The TWRA Region 3 Crossville Office Meeting has been moved up to 6 p.m. on 2 Aug (Tuesday). Information that was provided to Wallace Coffey by TWRA has just been updated. Sorry for any inconvenience. We hope to see you there. Mike Michael Roedel, State Ornithologist Nashville, Tennessee >>> "Wallace Coffey" 7/18/2005 14:12:02 >>> In recent years, Congress has appropriated new funding to the states to address issues facing many nongame species. Tennessee is in the process of meeting the planning requirements for funds. As part of that effort, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) will hold a series of public meetings across the state. Birders are encouraged to attend a meeting near you and become informed and involved. Now is the time! The first meeting is this Thursday at Knoxville. This is important funding which will include birds. The Tennessee Ornithological Society is a partner in this process with the state. As a requirement to the new funding, Congress has asked the states to develop a Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy (CWCS) identifying species of greatest conservation need, their habitats, problems they face, conservation actions and monitoring. The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) and its conservation partners are working on a draft of the CWCS. Details of the planning process and information in DRAFT form, can be found on TWRA's website, www.tnwildlife.org or www.state.tn.us/twra/nongmain.html. Draft chapters will be posted on the website as they become available. Public meetings are scheduled for: 21 July (Thursday) 7 p.m. -- Knoxville, University of Tennessee Agriculture Campus, Plant and Soil Science Bldg. Auditorium. 26 July (Tuesday) 7 p.m. -- Nashville, TWRA Region 2 Office, TWRA Meeting Room. 28 July (Thursday) 7 p.m. -- Jackson, University of Tennessee Agriculture Experimental Station Auditorium. 2 Aug (Tuesday) 7 p.m. -- Crossville, TWRA Region 3 Crossville Office, Conference Room. Tennessee is home to a wide array of wildlife species. Several are game or sportfish species, but most are not. Approximately 90% of Tennessee's wildlife are nongame species. Many of the same problems facing game species, such as habitat loss or water quality, also affect nongame species. Let's go birding..... Wallace Coffey Bristol, TN