will help Operation Migration USA to increase the number of Whooping cranes it raises and leads south by ultralight aircraft from the Necedah National Wildlife Refuge in Wisconsin to the Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge in Florida. This year's class of 23 birds marks the largest ever cohort of young Whooping cranes on their first migration. Operation Migration hopes to increase the number of new Whooping cranes released annually to 24, with the goal of helping the flock reach a self-sustaining population level in four to five years.
"Flying with birds isn't a job," said Joe Duff, Operation Migration's CEO, Whooping crane project leader and senior pilot. "It's a passion. What we are doing can save a species from extinction. Our entire team of staff, volunteers and sponsors such as Southern Company are dedicated to preserving this magnificent icon of endangered species for future generations of North Americans."
A three-year grant to Operation Migration USA was made beginning in 2008 through the Power of Flight, a partnership between Southern Company and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to protect birds through habitat and species restoration and environmental education.
"Southern Company is proud to be a part of the ongoing effort to save the Whooping crane and support the conservation of migratory species through innovative research, education and partnership," said Chris Hobson, chief environmental officer for Southern Company. "Our continued support of Operation Migration is a great example of how we address environmental challenges - by partnering with a variety of stakeholders to achieve real, measurable and long-term results."
"Operation Migration is a prime example of the clear results garnered by Power of Flight, a partnership fueled by Southern Company's leadership and commitment to conservation," said Jeff Trandahl, executive director of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. "At the time of the program's launch, nobody knew the critical gains we'd be achieving today. Not only is our Southern Company partnership supporting significant benefits for the Southeast's imperiled species and habitats, but the program serves to inspire others as a model for future conservation ventures."
The cranes for this project are hatched at the U.S. Geological Survey Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in Maryland. They are taught to follow a specially designed ultralight aircraft before being shipped to Wisconsin at 50 days of age. Eventually, they follow a team of four ultralight aircraft on their first migration from Wisconsin to Florida.
Once the birds learn the migratory route, they can return, on their own, the following spring. Each year a new generation is taught this route and released. Once this flock reaches 125 birds, including 25 breeding pairs, it can be considered self-sustaining.
This year, Operation Migration's ultralights will travel 1,285 miles through seven states, including three - Alabama, Florida and Georgia - that are served by Southern Company. The cranes began their flight in October; their arrival date depends on the weather but the trip is expected to take at least 50 days. Progress reports on the flight are updated regularly and posted on Operation Migration USA's Web site at http://www.operationmigration.org/Field_Journal.html.
Southern Company is also the presenting sponsor of the daily Operation Migration EarlyBird E-bulletin, which provides updates on flight progress.
Since 2001, Operation Migration has played a leading role in the reintroduction of endangered Whooping cranes into eastern North America. During the 1940s only 15 birds survived in the world, although the species was not declared endangered until 1971. The primary reason for the birds' disappearance was the destruction of its natural habitat; however, thanks to conservation efforts, more than 500 whooping cranes survive today.
Operation Migration USA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the conservation of migratory species through innovative research, education and partnerships. Operation Migration is a founding partner of the Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership (WCEP), the coalition of non-profit organizations and government agencies behind the project to safeguard the endangered Whooping crane from extinction. For more information, visit http://www.operationmigration.org/.
A nonprofit established by Congress in 1984, The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) sustains, restores and enhances the nation's fish, wildlife, plants and habitats. Through leadership conservation investments with public and private partners, NFWF is dedicated to achieving maximum conservation impact by developing and applying best practices and innovative methods for measurable outcomes. Since its establishment, NFWF has awarded over 10,000 grants to more than 3,500 organizations in the United States and abroad and leveraged - with its partners - more than $600 million into over $1.5 billion for conservation.
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
The support will help Operation Migration USA to increase the number of Whooping cranes it raises and leads south by ultralight aircraft from the Necedah National Wildlife Refuge in Wisconsin to the Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge in Florida. This year's class of 23 birds marks the largest ever cohort of young Whooping cranes on their first migration. Operation Migration hopes to increase the number of new Whooping cranes released annually to 24, with the goal of helping the flock reach a self-sustaining population level in four to five years.
"Flying with birds isn't a job," said Joe Duff, Operation Migration's CEO, Whooping crane project leader and senior pilot. "It's a passion. What we are doing can save a species from extinction. Our entire team of staff, volunteers and sponsors such as Southern Company are dedicated to preserving this magnificent icon of endangered species for future generations of North Americans."
A three-year grant to Operation Migration USA was made beginning in 2008 through the Power of Flight, a partnership between Southern Company and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to protect birds through habitat and species restoration and environmental education.
"Southern Company is proud to be a part of the ongoing effort to save the Whooping crane and support the conservation of migratory species through innovative research, education and partnership," said Chris Hobson, chief environmental officer for Southern Company. "Our continued support of Operation Migration is a great example of how we address environmental challenges - by partnering with a variety of stakeholders to achieve real, measurable and long-term results."
"Operation Migration is a prime example of the clear results garnered by Power of Flight, a partnership fueled by Southern Company's leadership and commitment to conservation," said Jeff Trandahl, executive director of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. "At the time of the program's launch, nobody knew the critical gains we'd be achieving today. Not only is our Southern Company partnership supporting significant benefits for the Southeast's imperiled species and habitats, but the program serves to inspire others as a model for future conservation ventures."
The cranes for this project are hatched at the U.S. Geological Survey Patuxent Wildlife Research Center in Maryland. They are taught to follow a specially designed ultralight aircraft before being shipped to Wisconsin at 50 days of age. Eventually, they follow a team of four ultralight aircraft on their first migration from Wisconsin to Florida.
Once the birds learn the migratory route, they can return, on their own, the following spring. Each year a new generation is taught this route and released. Once this flock reaches 125 birds, including 25 breeding pairs, it can be considered self-sustaining.
This year, Operation Migration's ultralights will travel 1,285 miles through seven states, including three - Alabama, Florida and Georgia - that are served by Southern Company. The cranes began their flight in October; their arrival date depends on the weather but the trip is expected to take at least 50 days. Progress reports on the flight are updated regularly and posted on Operation Migration USA's Web site at http://www.operationmigration.org/Field_Journal.html.
Southern Company is also the presenting sponsor of the daily Operation Migration EarlyBird E-bulletin, which provides updates on flight progress.
Since 2001, Operation Migration has played a leading role in the reintroduction of endangered Whooping cranes into eastern North America. During the 1940s only 15 birds survived in the world, although the species was not declared endangered until 1971. The primary reason for the birds' disappearance was the destruction of its natural habitat; however, thanks to conservation efforts, more than 500 whooping cranes survive today.
Operation Migration USA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the conservation of migratory species through innovative research, education and partnerships. Operation Migration is a founding partner of the Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership (WCEP), the coalition of non-profit organizations and government agencies behind the project to safeguard the endangered Whooping crane from extinction. For more information, visit http://www.operationmigration.org/.
A nonprofit established by Congress in 1984, The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) sustains, restores and enhances the nation's fish, wildlife, plants and habitats. Through leadership conservation investments with public and private partners, NFWF is dedicated to achieving maximum conservation impact by developing and applying best practices and innovative methods for measurable outcomes. Since its establishment, NFWF has awarded over 10,000 grants to more than 3,500 organizations in the United States and abroad and leveraged - with its partners - more than $600 million into over $1.5 billion for conservation.
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Friday, September 18, 2009
Groups Request Expansion of Critical Habitat for the Endangered North Atlantic Right Whale
Earlier this week, conservation and animal welfare groups filed a formal request to expand protected habitat for the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale. The petition, filed with the National Marine Fisheries Service, demonstrates scientific support for expanding existing critical habitat in areas that are essential to feeding, mating, calving, nursing and migration for the fewer than 400 North Atlantic right whales remaining in existence.
NMFS has publicly stated that the death of a single right whale may contribute to the species' extinction. Researchers predict right whales are certain to go extinct if the current rate of mortality and serious injury continues. However, saving just two female right whales a year could put the species on a positive path for recovery.
"Every single right whale counts when it comes to ensuring this species' survival," said Sharon Young, marine issues field director for The Humane Society of the United States. "Protecting the right whale's vital feeding, nursery and migratory habitat is the most basic, common-sense step toward moving this species out of the emergency room and onto the path to recovery."
The groups charge that current critical habitat boundaries are inadequate to provide for the survival and recovery of one of the most endangered animals on the planet. Once an area is designated as critical habitat, federal agencies must ensure that their actions will not adversely modify or destroy such habitat.
"Saying you're protecting right whales without sufficiently protecting their habitat is akin to saying you are going to protect sunfish while you drain the pond," said Regina Asmutis-Silvia, senior biologist with the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society. "Without protecting the places where right whales live, we cannot, in reality, save the species."
"Expanding critical habitat for right whales will ensure that we make intelligent, well-informed decisions about how we use and share our country's marine resources," said Sierra Weaver, attorney with Defenders of Wildlife. "This isn't about walling off the ocean, but rather about looking closely at the impacts of our actions on one of our most iconic wildlife species."
The groups request that three areas used by North Atlantic right whales for essential life functions be added as critical habitat. The petition seeks to expand critical habitat in the whales' only known calving grounds off the coast of northern Florida, Georgia and South Carolina, and in the whales' feeding and nursery grounds throughout the Gulf of Maine. The petition also calls for adding the migration route between the calving and wintering grounds as critical habitat.
