[texbirds] Re: unwelcome news from Laguna Atascosa
- From: wbburkett@xxxxxxx
- To: "josephkennedy36@xxxxxxxxx" <josephkennedy36@xxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 1 Oct 2013 14:41:09 -0400
Joe you may have met some refuge staff who didn't care about their mission but
I haven't. I have met many fine refuge employees who were devoted to their
refuges and the wildlife they are to protect. Some care way too much and some
don't like birders or other visitors who think they know more about refuge
management then the professionals. I admire all the refuge staff who work hard
to manage refuges with declining budgets, crazy politics and complaining
visitors.
Winnie Burkett
Friendswood and the Bolivar Peninsula
On Oct 1, 2013, at 1:26 PM, Joseph Kennedy <josephkennedy36@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> One thing to note is that money is allocated to wildlife refuges based on
> the traffic to the refuges.
> Thus when you sign in at Anahuac or Laguna Atascosa, they get a little bit
> bigger piece of the refuge pie. When you sign in as a birder, birding gets
> a little more of the pie than say fishing in the budget for that refuge.
>
> So closing the main birding areas of the refuge will cut back on funds
> spent for birding as well as cutting back on refuge funds. But then they
> will as friends of for more money to make up what they cut.
>
> Note also that the decisions about the refuge are not made at the refuge
> but are made out of state. At least one of those administrators has never
> been to Texas and would never be "caught dead in that %%&&@*^ place". And
> we are given refuge managers who detest birders as people who interfere
> with the true work of the refuge. Like speeding, overgrazing, buzzing
> rookeries with planes and selling endangered species to the pet trade.
>
>
>
> On Tue, Oct 1, 2013 at 10:08 AM, Clay Taylor
> <Clay.Taylor@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>wrote:
>
>> Paul et al -
>>
>> While I think that your last two sentences certainly have merit, I think
>> that they fail the reality check of these times - if key wildlife viewing
>> areas of NWRs are out of bounds, those NWRs run the risk of becoming "out
>> of sight, out of mind". In these days of government cutbacks and budget
>> fights in Washington, a NWR without public access and support may well lose
>> all funding for habitat management. That would be bad. Heck, they even
>> could get sold off into private hands - that would be worse.
>>
>> My first trip to S TX was in February, 1981, as my buddy and I drove into
>> the parking lot at Laguna Atascosa at about 1am, where we slept in the car
>> until we were awakened by our lifer Great Kiskadees. A much more
>> satisfying wakeup than "cock-a-doodle-doo"! we investigated the area
>> around the car, then started it up and headed for the Wildlife Drive. It
>> was closed for road reconstruction - we were heartbroken. Very
>> reluctantly we pulled out the Lane Guide to see where else we could go
>> birding for the morning, as we had planned to do Laguna until mid-day and
>> then head for Santa Ana. It was 17 years later that I was finally able to
>> tour the Drive.
>>
>>
>> Clay Taylor
>> Swarovski Optik North America, Inc.
>> Naturalist Market Manager
>> 800-426-3089 x2959
>> Cell 401-965-9064
>> Clay.taylor@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>
>> This communication may contain information that is legally privileged,
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>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: texbirds-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:texbirds-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
>> On Behalf Of Paul D. and Georgean Z. Kyle
>> Sent: Monday, September 30, 2013 10:42 PM
>> To: robertjbecker@xxxxxxxxxxxxx; texbirds
>> Subject: [texbirds] Re: unwelcome news from Laguna Atascosa
>>
>> Friends,
>>
>> I generally don't weigh in on this type of discussion, I speak only for
>> myself, and my opinion will likely not sit well with the group, but...
>>
>> I have been totally involved and dedicated to wildlife conservation for
>> more than three decades. I am not a particularly good birder, nor do I
>> chase birds - not that I would not like to if I had the time. However, I
>> do cherish wildlife and the habitat it needs to flourish and all efforts to
>> protect it. I do not personally need to see or experience important bird
>> habitat or any dedicated wildlife area to support it. A National Wildlife
>> Refuge should be just that: a wildlife refuge. Public access should be a
>> secondary consideration at best.
>>
>> Best Regards,
>>
>> Paul Kyle
>>
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>
> --
> Joseph C. Kennedy
> on Buffalo Bayou in West Houston
> Josephkennedy36@xxxxxxxxx
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