Conservation Capacity: Secretary Salazar Releases Study Showing Widespread Declines in Bird Populations, Highlights Role of Partnerships in Conservation

On Mar. 19, 2009, the Department of Interior announced the first ever “State of the Birds” report.  Secretary Salazar announced that this was a combined effort by several federal agencies and conservation NGO’s, and provided both a sobering assessment of the bird conservation in the United States as well as reasons for hope, if Americans pull together..... (MORE)

Policy News: ASWM Stimulus Bill Implementation Web Page Includes Wetlands

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Stimulus Bill) includes funding for green infrastructure and wetlands and river restoration. Association of State Wetland Managers has established a new website at www.aswm.org/fwp/stimulus/ index.htm where they are actively collecting information... (MORE)

Science Update: On the Move—Birds and Climate Change

Audubon scientists analyzed 40 years of citizen-science Christmas Bird Count data and found nearly 60 percent of the 305 species found in North America in winter are on the move, shifting their ranges northward by an average of 35 miles..... (MORE)

Science News: Threats to the Lesser Prairie-Chicken Grow

The lesser prairie-chicken has fallen on hard times. A century ago prairie chickens were one of the most common birds on the High Plains. Today, lesser prairie-chicken population is thought to be just three percent of what it was a century ago....(MORE)

Program News: American Wind Wildlife Institute

Twenty of the nation's top science-based conservation and environmental groups and wind energy companies have created a national institute to facilitate timely and responsible development of wind energy while protecting wildlife and wildlife habitat. ...(MORE)

Policy Update: Appropriations Bill Helps Ogallala Aquifer

Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison has announced that the Omnibus appropriations bill includes $6.7 million that she secured for important agricultural research at Texas Tech University. The bill includes more than $3.5 million to develop new irrigation techniques to prevent depletion of the Ogallala Aquifer....(MORE)

Program News: Having a Field Day—Western Kansas Wetlands

Last month, the Kansas Alliance for Wetlands and Streams, Inc. (KAWS), the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP), Playa Lakes Joint Venture (PLJV) and Waconda WRAPS held a playa lakes field day, conducting tours of several playas, while discussing their role in Kansas....(MORE)

PLJV Now on Facebook

The Playa Lakes Joint Venture has joined the Internet social networking revolution by establishing a group page on Facebook. To date, PLJV has 21 members and counting! A special thank you goes out to new members Grant Beauprez, Lorrie Boyer, Jennie Duberstein, Guy Foulks, Ted LaGrange and Bob McCready. Join today at http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=64305291396&ref=mf to post pictures, messages and make new friends.

New IWJV Communication Specialist Hired

Katie Guenzler of Florence, Montana, has joined the Intermountain West Joint Venture as its first Communication Specialist. Guenzler is responsible for developing and implementing a Communication Plan and will carry out a variety of administrative tasks for the Joint Venture in this reconstituted position. Guenzler will be located in the IWJV’s new headquarters office in Missoula, which opens this month.

Guenzler previously worked for an advertising agency in Spokane and earned a bachelor’s degree in Communication and a bachelor’s degree in Marketing from the University of Montana in 2007.

Guenzler is orchestrating the development of a new IWJV website, scheduled for completion in early summer, and will serve as its content manager. “Katie brings a whole new skill set to the IWJV,” says Dave Smith, IWJV Coordinator. “Most of us in this profession are biologists by training, yet achievement of our objectives often hinges on the fragile strand of communication. It’s high time that we welcome more marketing and communication professionals into our circle. Katie’s been a breath of fresh air and has inspired the IWJV Team with her creative abilities.”

Also in the News:

• Kansas to receive more than $11 million for 2009 conservation projects
• Prairie chickens face new threats
• Bill would end killing of wildlife on private land
• Water concerns bring together group
• Conservationists launch effort to restore prairies
• USDA Offers Conservation Information Resources Online
• Student's lesser prairie-chicken poster wins contest

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