"The current critical habitat designated for right whales only protects bits and pieces of the most essential feeding and nursery habitat for the species, and doesn't protect migratory habitat at all," said Andrea Treece, senior attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity. "If we're going to save the right whale, we have to provide a way for right whale mothers to safely shepherd their young between feeding and nursery grounds."
Despite being listed as endangered since the early 1970s, right whales continue to face serious threats throughout their range. Fishing gear entanglement and vessel strikes are the two most significant threats, killing or injuring at least 18 whales since 2004. Other threats include noise from vessel traffic, marine construction and sonar; offshore energy development; global warming; ocean acidification; and pollution.
"In an increasingly busy ocean, the survival and recovery of the North Atlantic right whale depends on the protection of its essential habitat areas," said Vicki Cornish, director of Marine Wildlife Policy with Ocean Conservancy. "Our demand for ocean resources is increasing, and we must consider the impact we have on the animals that call the ocean home. Protecting the most vital places for the survival of the North Atlantic right whale will help protect the species for generations to come."
The Endangered Species Act requires NMFS to respond to the groups' request within 90 days.
Facts:
The petition for expanded right whale critical habitat was filed on behalf of The Humane Society of the United States, Defenders of Wildlife, Center for Biological Diversity, Ocean Conservancy and the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society.
The North Atlantic right whale is a critically endangered marine animal once hunted to near extinction by whalers. The population has struggled to recover, and now fewer than 400 North Atlantic right whales remain.
Adult female right whales reproduce slowly — they give birth to one calf every three to four years and do not reach reproductive maturity until age 8.
Maps of the proposed critical habitat areas are available from the media contacts.
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
www.artsacrossgeorgia.com
Arts Across Georgia
NMFS has publicly stated that the death of a single right whale may contribute to the species' extinction. Researchers predict right whales are certain to go extinct if the current rate of mortality and serious injury continues. However, saving just two female right whales a year could put the species on a positive path for recovery.
"Every single right whale counts when it comes to ensuring this species' survival," said Sharon Young, marine issues field director for The Humane Society of the United States. "Protecting the right whale's vital feeding, nursery and migratory habitat is the most basic, common-sense step toward moving this species out of the emergency room and onto the path to recovery."
The groups charge that current critical habitat boundaries are inadequate to provide for the survival and recovery of one of the most endangered animals on the planet. Once an area is designated as critical habitat, federal agencies must ensure that their actions will not adversely modify or destroy such habitat.
"Saying you're protecting right whales without sufficiently protecting their habitat is akin to saying you are going to protect sunfish while you drain the pond," said Regina Asmutis-Silvia, senior biologist with the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society. "Without protecting the places where right whales live, we cannot, in reality, save the species."
"Expanding critical habitat for right whales will ensure that we make intelligent, well-informed decisions about how we use and share our country's marine resources," said Sierra Weaver, attorney with Defenders of Wildlife. "This isn't about walling off the ocean, but rather about looking closely at the impacts of our actions on one of our most iconic wildlife species."
The groups request that three areas used by North Atlantic right whales for essential life functions be added as critical habitat. The petition seeks to expand critical habitat in the whales' only known calving grounds off the coast of northern Florida, Georgia and South Carolina, and in the whales' feeding and nursery grounds throughout the Gulf of Maine. The petition also calls for adding the migration route between the calving and wintering grounds as critical habitat.
"The current critical habitat designated for right whales only protects bits and pieces of the most essential feeding and nursery habitat for the species, and doesn't protect migratory habitat at all," said Andrea Treece, senior attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity. "If we're going to save the right whale, we have to provide a way for right whale mothers to safely shepherd their young between feeding and nursery grounds."
Despite being listed as endangered since the early 1970s, right whales continue to face serious threats throughout their range. Fishing gear entanglement and vessel strikes are the two most significant threats, killing or injuring at least 18 whales since 2004. Other threats include noise from vessel traffic, marine construction and sonar; offshore energy development; global warming; ocean acidification; and pollution.
"In an increasingly busy ocean, the survival and recovery of the North Atlantic right whale depends on the protection of its essential habitat areas," said Vicki Cornish, director of Marine Wildlife Policy with Ocean Conservancy. "Our demand for ocean resources is increasing, and we must consider the impact we have on the animals that call the ocean home. Protecting the most vital places for the survival of the North Atlantic right whale will help protect the species for generations to come."
The Endangered Species Act requires NMFS to respond to the groups' request within 90 days.
Facts:
The petition for expanded right whale critical habitat was filed on behalf of The Humane Society of the United States, Defenders of Wildlife, Center for Biological Diversity, Ocean Conservancy and the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society.
The North Atlantic right whale is a critically endangered marine animal once hunted to near extinction by whalers. The population has struggled to recover, and now fewer than 400 North Atlantic right whales remain.
Adult female right whales reproduce slowly — they give birth to one calf every three to four years and do not reach reproductive maturity until age 8.
Maps of the proposed critical habitat areas are available from the media contacts.
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
www.artsacrossgeorgia.com
Arts Across Georgia
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Cerulean Warbler Success: Long-Term Conservation at Work
When surveys this spring confirmed Cerulean warblers singing in north Georgia forest openings created to attract them, the news was music to Nathan Klaus’ ears. It was also confirmation for Klaus and others that some conservation efforts take years to see results.
Klaus, a senior wildlife biologist with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, and U.S. Forest Service biologist Jim Wentworth had patches of trees cut on 20 sites in two Chattahoochee National Forest areas in the winter of 2004-2005. Some Cerulean warblers were documented at a few sites soon after. But it wasn’t until this spring – four years later – that the birds were reported using seven of 10 cuts along Ivy Log Gap near Blairsville, one of the two areas targeted. No Cerulean warblers had been heard or seen at the sites before.
“This is the first real glimmer of hope we have to turn around that species,” Klaus said.
The glimmer of hope for the continent’s fastest declining warbler comes from far-searching research. To accommodate breeding requirements for these small, sky-blue birds state-listed as rare in Georgia, Klaus and Wentworth, working with the Audubon Society’s Important Bird Areas program, wanted to create a diverse hardwood canopy. Their aim: Mimic the forest canopy conditions -- including small gaps -- found in mature forests and needed by the warblers, instead of the more prevalent younger tree stands that lack a diverse canopy.
But the biologists suspected the new growth needed years, maybe even decades before it would become good habitat. Klaus, Wentworth and others, including volunteers, surveyed the sites for three years before – to make sure none had Cerulean warblers – and made plans to monitor them for at least five years after the cuts.
The long-range look is critical to many conservation projects. Examples vary from surveying sea turtle nests, done daily along Georgia’s coast since 1989, to restoring canebrakes in the Piedmont region. Years of data yield more effective recovery plans and clearer measures of management impacts.
But such science poses challenges. Land ownership can change. Careers, too. Researchers must plan and set sample sizes according to what they expect. They and their organizations also must be committed to this longer vision, said Klaus, who works with the Nongame Conservation Section of the DNR’s Wildlife Resources Division.
The payback can be sizable, however. “There’s an opportunity to learn how the landscape works,” he said. “Not all solutions are quick or easy, and understanding the issue may take time and patience.”
The work along Ivy Log Gap will likely spur further research into forest cuts to support Cerulean warblers, found in only two populations in Georgia. Meanwhile, the lack of Ceruleans so far at the other test area, Duncan Ridge on Coopers Creek Wildlife Management Area, may reveal the inability to draw these birds to forests where they have never been found. Ivy Log Gap has long been a haven for the species, although not at the test sites.
Klaus is confident that Cerulean warblers will continue to use the Ivy Log Gap sites. But he may check the Duncan Ridge areas for another five years, or longer.
And after that? “I’ll probably check in on this site occasionally for the rest of my career,” he said. “Forests change very slowly over time. Twenty or 30 years is a relatively short time in the life of an oak forest.”
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Klaus, a senior wildlife biologist with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, and U.S. Forest Service biologist Jim Wentworth had patches of trees cut on 20 sites in two Chattahoochee National Forest areas in the winter of 2004-2005. Some Cerulean warblers were documented at a few sites soon after. But it wasn’t until this spring – four years later – that the birds were reported using seven of 10 cuts along Ivy Log Gap near Blairsville, one of the two areas targeted. No Cerulean warblers had been heard or seen at the sites before.
“This is the first real glimmer of hope we have to turn around that species,” Klaus said.
The glimmer of hope for the continent’s fastest declining warbler comes from far-searching research. To accommodate breeding requirements for these small, sky-blue birds state-listed as rare in Georgia, Klaus and Wentworth, working with the Audubon Society’s Important Bird Areas program, wanted to create a diverse hardwood canopy. Their aim: Mimic the forest canopy conditions -- including small gaps -- found in mature forests and needed by the warblers, instead of the more prevalent younger tree stands that lack a diverse canopy.
But the biologists suspected the new growth needed years, maybe even decades before it would become good habitat. Klaus, Wentworth and others, including volunteers, surveyed the sites for three years before – to make sure none had Cerulean warblers – and made plans to monitor them for at least five years after the cuts.
