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.
Scientists pulled data on bird trends since 1968 and assigned each bird to a general habitat category such as grasslands, forests or wetlands. Birds that were considered obligates of a habitat were also analyzed to indicate how well these habitats were supporting specialized birds. Obligate bird trends were used to give a picture of the overall health of the habitat and the economic benefit that birds were providing to the human occupants of the land.
"Dramatic declines in grassland and aridland birds signal alarming degradation of these often neglected habitats," the report states. This comes as no surprise to the Playa Lakes Joint Venture. Our current planning suggests that there are many grassland species, which are declining within the PLJV boundaries. Even with a significant habitat restoration increase through CRP, burning or tree-cutting we would not be able to reach a goal determined by the Partners in Flight continental plan, without a significant impact on human use areas. This is especially true for central Kansas and central Oklahoma but examples can be found in most of the Southern High Plains.
The report also notes that 47 percent of all upland game birds are species of conservation concern and that four of the six priority upland game birds in the PLJV region have lost at least one-third of their population in the last 40 years.
There are some hopeful notes sounded in the report. Waterfowl populations, on the whole have rebounded from population lows in the 1970s. Much of the success for waterfowl have come from Joint Ventures which have used the Farm Bill and the North American Wetland Conservation Act grants to restore and protect wetlands and surrounding grasslands which waterfowl use for nesting. The Wild Turkey, whose population was reduced to below 30,000 during the Great Depression, has rebounded to over seven million birds. The Bald Eagle once on the federal endangered species list has increased to the point that it was removed from that list during the middle of this decade.
But why should any of us care about healthy habitats and bird populations? The State of the Birds also answers that question. Birds are excellent environmental indicators. "Changes in bird populations are often the first indication of environmental problems. Whether ecosystems are managed for agricultural production, wildlife, water, or tourism, success can be measured by the health of birds. A decline in bird numbers tells us that we are damaging the environment through habitat fragmentation and destruction, pollution and pesticides, introduced species, and many other impacts."
Further, birds have an ecological and economic value through rodent and insect control, plant pollination and seed dispersal. It has been estimated that birds reduce eastern forest pests to the tune of $5,000/acre per year. They eat about 98 percent of over-wintering codling moth larvae, benefiting apple farmers worldwide. Finally, as some of our partners are already know, birds can be big business. Bird hunting can be a mainstay for some rural towns and even bird viewing can bring in thousands of dollars annually to communities, which hold bird festivals or other bird viewing opportunities. That’s one of the reasons for the fledgling Lesser Prairie-chicken Festival in Woodward, Oklahoma coming up this April 17.
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 where they are actively collecting information that can be used to conserve, manage and protect wetlands and other water resources. Currently, the web page includes information about funding available through EPA, Corps, NOAA, FHA and NRCS. For example there is information about the EPA State Revolving Funds and green infrastructure projects. In addition many of the traditional infrastructure projects will increase the permit and permit review workloads for federal agencies.
You are encouraged to forward links to additional information such as requests for proposals, opportunities for employment for wetland and water resource professionals, and other relevant information and we will post it. Please send your recommendations to news@aswm.org.
SCIENCE UPDATE: Birds and Climate Change on the Move
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. Their findings provide new and powerful evidence that global warming is having a serious impact on natural systems. Northward movement was detected among species of every type, including more than 70 percent of highly adaptable forest and feeder birds.
Only grassland species were the exception—with only 38 percent mirroring the northward trend. But far from being good news for species like Eastern Meadowlark and Henslow's Sparrow, this reflects the reality of severely-depleted grassland habitat and suggests that these species now face a double threat from the combined stresses of habitat loss and climate adaptation.
It is the complete picture of widespread movement and the failure of some species to move at all that illustrate the impacts of climate change on birds. These bird species are sending a powerful signal to take policy action to curb climate change and its impacts, and help wildlife and ecosystems adapt to unavoidable habitat changes, even as we work to curb climate change itself.
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. Over the past 100 years, the lesser prairie-chicken has suffered population declines that mirror the loss of prairie itself. Since 1900, populations have become increasingly disconnected due to habitat fragmentation. Wind development and transmission line construction threatens to further increase that fragmentation. Currently, the lesser prairie-chicken is a candidate for listing under the Federal Endangered Species Act. To read more about threats to the lesser prairie-chicken and its dwindling habitat, read an interview with PLJV Conservation Policy Director.
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. The institute will accomplish this through research, mapping, mitigation and public education on best practices in wind farm siting and habitat protection. The American Wind Wildlife Institute (AWWI) will begin with an operating budget of $3 million for its first two years. To carry out its mission, AWWI will focus on conducting research, promoting sustainable development, funding biodiversity protection and educating the public about the interplay between wildlife and wind turbines.
The seven nonprofit founding organizations of AWWI, which have members in all 50 states, represent more than 4.3 million members nationwide. These founding groups include: Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, Environmental Defense Fund, National Audubon Society, Natural Resources Defense Council, The Nature Conservancy, Sierra Club and Union of Concerned Scientists. The remaining 13 founding AWWI members are wind industry businesses, including AES Wind Energy, BP Wind Energy, Babcock & Brown, enXco, Clipper Windpower, E.ON, GE Energy, Horizon Wind Energy, Iberdrola Renewable Energies USA, Nordic Windpower, NRG Systems, Renewable Energy Systems Americas and Vestas Americas.
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.
PROGRAM NEWS: Western Kansas Wetlands Has a Field Day
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.
Several guest speakers provided information about playa lakes and why we need these vital wetlands. Bob Tricks, NRCS, Major Land Resource Area Soils Leader talked about the soils and plants in the playas, and answered many important questions ranging from how playas are formed to why playas are considered to be points of aquifer recharge.
Josh Williams, a Wildlife Biologist with the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks discussed the wildlife aspects of playas and any wetland restoration opportunities other than WRP and CCRP.
Andy Burr, NRCS District Conservationist, discussed the opportunities available for wetland restoration through Wetlands Reserve Program and Continuous Conservation Reserve Program, while Arthur Gomes, KAWS Wetland Coordinator, was on hand to discuss his role in restoring and protecting wetlands in Kansas and how he might be of assistance to local land owners.
KAWS, organized in 1996, reaches a broad spectrum of individuals, groups, and governments to improve the wetlands and streams they own or control. Over its 12-year span, the organization has helped educate thousands of adults and students about the state’s invaluable wetland and stream resources, their condition, and how to protect and improve them. KAWS provides its services through 12 local chapters that cover the entire state.
For more information about KAWS, or their partners, visit www.KAWS.org.Tell a friend about the Playa Post! Anyone can subscribe to our newsletter by sending us an email or by filling out the subscription form on the PLJV web site.
© 2003-2009 Playa Lakes Joint Venture, 103 E. Simpson St., Lafayette, CO 80026