[birdky] Sloughs in the News

From the Saturday Henderson Gleaner



For the birds: Sloughs area recognized by National Audubon Society
By Gleaner staff
May 27, 2006

The home of one of Kentucky's largest Great Blue Heron rookeries as well as the winter destination of thousands of ducks and geese is about to be named the state's first Important Bird Area.

"This will just increase recognition to this area and what is ongoing," said Mike Morton, manager of the Sloughs Wildlife Management Area, which is located primarily in the Geneva, Smith Mills and Uniontown bottoms. "This is a trophy for an area to be even nominated nationally."

The designation, which will lead to additional conservation efforts to protect the sites, will be officially announced at 10:30 a.m. June 9 at the Wildlife Management Area's Hardy Slough on Kentucky 268 three miles northwest of Geneva, a press release from the Kentucky Audubon Council said.
The sloughs' series of tracts totaling 10,000 acres was originally wetlands that were converted to agricultural use and then restored as nearly as possible to their original form. The sloughs are also home to one of the most prolific Bald Eagle nests east of the Mississippi, the press release said.

The Important Bird Area program is under the auspices of the National Audubon Society and BirdLife International. The program is a global effort that has identified 7,500 sites in nearly 170 countries as Important Bird Areas because they are critical to birds in some stage of life, including migrating, wintering, feeding and breeding.

The public is invited to the June 9 event.





Charlie

Henderson Co.

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