The long-range look is critical to many conservation projects. Examples vary from surveying sea turtle nests, done daily along Georgia’s coast since 1989, to restoring canebrakes in the Piedmont region. Years of data yield more effective recovery plans and clearer measures of management impacts.
But such science poses challenges. Land ownership can change. Careers, too. Researchers must plan and set sample sizes according to what they expect. They and their organizations also must be committed to this longer vision, said Klaus, who works with the Nongame Conservation Section of the DNR’s Wildlife Resources Division.
The payback can be sizable, however. “There’s an opportunity to learn how the landscape works,” he said. “Not all solutions are quick or easy, and understanding the issue may take time and patience.”
The work along Ivy Log Gap will likely spur further research into forest cuts to support Cerulean warblers, found in only two populations in Georgia. Meanwhile, the lack of Ceruleans so far at the other test area, Duncan Ridge on Coopers Creek Wildlife Management Area, may reveal the inability to draw these birds to forests where they have never been found. Ivy Log Gap has long been a haven for the species, although not at the test sites.
Klaus is confident that Cerulean warblers will continue to use the Ivy Log Gap sites. But he may check the Duncan Ridge areas for another five years, or longer.
And after that? “I’ll probably check in on this site occasionally for the rest of my career,” he said. “Forests change very slowly over time. Twenty or 30 years is a relatively short time in the life of an oak forest.”
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Pew Will Push Shark Conservation at World Fisheries Meeting; New Report Indicates Half of Oceanic Shark and Ray Species Are Threatened With Extinction
/PRNewswire/ -- The Pew Environment Group today called for stronger shark conservation measures worldwide as a new report by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classifies 35 out of 64 known pelagic shark and related ray species around the world as threatened or near threatened with extinction.
The IUCN report was released just days before a joint meeting of the world's fishery managers in San Sebastian, Spain. The regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs), which mostly focus on managing tuna fisheries, agreed at their first joint meeting two years ago that the problem of declining shark populations urgently needed to be addressed. To date, however, none have set limits on the number of sharks that can be caught in their jurisdictions.
"Up to 70 million sharks are killed around the world every year for the shark fin market, virtually all of which are caught in areas where there is no management regime in place to ensure their sustainability," said Joshua Reichert, managing director of the Pew Environment Group. "This is a staggering number. Unless this situation is soon reversed, large numbers of shark species will disappear altogether."
The shark fin trade is a driving force in the overfishing of sharks. Shark fins are highly valued for use in the Asian delicacy shark fin soup. Often, shark meat is worth much less and takes up more cargo space. As a result, the practice of shark finning has evolved: the shark is brought on board a fishing vessel, the fins are sliced off, and the body is dumped back into the ocean.
According to the IUCN report, overfishing is the primary reason why a number of sharks in U.S. waters are threatened, including two species of thresher sharks, basking sharks, great whites, shortfin and longfin makos, porbeagles, oceanic whitetip sharks, dusky sharks, sandbar sharks, and three species of hammerheads.
At the San Sebastian meeting of the world's fisheries managers, Pew is joining other conservation groups in calling for precautionary, science-based management plans for sharks, starting with the immediate adoption of binding measures to:
-- Prohibit retention of particularly vulnerable and/or depleted shark
species taken in tuna fisheries, including hammerheads, threshers,
porbeagles and oceanic whitetips;
-- Establish catch limits that significantly reduce fishing pressure on
globally vulnerable shortfin mako sharks;
-- Cap catches of near-threatened blue and silky sharks until safe catch
levels are determined;
-- Close off areas of high shark concentration to commercial fishing; and
-- Prohibit removal of shark fins at sea.
To improve enforcement of the U.S. finning ban and enhance understanding of dwindling shark populations, the Pew Environment Group supports the Shark Conservation Act of 2009 (S. 850/H.R. 81), introduced by Senator John Kerry (D-MA). The legislation, which passed the House unanimously in March, would require that all sharks be landed with their fins naturally attached, eliminate loopholes and strengthen enforcement in the current U.S. shark-finning law and promote the conservation of sharks internationally.
The Pew Environment Group is the conservation arm of The Pew Charitable Trusts, a non-governmental organization that applies a rigorous, analytical approach to improving public policy, informing the public and stimulating civic life.
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
The IUCN report was released just days before a joint meeting of the world's fishery managers in San Sebastian, Spain. The regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs), which mostly focus on managing tuna fisheries, agreed at their first joint meeting two years ago that the problem of declining shark populations urgently needed to be addressed. To date, however, none have set limits on the number of sharks that can be caught in their jurisdictions.
"Up to 70 million sharks are killed around the world every year for the shark fin market, virtually all of which are caught in areas where there is no management regime in place to ensure their sustainability," said Joshua Reichert, managing director of the Pew Environment Group. "This is a staggering number. Unless this situation is soon reversed, large numbers of shark species will disappear altogether."
The shark fin trade is a driving force in the overfishing of sharks. Shark fins are highly valued for use in the Asian delicacy shark fin soup. Often, shark meat is worth much less and takes up more cargo space. As a result, the practice of shark finning has evolved: the shark is brought on board a fishing vessel, the fins are sliced off, and the body is dumped back into the ocean.
According to the IUCN report, overfishing is the primary reason why a number of sharks in U.S. waters are threatened, including two species of thresher sharks, basking sharks, great whites, shortfin and longfin makos, porbeagles, oceanic whitetip sharks, dusky sharks, sandbar sharks, and three species of hammerheads.
At the San Sebastian meeting of the world's fisheries managers, Pew is joining other conservation groups in calling for precautionary, science-based management plans for sharks, starting with the immediate adoption of binding measures to:
-- Prohibit retention of particularly vulnerable and/or depleted shark
species taken in tuna fisheries, including hammerheads, threshers,
porbeagles and oceanic whitetips;
-- Establish catch limits that significantly reduce fishing pressure on
globally vulnerable shortfin mako sharks;
-- Cap catches of near-threatened blue and silky sharks until safe catch
levels are determined;
-- Close off areas of high shark concentration to commercial fishing; and
-- Prohibit removal of shark fins at sea.
To improve enforcement of the U.S. finning ban and enhance understanding of dwindling shark populations, the Pew Environment Group supports the Shark Conservation Act of 2009 (S. 850/H.R. 81), introduced by Senator John Kerry (D-MA). The legislation, which passed the House unanimously in March, would require that all sharks be landed with their fins naturally attached, eliminate loopholes and strengthen enforcement in the current U.S. shark-finning law and promote the conservation of sharks internationally.
The Pew Environment Group is the conservation arm of The Pew Charitable Trusts, a non-governmental organization that applies a rigorous, analytical approach to improving public policy, informing the public and stimulating civic life.
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Barring People, for the Sake of Rare Bats
If you build it, they won’t come. People, that is.
That’s the motive behind an extreme conservation method that will hopefully bring a maternity colony of federally endangered gray bats back to a northwest Georgia cave.
The site outside Ringgold on Chickamauga Creek has been used by Native Americans, early settlers, wildlife and now vandals. The most recent set of visitors has meant trouble for the sensitive bats. The cave, marked with spray paint and littered with beer bottles, has become a popular local hangout for trespassers. Frequent bon fires set at the cave’s mouth have sent smoke into the deeper reaches, disturbing the sensitive bats and possibly causing females to abandon the site.
The cave is Georgia’s only known maternity colony of gray bats (Myotis grisescens).
Enter the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which awarded a “partners” grant that made it possible for the Georgia Wildlife Resources Division to build the gate at the cave entrance, working with the landowner, who requested help. While considered a conservation method of last resort, the gate will bar people from entering the Catoosa County cave and disturbing the bats. The cave is not a site cavers commonly use.
“Generally we prefer to use signs or fence a cave, but this location was just too accessible for these to be of much use,” said project leader Trina Morris, a wildlife biologist with the division’s Nongame Conservation Section.
Before construction began, approximately 10,000 pounds – some 5 tons – of steel was wheeled down a steep four-wheel-drive trail of rocks and ruts to an embankment. It was then hauled by hand and pulley up the hill to the mouth of the cave. The work required extensive coordination and hundreds of volunteer hours of physical labor.
Overlooking the creek, the cave opening yawns 39½ feet wide and reaches as high as 8 feet.
Every gate is different, determined by the unique features of each cave. Kristin Bobo knows. Trained and certified by Bat Conservation International, a Texas-based organization dedicated to conserving bats and their ecosystems, Bobo has traveled around the country building cave gates for nine years. Newcomer Jason Collard helped her on this project.
The steel hauled to the mouth of the cave was quickly and expertly cut and welded into place by the team. After one section was finished, movement caught the eye of one of the workers. A small bat had flown through the bars and into the cave. Although not a gray bat, it was a hopeful sign the cave will once again become home for more of these furry fliers.
Bobo and the team of volunteers, many of them Wildlife Resources Division staff, finished the gate by mid-May. Morris will soon do checks to see if gray bats roosting elsewhere have returned, signaling that what was once a vibrant maternity colony is a possibility again, this time protected by bars of steel.
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
That’s the motive behind an extreme conservation method that will hopefully bring a maternity colony of federally endangered gray bats back to a northwest Georgia cave.
