Oklahoma Alliance Paves the Way for Projects
The Oklahoma Wildlife and Prairie Heritage Alliance (OWPHA) will streamline delivery of conservation projects by forming local focus area committees (FACs) based on eco-regions. The OWPHA board of directors discussed the formation of FACs at its April 9 meeting in Laverne. The committees will be made up of local resource managers, city officials, landowners and businesses - a grass roots coalition to get projects on the ground. The Alliance is hosting several outreach workshops in the coming months to recruit participation and spread the word about OWPHA. During the meeting, the board also discussed plans to find project sites and funding partners to create a North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) proposal. The $100,000 PLJV recently received from Seaboard Farms for conservation work in Beaver and Texas Counties will be used as match money for the NAWCA. For more information about the upcoming outreach workshops, email OWPHA Coordinator Trapper Heglin.
PLJV Courts Colorado's Environmental Educators
PLJV staff visited with teachers from around the state at the Colorado Alliance for Environmental Education (CAEE) workshop, "Teaching Outside the Box " held April 25 - 27 in Winter Park. About 200 educators participated in the annual conference, which exposes teachers to a wide range of environmental curricula, activities and organizations. The Joint Venture hosted an info-booth and handed out PLJV posters, flyers and activity guides and answered questions about the Joint Venture and playa lakes. In an effort to enhance networking and communication within Colorado's environmental education community, the CAEE has launched a database of EE programs, organizations and activities around the state. The CAEE anticipates it will become a clearinghouse to a diverse network of EE programs.
The Oklahoma Wildlife and Prairie Heritage Alliance (OWPHA) will streamline delivery of conservation projects by forming local focus area committees (FACs) based on eco-regions. The OWPHA board of directors discussed the formation of FACs at its April 9 meeting in Laverne. The committees will be made up of local resource managers, city officials, landowners and businesses - a grass roots coalition to get projects on the ground. The Alliance is hosting several outreach workshops in the coming months to recruit participation and spread the word about OWPHA. During the meeting, the board also discussed plans to find project sites and funding partners to create a North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) proposal. The $100,000 PLJV recently received from Seaboard Farms for conservation work in Beaver and Texas Counties will be used as match money for the NAWCA. For more information about the upcoming outreach workshops, email OWPHA Coordinator Trapper Heglin.
PLJV Courts Colorado's Environmental Educators
PLJV staff visited with teachers from around the state at the Colorado Alliance for Environmental Education (CAEE) workshop, "Teaching Outside the Box " held April 25 - 27 in Winter Park. About 200 educators participated in the annual conference, which exposes teachers to a wide range of environmental curricula, activities and organizations. The Joint Venture hosted an info-booth and handed out PLJV posters, flyers and activity guides and answered questions about the Joint Venture and playa lakes. In an effort to enhance networking and communication within Colorado's environmental education community, the CAEE has launched a database of EE programs, organizations and activities around the state. The CAEE anticipates it will become a clearinghouse to a diverse network of EE programs.
Playa Post ©2003 Playa Lakes Joint Venture. Submission deadlines are the 15th of each month for publication the following month. Send press releases, comments and subscription inquiries to Debbie F. Slobe.
Playas and the Ogallala Aquifer - What's the Connection?
Prior to the 1980s, most research on playa lakes concluded that they played no role in recharging aquifers. But over the past two decades, scientists have gathered substantial evidence pointing to playa wetlands as the primary, and some say the exclusive, source of recharge for the Ogallala Aquifer. Although these results have been known for quite some time, the ramifications have not been realized by the general public or even conservation professionals. The PLJV is helping to spread the word and has recently published a new section on its web site about the connection between playas and the Ogallala and how recharge works. The section summarizes some of the research that has been done on playas and recharge, and also touches on the effects of sedimentation on these wetlands in the Southern Great Plains. Given the dependency of the PLJV region on the Aquifer for irrigation and municipal use, the Joint Venture believes that maintenance of functioning playas is critical to sustaining rural economies of the Great Plains.
Survey Finds Birds Flock to Kansas Playas in Spring
By Thomas Flowers, USDA Natural Resources
Conservation Service
When you think of wetlands, most people think of waterfowl, shorebirds and other wetland-dependent species. USDA Earth Team Volunteers found that Kansas playa lakes are about much more than wetland birds! Earth Team Volunteers working for the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service in Kansas conducted spring migration surveys on 86 playa lakes in 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000. Volunteers documented 142 species of birds using the playa wetlands during spring migration. The birds included not only typical wetland species but also a wide variety of upland species. More importantly, many of the birds recorded on playas are among the class of declining species in the shortgrass prairie conservation region! On an acre for acre basis, relatively small playas had more bird diversity than the larger playas in the area. Even though these small areas may only be wet for a few days or weeks, they are often the most heavily used by migrating birds. During the four-year census, it was typical for 1/3 to 1/2 of the playas to be dry at any given time, but far from limiting the value of the playa, this ephemeral nature may actually increase many of its wetland attributes. Playas create temporarily wet habitats in normally dry regions and provide resources for a wide variety of birds and other wildlife.
Editors Note: The survey will be published later this year in the Kansas Ornithological Society Bulletin.
By Thomas Flowers, USDA Natural Resources
Conservation Service
When you think of wetlands, most people think of waterfowl, shorebirds and other wetland-dependent species. USDA Earth Team Volunteers found that Kansas playa lakes are about much more than wetland birds! Earth Team Volunteers working for the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service in Kansas conducted spring migration surveys on 86 playa lakes in 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000. Volunteers documented 142 species of birds using the playa wetlands during spring migration. The birds included not only typical wetland species but also a wide variety of upland species. More importantly, many of the birds recorded on playas are among the class of declining species in the shortgrass prairie conservation region! On an acre for acre basis, relatively small playas had more bird diversity than the larger playas in the area. Even though these small areas may only be wet for a few days or weeks, they are often the most heavily used by migrating birds. During the four-year census, it was typical for 1/3 to 1/2 of the playas to be dry at any given time, but far from limiting the value of the playa, this ephemeral nature may actually increase many of its wetland attributes. Playas create temporarily wet habitats in normally dry regions and provide resources for a wide variety of birds and other wildlife.
Editors Note: The survey will be published later this year in the Kansas Ornithological Society Bulletin.