Audubon Ohio News - June 2, 2003
- From: "SINGER, Deborah" <DSINGER@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <audubonoh-news@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 3 Jun 2003 09:36:49 -0400
Audubon Ohio News - June 2, 2003
CONTENTS
1. Audubon Ohio Helps Dedicate New Birding Trail in Southern Ohio
2. Progress Reported on Efforts to Protect Hawk Woods
3. Audubon Ohio Invades Washington
4. Black Swamp Bird Observatory Offers Summer Camp
5. Newsletter Changes Coming
1. AUDUBON OHIO HELPS DEDICATE NEW BIRDING TRAIL IN SOUTHERN OHIO
Executive Director Jerry Tinianow represented Audubon Ohio at the =
dedication ceremonies on May 24 for the new Appalachian Discovery =
Birding & Heritage Trail. The dedication ceremony was held at the =
Woodland Alters retreat center near Peebles, In Adams County.
The new Trail runs for approximately 200 miles. It begins at the =
Woodland Mound Boat Ramp on the Ohio River on U.S. 52 in western =
Clermont County, approximately 15 miles east of Cincinnati. The trail =
follows Route 52 along the Ohio River to Shawnee State Park and State =
Forest near Portsmouth, then cuts north and west along S.R.s 125, 41 and =
32 back to suburban Cincinnati. Along the way, birders will visit =
natural areas, trail systems, historic sites and museums in Clermont, =
Brown, Adams and Scioto Counties.
Speaking at the dedication ceremony, Tinianow noted that the creation of =
the Trail was timely, coinciding with the emergence of birding as the =
fastest-growing outdoor leisure activity in the U.S. Tinianow commended =
the Trail organizers on their foresight in positioning their communities =
to benefit from ecotourism spending that will result from the use of the =
Trail. =20
Other speakers at the dedication ceremony included Ohio Senate President =
Doug White, State Rep. Tom Niehaus and Joy Padgett, who directs the =
Governor's Office of Appalachia.
The new Trail was organized in part with support provided by Audubon =
Ohio. For those who may wish to try out the Trail, Audubon Ohio has =
trail brochures available. If you would like a brochure, contact Deb =
Singer in the Audubon Ohio office at 614-224-3303 or at =
dsinger@xxxxxxxxxxxx
2. PROGRESS REPORTED ON EFFORTS TO PROTECT HAWK WOODS
The Columbus Dispatch reported on May 24 that activists seeking to =
protect Hawk Woods, a 106-acre parcel of old-growth forest near Athens, =
have made progress. Under a tentative deal with Dale W. Riddle Forest =
Products, the owner, the parcel would be sold to the City of Athens for =
$550,000, about $80,000 below the market value established in a recent =
appraisal.
With support from Audubon Ohio, activists obtained grants and loans from =
various sources that allowed them to make the $50,000 down payment that =
Riddle required by June 1. Activists are seeking the balance of the =
purchase price from the Clean Ohio Conservation Fund, a state fund =
established by a referendum approved by Ohio voters. Audubon Ohio has =
provided a letter of support for the Clean Ohio grant.
Hawk Woods is a significant remnant of Eastern old growth forest. It is =
home to 200-year-old trees, and remains virtually free of invasive =
species such as the multiflora rose. If the deal is completed, it will =
allow the City of Athens to assemble a parcel totaling 186 acres just =
east of U.S. Route 33 on the City's east side. Activists should know by =
July whether state money will be available to complete the deal.
3. AUDUBON OHIO INVADES WASHINGTON
Ohio Audubon members, not content to leave lobbying to the lobbyists, =
are taking matters into their own hands by traveling to Washington to =
call on members of Ohio's congressional delegation personally.
Delle Nadler, a board member of the Greater Mohican Chapter, recently =
visited the nation's capital to lobby for increases in state wildlife =
grants. She met with Cong. Ralph Regula (Canton), a senior member of =
the House Appropriations Committee, as well as aides to both of Ohio's =
Senators, Mike DeWine and George Voinovich. Sens. DeWine and Voinovich =
are both on record as supporting increases in state wildlife grants. =
Cong. Regula, while more noncommittal, emphasized that he feels that =
wildlife programs should take precedence over recreation programs where =
limited funds must be allocated.
Perhaps inspired by Nadler's example, two other Ohio Auduboners have =
signed up for trips to Washington later this year. Jan Rodenfels of the =
Columbus Audubon Society and Mike McIver of the Greater Cleveland =
Audubon Society will be lobbying in support of Audubon's population =
programs.
Members interested in joining an Audubon-sponsored lobby day in =
Washington should contact Emily Byram, ebyram@xxxxxxxxxxxx
4. BLACK SWAMP BIRD OBSERVATORY OFFERS SUMMER CAMP
As part of a continuing effort to educate Northwest Ohioans about the =
wonders of nature, the Black Swamp Bird Observatory will begin taking =
reservations for it's fourth annual Black Swamp Nature Camp.=20
This week-long day camp targets area middle school students entering =
grades 6 through 8 and offers a week's worth of educational =
opportunities involving daily field trips, fishing and canoeing =
instruction, art projects and games. The focus is on investigating =
different ecosystems and the interactions of local plants and animals =
found in each. All activities will be led by adult instructors, =
including area teachers, biologists and naturalists.=20
This summer's destinations are to include Old Woman Creek National =
Estuarine Research Reserve in Huron, White Star Park in Gibsonburg, =
Kelley's Island State Park in Marblehead, and Maumee Bay State Park in =
Oregon.=20
Dates for this year's Nature Camp are June 23 through June 27, from 8 =
a.m. until 5 p.m. each day. The cost of camp is $75, and includes all =
transportation to the daily field trip sites, an overnighter, arts and =
crafts, six nature field guides, a journal, a camp T-shirt, snacks and =
beverages each day, Thursday's campout dinner, and Friday's breakfast =
and lunch.=20
Camp attendance will be limited to the first 12 paid registrants, and =
the deadline for registration is June 15. Details and an informative =
brochure can be obtained by calling the BSBO office at 419-898-4070.=20
4. NEWSLETTER CHANGES COMING
Audubon Ohio will soon be improving the quality of its electronic =
newsletters and the quantity of its print newsletters.
During the week of June 2 we will be installing a new server in our =
Columbus office. The new server will support, among other things, a new =
bulk e-mail program that will allow us to enhance our electronic =
newsletter by adding graphics and images, and by improving layout. Look =
for these changes later this summer.
Audubon Ohio currently mails out only one hard copy newsletter per year. =
We have recently obtained funding, however, that will allow us to =
produce three eight-page hard copy newsletters per year. These =
newsletters will be published in August, November and February.
We currently have about 350 subscribers to our electronic newsletter. =
That leaves about 19,650 Auduboners in Ohio who receive only the hard =
copy newsletter. We are pleased that we will be able to triple the =
number of such newsletters they receive each year.
We can accommodate far more than 350 subscribers to our electronic =
newsletter. We urge chapter leaders to provide us with e-mail addresses =
for others whom they believe would appreciate receiving the =
e-newsletter. Please forward such addresses to dsinger@xxxxxxxxxxxx
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*******
AudubonOH-NEWS is sent to Audubon chapter leaders, board members, and =
others interested in Audubon activities in Ohio. If you do not wish to =
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of your e-mail, write UNSUBSCRIBE. We can be reached through e-mail at =
ohio@xxxxxxxxxxx, phone at (614) 224-3303, or mail at 692 N High St Ste =
208, Columbus, OH 43215. =20
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