The site outside Ringgold on Chickamauga Creek has been used by Native Americans, early settlers, wildlife and now vandals. The most recent set of visitors has meant trouble for the sensitive bats. The cave, marked with spray paint and littered with beer bottles, has become a popular local hangout for trespassers. Frequent bon fires set at the cave’s mouth have sent smoke into the deeper reaches, disturbing the sensitive bats and possibly causing females to abandon the site.
The cave is Georgia’s only known maternity colony of gray bats (Myotis grisescens).
Enter the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which awarded a “partners” grant that made it possible for the Georgia Wildlife Resources Division to build the gate at the cave entrance, working with the landowner, who requested help. While considered a conservation method of last resort, the gate will bar people from entering the Catoosa County cave and disturbing the bats. The cave is not a site cavers commonly use.
“Generally we prefer to use signs or fence a cave, but this location was just too accessible for these to be of much use,” said project leader Trina Morris, a wildlife biologist with the division’s Nongame Conservation Section.
Before construction began, approximately 10,000 pounds – some 5 tons – of steel was wheeled down a steep four-wheel-drive trail of rocks and ruts to an embankment. It was then hauled by hand and pulley up the hill to the mouth of the cave. The work required extensive coordination and hundreds of volunteer hours of physical labor.
Overlooking the creek, the cave opening yawns 39½ feet wide and reaches as high as 8 feet.
Every gate is different, determined by the unique features of each cave. Kristin Bobo knows. Trained and certified by Bat Conservation International, a Texas-based organization dedicated to conserving bats and their ecosystems, Bobo has traveled around the country building cave gates for nine years. Newcomer Jason Collard helped her on this project.
The steel hauled to the mouth of the cave was quickly and expertly cut and welded into place by the team. After one section was finished, movement caught the eye of one of the workers. A small bat had flown through the bars and into the cave. Although not a gray bat, it was a hopeful sign the cave will once again become home for more of these furry fliers.
Bobo and the team of volunteers, many of them Wildlife Resources Division staff, finished the gate by mid-May. Morris will soon do checks to see if gray bats roosting elsewhere have returned, signaling that what was once a vibrant maternity colony is a possibility again, this time protected by bars of steel.
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
New Legislation Reasserts U.S. Leadership for Whale Protection Worldwide
/PRNewswire / -- The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW; www.ifaw.org) - together with Congressman Eni F.H. Faleomavaega (D-AS) and Congressman William Delahunt (D-MA) - is championing new legislation to mitigate threats to whales and their habitats worldwide. Additional original co-sponsors of the bill include Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo (D-Guam) and Congresswoman Mazie Kirono (D-HI).
The International Whale Conservation and Protection Act of 2009 calls for the U.S. to renew its whale conservation leadership worldwide. The legislation comprehensively addresses major threats to whales including commercial whaling, ship strikes, entanglement in fishing gear, ocean noise, and climate change.
"We must do all we can to protect whales both in our waters and abroad," said Jeff Flocken, IFAW DC Office Director. "As the critical June 2009 meeting of the International Whaling Commission rapidly approaches, it is crucial for our government to take the lead on opposing the resumption of commercial whaling, ending lethal scientific whaling, and supporting global whale conservation."
Elements of the legislation include:
-- Promoting international efforts to conserve and protect the world's
whales throughout their range.
-- Strengthening the whale conservation and protection efforts of
relevant international organizations including the United Nations
Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals,
the International Whaling Commission (IWC), the Convention on
International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), and the
International Maritime Organization.
-- Ensuring that the IWC commercial whaling ban is neither lifted nor
weakened and that the related illegal and lethal scientific whaling is
ended.
-- Reducing and, where possible, eliminating sources of human caused
death, injury, harassment and disturbance of the world's whales.
-- Initiating and expanding research to improve our understanding of the
world's whales including health and reproduction, whale habitats and
the impacts of human activities and other threats to whales.
"The significance of this policy is that it is a comprehensive policy for whale conservation across the United States government. This policy will be represented, conveyed, and implemented in a consistent manner by all departments, agencies, and overseas missions of the United States government whose responsibilities include or touch upon matters relating to whaling or whale conservation," said Congressman Eni F.H. Faleomavaega of American Samoa
Whale protection is vital to the species' recovery and sustainability. With a new Administration in place, now is the time for the U.S. to reestablish itself as a global leader in whale conservation. A new direction in policy is also supported by other animal welfare and wildlife conservation groups.
"The Bush administration brokered closed door deals that could reduce protections for whales and leave them vulnerable to commercial whaling," said Michael Jasny, senior policy analyst for NRDC's Marine Mammal Protection Project. "This bill reasserts U.S. leadership in whale conservation by ending whaling for commercial purposes, by creating a long overdue scientific program for whales, and by promoting international efforts to reduce ocean noise."
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
The International Whale Conservation and Protection Act of 2009 calls for the U.S. to renew its whale conservation leadership worldwide. The legislation comprehensively addresses major threats to whales including commercial whaling, ship strikes, entanglement in fishing gear, ocean noise, and climate change.
"We must do all we can to protect whales both in our waters and abroad," said Jeff Flocken, IFAW DC Office Director. "As the critical June 2009 meeting of the International Whaling Commission rapidly approaches, it is crucial for our government to take the lead on opposing the resumption of commercial whaling, ending lethal scientific whaling, and supporting global whale conservation."
Elements of the legislation include:
-- Promoting international efforts to conserve and protect the world's
whales throughout their range.
-- Strengthening the whale conservation and protection efforts of
relevant international organizations including the United Nations
Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals,
the International Whaling Commission (IWC), the Convention on
International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), and the
International Maritime Organization.
-- Ensuring that the IWC commercial whaling ban is neither lifted nor
weakened and that the related illegal and lethal scientific whaling is
ended.
-- Reducing and, where possible, eliminating sources of human caused
death, injury, harassment and disturbance of the world's whales.
-- Initiating and expanding research to improve our understanding of the
world's whales including health and reproduction, whale habitats and
the impacts of human activities and other threats to whales.
"The significance of this policy is that it is a comprehensive policy for whale conservation across the United States government. This policy will be represented, conveyed, and implemented in a consistent manner by all departments, agencies, and overseas missions of the United States government whose responsibilities include or touch upon matters relating to whaling or whale conservation," said Congressman Eni F.H. Faleomavaega of American Samoa
Whale protection is vital to the species' recovery and sustainability. With a new Administration in place, now is the time for the U.S. to reestablish itself as a global leader in whale conservation. A new direction in policy is also supported by other animal welfare and wildlife conservation groups.
"The Bush administration brokered closed door deals that could reduce protections for whales and leave them vulnerable to commercial whaling," said Michael Jasny, senior policy analyst for NRDC's Marine Mammal Protection Project. "This bill reasserts U.S. leadership in whale conservation by ending whaling for commercial purposes, by creating a long overdue scientific program for whales, and by promoting international efforts to reduce ocean noise."
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Right Whale Records Set in Whale of a Season
A record-breaking season is drawing to a close as North Atlantic right whales head north for the summer. Research survey results indicate that the number of right whales spending the winter in the South again increased this year, a hopeful sign for these endangered marine giants.
Each winter, pregnant right whales travel to waters offshore of Georgia and Florida to give birth. Many other right whales also make the trip to the Southeast. In spring, the whales make their way back north to waters off New England and Canada, where they spend the summer months feeding on plankton. Research done by conservation partners including the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Trust and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, is helping wildlife biologists determine the status of the species.
Decimated by commercial whaling in the 19th century, approximately 400 North Atlantic right whales remain. This winter, almost 200 were sighted off the Georgia coast, up from 150 in 2008. The total includes 39 sets of mother and calf pairs, breaking the previous record of 31 calves set in 2001. The rest of the whales were juveniles and non-breeding adults. Whales are counted using aerial surveys and on-the-water monitoring.
Unfortunately, this season also set another record: five right whales were documented entangled in commercial fishing gear. The Georgia DNR, NOAA and other partners managed to free four of the five young whales. At least one was entangled in Canadian lobster gear. Gear removed from other whales also appeared to be lobster gear. In some instances, more than 500 feet of line had been dragged more than a thousand miles, resulting in potentially life-threatening injuries to the whales.
“Whales have shown up in the Southeast entangled in U.S. and Canadian lobster gear during previous years, also,” said Clay George, a natural resources biologist with the DNR’s Nongame Conservation Section. “While we are glad we were able to disentangle four of the whales this year, we need to find a way to keep whales from becoming entangled in the first place.”
Entanglement in commercial fishing rope is a leading cause of right whale mortality. More than 70 percent of the population has scars from entanglements.
From 2005-2007, researchers documented at least one adult whale mortality each year. This winter, however, marks the second in a row during which none were reported. There were two reported cases of calf mortalities, both from unknown causes. Ship strikes are another leading cause of right whale deaths.
Although positive about the increases in sightings, biologists stress that the road to recovery for North Atlantic right whales remains long. While the number of calves has risen, the number of breeding females has not. Right whale conservationists consider the latter number the most important statistic in determining the species’ recovery.
“Only one in four calves on average will live to become a mature breeding female. What that means is that each female right whale must have four calves within her lifetime to ‘replace’ herself within the population,” George said. “Given that it takes about 10 years for each female to reach breeding age, the whales will need many more calving seasons like this one before we see substantial growth in the population.”
