Nebraska Unifying Force for All-Bird Conservation
Partner Profile: Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
As national bird initiatives were calling on state agencies to integrate bird conservation efforts, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission (NGPC) was one of the first to answer by forming the Nebraska Partnership for All-Bird Conservation (NPABC) in May 2002. Back then, only central and eastern portions of the state were served by joint ventures, and the NGPC was looking to capitalize on new funding resources and potential partnerships among the state's bird conservation experts.
Now, Nebraska is virtually covered wall to wall by three joint ventures, including the PLJV, and the NPABC has proved to be an effective platform for the state's bird biologists, researchers and outreach specialists to share and exchange resources and knowledge.
Handy Bird Guide Fits in
Your Shirt Pocket
Wish you knew the difference between a Red-tail and a Swainson's Hawk? Ever wonder what the name was of that pretty little black bird with white wing patches swooping and singing merrily on the plains? If you are a PLJV partner, then you probably know most of the prairie bird species. However, if you need some refreshing or are new to the prairie, the handy Pocket Guide to Prairie Birds produced by the Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory is the ticket. With the Pocket Guide, anyone can become familiar with the common birds found in the Great Plains. The guide, which is only four by three inches in width (even smaller than the image below), illustrates about 80 species with photos, range maps, and identification and habitat details.
Along with RMBO, the guide is sponsored by the Colorado Division of Wildlife, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, Texas Prairie Rivers Region, Western Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education and the Wildlife Habitat Management Institute. To obtain a copy of the Pocket Guide to Prairie Birds, email Tammy Vercauteren of RMBO or Debbie Slobe of PLJV.
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.
Partner Profile: Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
As national bird initiatives were calling on state agencies to integrate bird conservation efforts, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission (NGPC) was one of the first to answer by forming the Nebraska Partnership for All-Bird Conservation (NPABC) in May 2002. Back then, only central and eastern portions of the state were served by joint ventures, and the NGPC was looking to capitalize on new funding resources and potential partnerships among the state's bird conservation experts.
Now, Nebraska is virtually covered wall to wall by three joint ventures, including the PLJV, and the NPABC has proved to be an effective platform for the state's bird biologists, researchers and outreach specialists to share and exchange resources and knowledge.
"All-bird conservation cannot be done by one agency alone," said Mace Hack, Assistant Administrator for the NGPC and PLJV board member. "This partnership is a great way to leverage efforts and resources, and build local capacity for delivering all-bird conservation projects and programs."
It was the NPABC that helped bring the NGPC and PLJV together, and the state officially became a Joint Venture member January 2003. Since then, the NGPC has proved to be an invaluable PLJV partner, facilitating bird conservation opportunities in western Nebraska, where there are approximately 15,000 small playa lakes, and committing $18,000 to the PLJV GIS project.
Handy Bird Guide Fits in
Your Shirt Pocket
Wish you knew the difference between a Red-tail and a Swainson's Hawk? Ever wonder what the name was of that pretty little black bird with white wing patches swooping and singing merrily on the plains? If you are a PLJV partner, then you probably know most of the prairie bird species. However, if you need some refreshing or are new to the prairie, the handy Pocket Guide to Prairie Birds produced by the Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory is the ticket. With the Pocket Guide, anyone can become familiar with the common birds found in the Great Plains. The guide, which is only four by three inches in width (even smaller than the image below), illustrates about 80 species with photos, range maps, and identification and habitat details.
Along with RMBO, the guide is sponsored by the Colorado Division of Wildlife, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, Texas Prairie Rivers Region, Western Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education and the Wildlife Habitat Management Institute. To obtain a copy of the Pocket Guide to Prairie Birds, email Tammy Vercauteren of RMBO or Debbie Slobe of PLJV.
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.
KAWS Hires Coordinator for Western Kansas
The Kansas Alliance for Wetlands and Streams (KAWS) has boosted its presence in western Kansas by hiring a new chapter coordinator, Linda Hauder. Hauder supports three KAWS chapters covering 26 western Kansas counties, and will develop additional chapters in the area. Since coming on board September 1, Hauder is already making contacts and building interest in areas not currently served by KAWS.
"We just turned her loose, and she's already got the pot stirred," said Tim Christian, KAWS Coordinator and chairman of the PLJV Education and Outreach Team. "We expect to see a large flush of wetland and stream projects coming out of Western Kansas because of her efforts working with chapters." KAWS is a grass roots conservation partnership made up of local resource managers, landowners, educators and biologists focused on educating the public about and protecting wetland and stream resources. The PLJV works with KAWS to conserve habitat for migratory birds in western Kansas. "KAWS and the PLJV have similar goals and missions, and by joining forces we can accomplish twice as much as we can individually," Hauder said. "I am very excited about the challenges and opportunities ahead. I predict you are going to see a lot of exciting things happening in KAWS' future."
"We just turned her loose, and she's already got the pot stirred," said Tim Christian, KAWS Coordinator and chairman of the PLJV Education and Outreach Team. "We expect to see a large flush of wetland and stream projects coming out of Western Kansas because of her efforts working with chapters." KAWS is a grass roots conservation partnership made up of local resource managers, landowners, educators and biologists focused on educating the public about and protecting wetland and stream resources. The PLJV works with KAWS to conserve habitat for migratory birds in western Kansas. "KAWS and the PLJV have similar goals and missions, and by joining forces we can accomplish twice as much as we can individually," Hauder said. "I am very excited about the challenges and opportunities ahead. I predict you are going to see a lot of exciting things happening in KAWS' future."
KAWS also recently hired a new chapter coordinator for the southcentral/southeast portion of the state which includes the Lower Arkansas Chapter located in the PLJV region. If you live in western Kansas and would like to learn more about KAWS, email Linda Hauder. In the southcentral/southeast region, contact chapter coordinator Jeff Ruckert.
ABA Article Highlights Birding on Oklahoma's Playa Lakes
Playa Lakes may be the best wetlands to see birds in the Great Plains, yet most birders aren't even aware that they exist. Well, not for long. The lead article in the August 2003 issue of the American Birding Association's Winging It newsletter exposes playa lakes as the great birding sites that they are, and focuses on playas in the Oklahoma panhandle. Winging It is distributed to more than 18,000 birders across the nation.
NAWCA Small Grant Deadline Just Around the Corner
Applications for the North American Wetlands Conservation Act Small Grants are due to the USFWS Division of Bird Habitat Conservation November 28, 2003. The grants award up to $50,000 in matching funds for projects that promote conservation of North American wetlands, migratory birds and other wildlife that depend on them. Applying for a Small Grant is a great way for conservation partnerships to get their feet wet creating projects for a NAWCA Standard Grant. Read about the PLJV's latest NAWCA Small Grant project.
Playa Lakes may be the best wetlands to see birds in the Great Plains, yet most birders aren't even aware that they exist. Well, not for long. The lead article in the August 2003 issue of the American Birding Association's Winging It newsletter exposes playa lakes as the great birding sites that they are, and focuses on playas in the Oklahoma panhandle. Winging It is distributed to more than 18,000 birders across the nation.
NAWCA Small Grant Deadline Just Around the Corner
Applications for the North American Wetlands Conservation Act Small Grants are due to the USFWS Division of Bird Habitat Conservation November 28, 2003. The grants award up to $50,000 in matching funds for projects that promote conservation of North American wetlands, migratory birds and other wildlife that depend on them. Applying for a Small Grant is a great way for conservation partnerships to get their feet wet creating projects for a NAWCA Standard Grant. Read about the PLJV's latest NAWCA Small Grant project.