Right whales are baleen whales with a bow-shaped lower jaw and a head that is up to one-quarter of the body length. Calves weigh approximately 1 ton at birth and adults can reach 60 tons and almost 50 feet in length. They have no dorsal fin and breathe through two blowholes on the top of their heads. These unique blowholes create a V-shaped blow, which also helps researchers identify the whales from a distance. Right whales can live for up to 70 years.
Protected from whaling since the 1930s, the whales are listed as a priority species in Georgia’s State Wildlife Action Plan, the blueprint for conservation in Georgia.
Although not hunted, right whales face continued conservation problems including ship strikes and entanglement in commercial fishing gear.
Researchers identify the whales by the unique pattern of callosities, or rough patches of skin, found on the whales’ heads and around their mouths. These patches are usually covered with whale lice, a type of crustacean, making the patches appear white. Photographs are used to tell which whale is being observed.
WHALE OF A SEASON
North Atlantic right whale estimates for winter 2008-09:
** Whales spotted: almost 200
** Mother-calf sets: 39
** Entanglements: 5 (four whales disentangled)
** Adult mortalities documented: 0
** Calf mortalities: 2 (causes unknown)
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Follow us on Twitter: @GAFrontPage
Each winter, pregnant right whales travel to waters offshore of Georgia and Florida to give birth. Many other right whales also make the trip to the Southeast. In spring, the whales make their way back north to waters off New England and Canada, where they spend the summer months feeding on plankton. Research done by conservation partners including the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Trust and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, is helping wildlife biologists determine the status of the species.
Decimated by commercial whaling in the 19th century, approximately 400 North Atlantic right whales remain. This winter, almost 200 were sighted off the Georgia coast, up from 150 in 2008. The total includes 39 sets of mother and calf pairs, breaking the previous record of 31 calves set in 2001. The rest of the whales were juveniles and non-breeding adults. Whales are counted using aerial surveys and on-the-water monitoring.
Unfortunately, this season also set another record: five right whales were documented entangled in commercial fishing gear. The Georgia DNR, NOAA and other partners managed to free four of the five young whales. At least one was entangled in Canadian lobster gear. Gear removed from other whales also appeared to be lobster gear. In some instances, more than 500 feet of line had been dragged more than a thousand miles, resulting in potentially life-threatening injuries to the whales.
“Whales have shown up in the Southeast entangled in U.S. and Canadian lobster gear during previous years, also,” said Clay George, a natural resources biologist with the DNR’s Nongame Conservation Section. “While we are glad we were able to disentangle four of the whales this year, we need to find a way to keep whales from becoming entangled in the first place.”
Entanglement in commercial fishing rope is a leading cause of right whale mortality. More than 70 percent of the population has scars from entanglements.
From 2005-2007, researchers documented at least one adult whale mortality each year. This winter, however, marks the second in a row during which none were reported. There were two reported cases of calf mortalities, both from unknown causes. Ship strikes are another leading cause of right whale deaths.
Although positive about the increases in sightings, biologists stress that the road to recovery for North Atlantic right whales remains long. While the number of calves has risen, the number of breeding females has not. Right whale conservationists consider the latter number the most important statistic in determining the species’ recovery.
“Only one in four calves on average will live to become a mature breeding female. What that means is that each female right whale must have four calves within her lifetime to ‘replace’ herself within the population,” George said. “Given that it takes about 10 years for each female to reach breeding age, the whales will need many more calving seasons like this one before we see substantial growth in the population.”
Right whales are baleen whales with a bow-shaped lower jaw and a head that is up to one-quarter of the body length. Calves weigh approximately 1 ton at birth and adults can reach 60 tons and almost 50 feet in length. They have no dorsal fin and breathe through two blowholes on the top of their heads. These unique blowholes create a V-shaped blow, which also helps researchers identify the whales from a distance. Right whales can live for up to 70 years.
Protected from whaling since the 1930s, the whales are listed as a priority species in Georgia’s State Wildlife Action Plan, the blueprint for conservation in Georgia.
Although not hunted, right whales face continued conservation problems including ship strikes and entanglement in commercial fishing gear.
Researchers identify the whales by the unique pattern of callosities, or rough patches of skin, found on the whales’ heads and around their mouths. These patches are usually covered with whale lice, a type of crustacean, making the patches appear white. Photographs are used to tell which whale is being observed.
WHALE OF A SEASON
North Atlantic right whale estimates for winter 2008-09:
** Whales spotted: almost 200
** Mother-calf sets: 39
** Entanglements: 5 (four whales disentangled)
** Adult mortalities documented: 0
** Calf mortalities: 2 (causes unknown)
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Follow us on Twitter: @GAFrontPage
Pew Environment Group, Ocean Conservation Coalition Urges Congress to Oppose Pallone Fisheries Legislation
/PRNewswire / -- The Pew Environment Group and 44 national, regional and state conservation groups today pressed congressional leaders to oppose "The Flexibility in Rebuilding American Fisheries Act of 2009," saying the legislation would allow overexploitation of vulnerable fish populations.
This bill is designed to weaken the Magnuson-Stevens Act (MSA), the nation's primary law governing management of U.S. ocean fish which was reauthorized in 2006. The proposed legislation would allow fishery management councils to ignore MSA requirements for rebuilding depleted fish populations to healthy levels in as short a time as possible, depending on the biology of the fish species.
In a letter sent today to Congress, Pew, along with 44 other conservation groups, warns that this legislation would thwart crucial MSA provisions by letting fishery managers put short-term economic benefits before long-term economic sustainability. The bill would also indefinitely delay the environmental and economic benefits of critical rebuilding actions.
"The Magnuson-Stevens Act requires that depleted fish populations be rebuilt as quickly as biologically possible," said Lee Crockett, director of Federal Fisheries Policy at the Pew Environment Group. "But shortsightedness and political pressure has kept too many fish populations from reaching healthy, sustainable levels. If this bill were enacted, it would guarantee that many of our coastal fisheries would not be restored in our lifetime."
The "Flexibility in Rebuilding American Fisheries Act of 2009" would:
* Threaten recovery, long-term sustainability and forego economic benefits of healthy, rebuilt fish populations;
* Abandon congressional intent requiring federal fishery managers to rebuild depleted fish populations as quickly as possible;
* Allow federal fishery managers to avoid making tough decisions by claiming that the health of depleted fish populations is beyond their control; and
* Allow federal fishery managers to continue overexploiting a vulnerable fish population, if it is caught with other populations of healthier fish.
"The current fishery laws provide adequate flexibility to address ecological and socioeconomic concerns," said Crockett. "Congress should give the new reforms in the Magnuson-Stevens Act a chance to work before it starts making changes."
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Follow us on Twitter: @GAFrontPage
This bill is designed to weaken the Magnuson-Stevens Act (MSA), the nation's primary law governing management of U.S. ocean fish which was reauthorized in 2006. The proposed legislation would allow fishery management councils to ignore MSA requirements for rebuilding depleted fish populations to healthy levels in as short a time as possible, depending on the biology of the fish species.
In a letter sent today to Congress, Pew, along with 44 other conservation groups, warns that this legislation would thwart crucial MSA provisions by letting fishery managers put short-term economic benefits before long-term economic sustainability. The bill would also indefinitely delay the environmental and economic benefits of critical rebuilding actions.
"The Magnuson-Stevens Act requires that depleted fish populations be rebuilt as quickly as biologically possible," said Lee Crockett, director of Federal Fisheries Policy at the Pew Environment Group. "But shortsightedness and political pressure has kept too many fish populations from reaching healthy, sustainable levels. If this bill were enacted, it would guarantee that many of our coastal fisheries would not be restored in our lifetime."
The "Flexibility in Rebuilding American Fisheries Act of 2009" would:
* Threaten recovery, long-term sustainability and forego economic benefits of healthy, rebuilt fish populations;
* Abandon congressional intent requiring federal fishery managers to rebuild depleted fish populations as quickly as possible;
* Allow federal fishery managers to avoid making tough decisions by claiming that the health of depleted fish populations is beyond their control; and
* Allow federal fishery managers to continue overexploiting a vulnerable fish population, if it is caught with other populations of healthier fish.
"The current fishery laws provide adequate flexibility to address ecological and socioeconomic concerns," said Crockett. "Congress should give the new reforms in the Magnuson-Stevens Act a chance to work before it starts making changes."
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Follow us on Twitter: @GAFrontPage
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Mark of Spring: Hummers Returning to Georgia
If you haven’t already done so, hang up your feeders! Ruby-throated hummingbirds and other avian migrants are returning to Georgia from wintering grounds far to the south. Ruby-throated “hummers” may travel more than 1,200 miles from Central America to Georgia.
One showed up last week at the Forsyth office of the Wildlife Resources Division’s Nongame Conservation Section. “They’re just arriving,” said Jim Ozier, a nongame program manager. “The first ones started showing up in middle Georgia about 10 days ago.”
Following the grueling migration, this diminutive bird must seek out about half its weight in food every day. Typical body weight of a ruby-throated hummingbird is 3 to 3.4 grams. To maintain their high metabolism, hummingbirds feed frequently on high-energy food sources such as rich but easily digested nectar and the tree sap that collects in yellow-bellied sapsucker foraging holes. Hummingbirds also need protein. They obtain it by eating tiny spiders and small, soft-bodied insects found on flowers or in sapsucker holes in trees.
Hummingbird enthusiasts can provide food for these travel-weary visitors by planting coral honeysuckle, columbine, bee balm and other flowering plants. Native plants are recommended because they need minimal care and are compatible with local ecosystems.
The Nongame Conservation Section is offering free packets of native wildflower seeds mixed to attract nectar-feeders. The packets were purchased through a grant from The Environmental Resources Network, or TERN, the friends group of the Nongame Conservation Section.
Hummingbird feeders also provide an important food source. Refill feeders every few days with a mix of one part sugar to four parts water. For best results, bring the water to a boil before adding the sugar and then continue to boil three to four minutes. Allow the mixture to cool before filling the feeder. Refrigerate unused portions.
Periodically clean feeders, making sure that all molds and bacteria are removed. But do not use harsh cleaning agents. Feeders can be easily cleaned in dishwasher or with mild soap and warm water.
Using feeders and planting nectar-producing flowers is the best recipe for attracting hummingbirds. For plantings, incorporate flowers that bloom from early spring through fall. Flower gardens will also attract a variety of other enjoyable nectar-feeders, such as butterflies.
Occasionally, “lost” migrant hummingbirds of several species not considered native to the region are seen at feeders during the winter, so many enthusiasts leave their feeders up throughout the year. To report unusual hummingbirds, please contact the Nongame Conservation Section at (478) 994-1438. Information sheets on Georgia’s hummingbirds are available at www.georgiawildlife.com (click “Conservation,” then “Georgia Animals & Plants”).
To receive a seeds packet, send a first-class, self-addressed, stamped envelope (No. 10 letter-sized) to: Nectar-feeder Native Wildflower Seed Packet, DNR/WRD Nongame Conservation Section, 116 Rum Creek Drive, Forsyth, Ga. 31029. One packet per customer, please.
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
Community News You Can Use
Fayetteville, Peachtree City, Tyrone
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
One showed up last week at the Forsyth office of the Wildlife Resources Division’s Nongame Conservation Section. “They’re just arriving,” said Jim Ozier, a nongame program manager. “The first ones started showing up in middle Georgia about 10 days ago.”
Following the grueling migration, this diminutive bird must seek out about half its weight in food every day. Typical body weight of a ruby-throated hummingbird is 3 to 3.4 grams. To maintain their high metabolism, hummingbirds feed frequently on high-energy food sources such as rich but easily digested nectar and the tree sap that collects in yellow-bellied sapsucker foraging holes. Hummingbirds also need protein. They obtain it by eating tiny spiders and small, soft-bodied insects found on flowers or in sapsucker holes in trees.
Hummingbird enthusiasts can provide food for these travel-weary visitors by planting coral honeysuckle, columbine, bee balm and other flowering plants. Native plants are recommended because they need minimal care and are compatible with local ecosystems.
The Nongame Conservation Section is offering free packets of native wildflower seeds mixed to attract nectar-feeders. The packets were purchased through a grant from The Environmental Resources Network, or TERN, the friends group of the Nongame Conservation Section.
Hummingbird feeders also provide an important food source. Refill feeders every few days with a mix of one part sugar to four parts water. For best results, bring the water to a boil before adding the sugar and then continue to boil three to four minutes. Allow the mixture to cool before filling the feeder. Refrigerate unused portions.
Periodically clean feeders, making sure that all molds and bacteria are removed. But do not use harsh cleaning agents. Feeders can be easily cleaned in dishwasher or with mild soap and warm water.
Using feeders and planting nectar-producing flowers is the best recipe for attracting hummingbirds. For plantings, incorporate flowers that bloom from early spring through fall. Flower gardens will also attract a variety of other enjoyable nectar-feeders, such as butterflies.
Occasionally, “lost” migrant hummingbirds of several species not considered native to the region are seen at feeders during the winter, so many enthusiasts leave their feeders up throughout the year. To report unusual hummingbirds, please contact the Nongame Conservation Section at (478) 994-1438. Information sheets on Georgia’s hummingbirds are available at www.georgiawildlife.com (click “Conservation,” then “Georgia Animals & Plants”).
To receive a seeds packet, send a first-class, self-addressed, stamped envelope (No. 10 letter-sized) to: Nectar-feeder Native Wildflower Seed Packet, DNR/WRD Nongame Conservation Section, 116 Rum Creek Drive, Forsyth, Ga. 31029. One packet per customer, please.
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
Community News You Can Use
Fayetteville, Peachtree City, Tyrone
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Sniff, Wag, Sit, Snake! Conservation Dog Tracks Indigos
C.J. is all Lab: big, bad to jump on you, bent on chasing tennis balls.
Oh, and trained to find eastern indigo snakes.
On a recent romp in turkey-oak sandhills near Valdosta, the chocolate Labrador roamed the forest, trailing leash and handlers Kara and Mike Ravenscroft, and answering Kara’s frequent calls to stick a nose down gopher tortoise burrows and sniff.
Dirk Stevenson, an indigo expert with Project Orianne, a new conservation organization centered on conserving the protected species and its habitat range-wide, said a dog like C.J. can help pinpoint these rare snakes that wander far in warm months and often hole up in the bottom of tortoise burrows during cold weather.
“Even when they’re abundant,” Stevenson said of indigos, “they’re in low numbers.”
Eastern indigos are North America’s longest snake, reaching more than 8 feet. Adults can be as thick as two fists and weigh upward of 10 pounds. Their color is a striking glossy or bluish black; indigos appear iridescent in sunlight. Their diet is indiscriminate, including almost any animal they can swallow, even rattlesnakes.
But Drymarchon couperi has been federally listed as threatened since 1978. The snake’s historic range from southern Georgia to the Florida Keys and southwestern Alabama has been shredded by habitat loss and fragmentation. Populations dwindled as the non-venomous snakes were run over by cars, killed by people and gassed in gopher tortoise burrows, an illegal practice tied to rattlesnake roundups.
Using dogs’ keen sense of smell to pinpoint imperiled wildlife such as the eastern indigo is a growing practice. Conservation canines have been used to find everything from a threatened lupine in Oregon to brown tree snakes in Guam. C.J.’s resume already lists spider monkeys in Nicaragua and bats in Texas, plus a trained aversion to rattlesnakes.
Project Orianne rented the retriever from PackLeader Dog Training of Washington to explore survey methods for indigos, which are also listed state-listed in Georgia as threatened. C.J. didn’t disappoint, finding live snakes and shed skins. His “alert” for each discovery begins with what Stevenson calls a “slappy” tail and ends in a sit.
“He has … come onto the trail of a snake and gone as far as 200 meters to find (the snake),” Stevenson said.
This cold day spent searching likely indigo sites on private property yielded some excited looks but no alerts. Yet, Georgia Wildlife Resources Division staff including Nongame Conservation Section program manager Matt Elliott had a chance to watch C.J. work, making a cursory check of areas where indigos have not been documented.
Conservation of indigos and key habitats such as the longleaf pine sandhills in Georgia’s Coastal Plain are priorities in the State Wildlife Action Plan, a comprehensive strategy guiding Wildlife Resources efforts to conserve biological diversity. A recently announced DNR project funded in part by a Wal-Mart Foundation grant will help train Georgia teachers about sandhills habitats and wildlife. The grant was to The Environmental Resources Network, a nonprofit that supports DNR’s nongame work.
The Nongame Conservation Section receives no state funds to help conserve wildlife not legally hunted, fished for or trapped, as well as rare plants and natural habitats. The work depends instead on grants, private support and fundraisers such as sales of the bald eagle and ruby-throated hummingbird license plates and donations to the Give Wildlife a Chance state income tax checkoff.
C.J.’s outlook is less complex: Find a snake; get to retrieve a ball.
At day’s end, Kara, who with her husband Mike was working for Project Orianne, even coaxed the dog to sit for a photograph.
Asked about the biggest challenge in working with C.J., she responded with a laugh, “Getting him to cooperate.”
EASTERN INDIGOS …
· Are sometimes confused with black racers, the indigo's slimmer, smaller, faster and much more abundant cousin.
· Are closely tied in Georgia to the Coastal Plain’s longleaf pine sandhills, where the snakes depend on gopher tortoise burrows for shelter in winter.
· Often return to the same gopher tortoise colonies and sometimes even the same burrows each winter, often traveling near-identical routes. (A University of Georgia student doing research for the DNR found that one male indigo followed the same course even though part of the area had since been clearcut).
· Are diurnal, or active mostly by day.
· Range far and wide. A recent study in Georgia determined that some males’ home ranges exceed 3,000 acres.
· Are non-venomous and often eat venomous snakes such as rattlers and cottonmouths.
· Are protected by federal and state law: Harming an indigo is a federal offense.
Sources include Amphibians and Reptiles of Georgia
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
Community News You Can Use
Fayetteville, Peachtree City, Tyrone
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Oh, and trained to find eastern indigo snakes.
On a recent romp in turkey-oak sandhills near Valdosta, the chocolate Labrador roamed the forest, trailing leash and handlers Kara and Mike Ravenscroft, and answering Kara’s frequent calls to stick a nose down gopher tortoise burrows and sniff.
Dirk Stevenson, an indigo expert with Project Orianne, a new conservation organization centered on conserving the protected species and its habitat range-wide, said a dog like C.J. can help pinpoint these rare snakes that wander far in warm months and often hole up in the bottom of tortoise burrows during cold weather.
“Even when they’re abundant,” Stevenson said of indigos, “they’re in low numbers.”
Eastern indigos are North America’s longest snake, reaching more than 8 feet. Adults can be as thick as two fists and weigh upward of 10 pounds. Their color is a striking glossy or bluish black; indigos appear iridescent in sunlight. Their diet is indiscriminate, including almost any animal they can swallow, even rattlesnakes.
But Drymarchon couperi has been federally listed as threatened since 1978. The snake’s historic range from southern Georgia to the Florida Keys and southwestern Alabama has been shredded by habitat loss and fragmentation. Populations dwindled as the non-venomous snakes were run over by cars, killed by people and gassed in gopher tortoise burrows, an illegal practice tied to rattlesnake roundups.
Using dogs’ keen sense of smell to pinpoint imperiled wildlife such as the eastern indigo is a growing practice. Conservation canines have been used to find everything from a threatened lupine in Oregon to brown tree snakes in Guam. C.J.’s resume already lists spider monkeys in Nicaragua and bats in Texas, plus a trained aversion to rattlesnakes.
Project Orianne rented the retriever from PackLeader Dog Training of Washington to explore survey methods for indigos, which are also listed state-listed in Georgia as threatened. C.J. didn’t disappoint, finding live snakes and shed skins. His “alert” for each discovery begins with what Stevenson calls a “slappy” tail and ends in a sit.
“He has … come onto the trail of a snake and gone as far as 200 meters to find (the snake),” Stevenson said.
This cold day spent searching likely indigo sites on private property yielded some excited looks but no alerts. Yet, Georgia Wildlife Resources Division staff including Nongame Conservation Section program manager Matt Elliott had a chance to watch C.J. work, making a cursory check of areas where indigos have not been documented.
Conservation of indigos and key habitats such as the longleaf pine sandhills in Georgia’s Coastal Plain are priorities in the State Wildlife Action Plan, a comprehensive strategy guiding Wildlife Resources efforts to conserve biological diversity. A recently announced DNR project funded in part by a Wal-Mart Foundation grant will help train Georgia teachers about sandhills habitats and wildlife. The grant was to The Environmental Resources Network, a nonprofit that supports DNR’s nongame work.
The Nongame Conservation Section receives no state funds to help conserve wildlife not legally hunted, fished for or trapped, as well as rare plants and natural habitats. The work depends instead on grants, private support and fundraisers such as sales of the bald eagle and ruby-throated hummingbird license plates and donations to the Give Wildlife a Chance state income tax checkoff.
C.J.’s outlook is less complex: Find a snake; get to retrieve a ball.
At day’s end, Kara, who with her husband Mike was working for Project Orianne, even coaxed the dog to sit for a photograph.
Asked about the biggest challenge in working with C.J., she responded with a laugh, “Getting him to cooperate.”
EASTERN INDIGOS …
· Are sometimes confused with black racers, the indigo's slimmer, smaller, faster and much more abundant cousin.
· Are closely tied in Georgia to the Coastal Plain’s longleaf pine sandhills, where the snakes depend on gopher tortoise burrows for shelter in winter.
· Often return to the same gopher tortoise colonies and sometimes even the same burrows each winter, often traveling near-identical routes. (A University of Georgia student doing research for the DNR found that one male indigo followed the same course even though part of the area had since been clearcut).
· Are diurnal, or active mostly by day.
· Range far and wide. A recent study in Georgia determined that some males’ home ranges exceed 3,000 acres.
· Are non-venomous and often eat venomous snakes such as rattlers and cottonmouths.
· Are protected by federal and state law: Harming an indigo is a federal offense.
Sources include Amphibians and Reptiles of Georgia
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
Community News You Can Use
Fayetteville, Peachtree City, Tyrone
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Friday, February 13, 2009
Wal-Mart Foundation Grant Will Spur Education About Sandhills
A Wal-Mart Foundation grant announced today will help the Georgia Department of Natural Resources inform the public and teachers about sandhills, one of the state’s most biologically diverse habitats.
The Wal-Mart Foundation is providing $33,145 for The Environmental Resources Network Inc., better known as TERN, to develop with the DNR’s Nongame Conservation Section an education campaign on this distinct but often overlooked Coastal Plain habitat.
Found from the fall line to the coast, sandhills are areas of deep, sandy soils that generally feature a mix of longleaf pine and scrub oak species in a low, open-tree canopy with drought-tolerant shrubs, grasses and forbs. Sandhills support protected species such as the endangered eastern indigo snake, sandhills golden aster and the gopher tortoise, Georgia’s state reptile. The State Wildlife Action Plan, a guiding conservation strategy, rates sandhills a priority habitat.
The sandhills project will team this year with educators to translate technical information explaining sandhills and other Coastal Plain habitats into K-12 curriculum resources such as lesson plans. An advanced Project WILD workshop including field trips will train teachers about these habitats and how to relay relevant information to students.
TERN’s mission is to foster and aid in the protection, knowledge and enhancement of nongame and endangered wildlife throughout Georgia. President Brock Hutchins said the 501(c)(3) nonprofit will use “100 percent of the grant” to fund the project.
The grant comes through Wal-Mart’s State Giving Program, which supports organizations that align with the company’s mission to create opportunities so people can live better. Grants reflect the foundation’s focus areas: education, workforce development, health and wellness, and environmental sustainability.
“Wal-Mart is excited to be part of such a reputable and well respected organization such as TERN,” said Glen Wilkins, senior manager of Public Affairs & Government Relations for the company. “At Wal-Mart, we believe that we should be a good community partner. Here in Georgia, we have so many natural resources we want to make sure that they are preserved for future generations, and we are excited to be part of the education process for the future.”
The grant was announced at St. Simons Island following Weekend for Wildlife, an annual Nongame Conservation Section fundraiser TERN helps hold on Sea Island. The Nongame Conservation Section receives no state funds for its mission to conserve nongame animals, native plants and natural habitats, depending instead on fundraisers, grants and donations. Nongame wildlife includes animals not legally hunted, fished for or trapped.
Nongame Conservation Section Chief Mike Harris said wildlife conservation ultimately depends on public support grounded in an appreciation and understanding of wildlife species and habitat.
“Our Georgia sandhills house a unique and interesting group of animals,” Harris said. “This project will help more people understand the importance of the gopher tortoise, a keystone species, and other wildlife that share sandhills with them.”
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
The Wal-Mart Foundation is providing $33,145 for The Environmental Resources Network Inc., better known as TERN, to develop with the DNR’s Nongame Conservation Section an education campaign on this distinct but often overlooked Coastal Plain habitat.
Found from the fall line to the coast, sandhills are areas of deep, sandy soils that generally feature a mix of longleaf pine and scrub oak species in a low, open-tree canopy with drought-tolerant shrubs, grasses and forbs. Sandhills support protected species such as the endangered eastern indigo snake, sandhills golden aster and the gopher tortoise, Georgia’s state reptile. The State Wildlife Action Plan, a guiding conservation strategy, rates sandhills a priority habitat.
The sandhills project will team this year with educators to translate technical information explaining sandhills and other Coastal Plain habitats into K-12 curriculum resources such as lesson plans. An advanced Project WILD workshop including field trips will train teachers about these habitats and how to relay relevant information to students.
TERN’s mission is to foster and aid in the protection, knowledge and enhancement of nongame and endangered wildlife throughout Georgia. President Brock Hutchins said the 501(c)(3) nonprofit will use “100 percent of the grant” to fund the project.
The grant comes through Wal-Mart’s State Giving Program, which supports organizations that align with the company’s mission to create opportunities so people can live better. Grants reflect the foundation’s focus areas: education, workforce development, health and wellness, and environmental sustainability.
“Wal-Mart is excited to be part of such a reputable and well respected organization such as TERN,” said Glen Wilkins, senior manager of Public Affairs & Government Relations for the company. “At Wal-Mart, we believe that we should be a good community partner. Here in Georgia, we have so many natural resources we want to make sure that they are preserved for future generations, and we are excited to be part of the education process for the future.”
The grant was announced at St. Simons Island following Weekend for Wildlife, an annual Nongame Conservation Section fundraiser TERN helps hold on Sea Island. The Nongame Conservation Section receives no state funds for its mission to conserve nongame animals, native plants and natural habitats, depending instead on fundraisers, grants and donations. Nongame wildlife includes animals not legally hunted, fished for or trapped.
Nongame Conservation Section Chief Mike Harris said wildlife conservation ultimately depends on public support grounded in an appreciation and understanding of wildlife species and habitat.
“Our Georgia sandhills house a unique and interesting group of animals,” Harris said. “This project will help more people understand the importance of the gopher tortoise, a keystone species, and other wildlife that share sandhills with them.”
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Monday, January 19, 2009
Project to Trap, Track Godwits Means Long Day at the Beach
Cannons firing, people running, adrenaline pumping: no, it is not war; it’s banding birds – marbled godwits, to be precise.
The marbled godwit is a large migratory shorebird that nests in the grasslands of the Plains states and central Canada, as well as in Alaska and, in small numbers, eastern Canada. Godwits winter on the West, Gulf and East coast, including in Georgia. The birds will stay here until late April or early May, with a few juveniles remaining throughout the summer.
The marbled godwit is in decline, at least in part due to habitat loss, and listed by the U.S. Shorebird Conservation Plan as a high-priority species. Understanding the connections between winter habitats, nesting areas and migration stops for the various populations is vital to managing habitat for the species. The connections are also the focus of a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service project encompassing North America.
On this chilly December morning, a group headed by Brad Winn, coastal nongame program manager for the Georgia Wildlife Resources Division, has spent most of the last several hours setting a trap to capture and satellite-track these cinnamon-colored birds with the upturned bills.
As part of the continent-wide project, small transmitters attached to the godwits will help biologists determine where the birds migrate and nest, what their movements are throughout winter, and other general location data. The marbled godwit is listed as a high-priority species in the State Wildlife Action Plan, a comprehensive strategy guiding Wildlife Resources and Georgia Department of Natural Resources efforts to conserve biological diversity.
The site is carefully chosen based on tide levels and bird sightings from the previous day. A trench is dug in the sand and the net laid. Two 4-by-6-inch blocks of wood with round metal pipes attached serve as cannons. They are filled with gunpowder and half buried in the sand after being attached to each side of the net with rebar. A wire attached to the fuses winds across the long stretch of beach to where the researchers are hiding … and waiting.
When it comes to catching birds, timing is everything.
After the trap is set, everyone sits back and waits. A variety of birds have begun to congregate in the target area, including American oystercatchers, long-billed curlews and, of course, marbled godwits. The hope is that as the tide comes in, the birds will move into the “net zone.”
Concentration and constant communication are crucial. Farther down the beach, Winn watches with a scope and radios. Chris Depkin, a wildlife biologist, is hiding in a different spot and holding the fuse.
“Not yet, just a little more,” says Winn, quietly urging the birds to move.
The window for capturing the birds is narrow. As the tide rises, they slowly move onto the sand bar and into the capture area. If the birds are not captured before the tide begins to recede, the chance will be lost, at least for today.
Sometimes they need a little help. Winn makes a call and two young men with a kayak soon come walking down the beach. Both have done this before and need little direction. Ben Morrison, a naturalist for Little St. Simons Island, pushes off and cautiously paddles towards the birds. The situation looks good, but anything can still go wrong.
If the birds become too wary, they will flush. If the kayak is too slow, the tide will come in and the birds will leave. Either outcome means everyone packs up and goes home for the day.
The kayak does its job. The birds scuttle almost imperceptibly to the right. Perfect.
What happens next seems like orchestrated chaos. Winn completes the countdown, the cannons are fired and then everyone is running toward the birds struggling in the net. Looks like a good catch.
Researchers work quickly to secure the trapped birds. Each is carefully removed and placed in plastic bins for carrying to the staging area where they will be measured, weighed, banded and examined. A few lucky birds will also receive the satellite transmitters.
When all have been sorted by species, the birds are secured under a large tarp, which shields them from the sun and helps them stay calm. Now the real work begins.
The team forms an assembly line of sorts to work faster. Winn and Depkin are in charge along with Scott Coleman, ecological manager from Little St. Simons Island. Starting with the godwits, they weigh each bird to determine if it is large enough to carry the 9.5-gram transmitter. They must weigh more than 300 grams to qualify. Two birds are selected.
The bird’s bills and a portion of their legs referred to as the tarsus are measured. Three feathers are plucked, two from the breast and one from the wing to be used for analysis. Tests that measure the ratio of stable isotopes can determine what the bird was feeding on when it grew the feather, giving researchers a more accurate picture of migration habits.
Wings are stretched to check for molting, which helps indicate the age of the bird, and then each leg receives both a metal band and a plastic band for identification. After a quick swab to test for avian influenza, volunteers photograph each bird and then finally it is released, its ordeal over.
The team works long into the evening, finishing as temperatures begin to drop into the 30s. The catch includes 11 marbled godwits and 44 American oystercatchers, a species listed as threatened in Georgia. Six of the oystercatchers and one godwit are re-captures, or birds previously banded. The re-captured oystercatchers include one from Virginia and one from North Carolina. The re-captured godwit had been banded in Georgia.
The Wildlife Resources Division has been banding marbled godwits and American oystercatchers since 2001. But researchers began the godwit transmitter project in Georgia last fall, thanks to a grant from The Environmental Resources Network, or TERN, the nonprofit advocacy group for Wildlife Resources’ Nongame Conservation Section.
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
The marbled godwit is a large migratory shorebird that nests in the grasslands of the Plains states and central Canada, as well as in Alaska and, in small numbers, eastern Canada. Godwits winter on the West, Gulf and East coast, including in Georgia. The birds will stay here until late April or early May, with a few juveniles remaining throughout the summer.
The marbled godwit is in decline, at least in part due to habitat loss, and listed by the U.S. Shorebird Conservation Plan as a high-priority species. Understanding the connections between winter habitats, nesting areas and migration stops for the various populations is vital to managing habitat for the species. The connections are also the focus of a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service project encompassing North America.
On this chilly December morning, a group headed by Brad Winn, coastal nongame program manager for the Georgia Wildlife Resources Division, has spent most of the last several hours setting a trap to capture and satellite-track these cinnamon-colored birds with the upturned bills.
As part of the continent-wide project, small transmitters attached to the godwits will help biologists determine where the birds migrate and nest, what their movements are throughout winter, and other general location data. The marbled godwit is listed as a high-priority species in the State Wildlife Action Plan, a comprehensive strategy guiding Wildlife Resources and Georgia Department of Natural Resources efforts to conserve biological diversity.
The site is carefully chosen based on tide levels and bird sightings from the previous day. A trench is dug in the sand and the net laid. Two 4-by-6-inch blocks of wood with round metal pipes attached serve as cannons. They are filled with gunpowder and half buried in the sand after being attached to each side of the net with rebar. A wire attached to the fuses winds across the long stretch of beach to where the researchers are hiding … and waiting.
When it comes to catching birds, timing is everything.
After the trap is set, everyone sits back and waits. A variety of birds have begun to congregate in the target area, including American oystercatchers, long-billed curlews and, of course, marbled godwits. The hope is that as the tide comes in, the birds will move into the “net zone.”
Concentration and constant communication are crucial. Farther down the beach, Winn watches with a scope and radios. Chris Depkin, a wildlife biologist, is hiding in a different spot and holding the fuse.
“Not yet, just a little more,” says Winn, quietly urging the birds to move.
The window for capturing the birds is narrow. As the tide rises, they slowly move onto the sand bar and into the capture area. If the birds are not captured before the tide begins to recede, the chance will be lost, at least for today.
Sometimes they need a little help. Winn makes a call and two young men with a kayak soon come walking down the beach. Both have done this before and need little direction. Ben Morrison, a naturalist for Little St. Simons Island, pushes off and cautiously paddles towards the birds. The situation looks good, but anything can still go wrong.
If the birds become too wary, they will flush. If the kayak is too slow, the tide will come in and the birds will leave. Either outcome means everyone packs up and goes home for the day.
The kayak does its job. The birds scuttle almost imperceptibly to the right. Perfect.
What happens next seems like orchestrated chaos. Winn completes the countdown, the cannons are fired and then everyone is running toward the birds struggling in the net. Looks like a good catch.
Researchers work quickly to secure the trapped birds. Each is carefully removed and placed in plastic bins for carrying to the staging area where they will be measured, weighed, banded and examined. A few lucky birds will also receive the satellite transmitters.
When all have been sorted by species, the birds are secured under a large tarp, which shields them from the sun and helps them stay calm. Now the real work begins.
The team forms an assembly line of sorts to work faster. Winn and Depkin are in charge along with Scott Coleman, ecological manager from Little St. Simons Island. Starting with the godwits, they weigh each bird to determine if it is large enough to carry the 9.5-gram transmitter. They must weigh more than 300 grams to qualify. Two birds are selected.
The bird’s bills and a portion of their legs referred to as the tarsus are measured. Three feathers are plucked, two from the breast and one from the wing to be used for analysis. Tests that measure the ratio of stable isotopes can determine what the bird was feeding on when it grew the feather, giving researchers a more accurate picture of migration habits.
Wings are stretched to check for molting, which helps indicate the age of the bird, and then each leg receives both a metal band and a plastic band for identification. After a quick swab to test for avian influenza, volunteers photograph each bird and then finally it is released, its ordeal over.
The team works long into the evening, finishing as temperatures begin to drop into the 30s. The catch includes 11 marbled godwits and 44 American oystercatchers, a species listed as threatened in Georgia. Six of the oystercatchers and one godwit are re-captures, or birds previously banded. The re-captured oystercatchers include one from Virginia and one from North Carolina. The re-captured godwit had been banded in Georgia.
The Wildlife Resources Division has been banding marbled godwits and American oystercatchers since 2001. But researchers began the godwit transmitter project in Georgia last fall, thanks to a grant from The Environmental Resources Network, or TERN, the nonprofit advocacy group for Wildlife Resources’ Nongame Conservation Section.
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)