[wisb] news from US Fish & Wildlife Service: Nearly 500,000 Acres Enrolled in Cooperative Federal Effort to Protect Birds in Oil Spill Zone
- From: "William Mueller" <iltlawas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: wisbirdn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 28 Oct 2010 18:27:07 -0500
WASHINGTON, Oct. 27, 2010 Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Interior
Secretary Ken Salazar today announced that a coordinated effort with
landowners across eight states to protect and feed birds migrating toward
the Deepwater Horizon/BP oil spill zone in the Gulf of Mexico had more
than tripled expectations, enrolling more than 470,000 acres. Wildlife
experts estimate more than 50 million birds migrate through the
Mississippi, Central, and Eastern Flyways each fall and spring.
"Private landowners play a critically important role in protecting
wildlife every single day, and I am proud that so many landowners in these
eight states stepped up to be a part of this unprecedented effort to
increase migratory bird habitat and protect wildlife from any lingering
effects from the oil spill,Vilsack said. "The outpouring of support for
this effort far exceeded our expectations, and it will have an impact on
countless migratory bird populations for years to come."
The Migratory Bird Habitat Initiative is an unprecedented effort created
by USDAs Natural Resources Conservation Service that began on June 28,
2010, when oil was still spilling from the Deepwater Horizon well. The
initiative mobilized private landowners to help create alternative and
additional habitats to provide healthy food and resting areas for
shorebirds, waterfowl and other birds headed for the Gulf. The initial
goal was to enroll 150,000 acres. After landowners expressed extremely
strong interest in the program, funding was doubled to $40 million
enabling enrollment to reach a total over three times the initial goal.
The Interior Department's U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) has been
conducting similar work primarily on Federal lands adjacent to the spill
impact zone in order to minimize potential bird contact with contaminated
areas and help address long term objectives for habitat conservation along
the entire Gulf Coast. Much of the work has been funded through the
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation's Recovered Oil Fund, as well as
other privately donated funds.
"Providing additional food and nesting opportunities for migrating
waterfowl and songbirds heading south during the fall migration is an
important part of our collective effort to minimize injury to migrating
birds by creating alternative habitats north of the impacted wintering and
stopover habitats along the coast," said Salazar. "Indeed, the Natural
Resources Conservation Service's work is an important complement to the
work the Fish and Wildlife Service is doing to provide alternative
habitats for food and nesting on national wildlife refuges in the middle
and lower Mississippi Valley."
The 470,000 acres under contract with this initiative are within the three
flyways that pass through the Gulf of Mexico. These lands in Alabama,
Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana,
Mississippi, Missouri and Texas are being flooded carefully with varying
water levels and planted with a variety of vegetation to provide food and
habitat for the wide range of bird species that might stop to refuel.
Early feedback from participants indicates that a variety of birds are
using the enhanced habitat, including sandpipers, blue-winged teal,
mottled ducks and many others.
Although the MBHI initiative was initially created in response to the oil
spill, landowners are providing food at a critical time. Current drought
conditions in the Gulf region combined with decades of wetland losses are
resulting in fewer food resources and habitat compared with previous
years. In Louisiana, where the bulk of oil landfall occurred, water
levels in marshes are significantly below average.
Currently, the FWS is calculating the number of oiled acres impacting
available food and habitat for migratory birds as part of the Natural
Resources Damage Assessment process. This is an action taken after every
spill to quantify the environmental damages and the cost to restore
natural resources to pre-spill conditions.
NRCS has started working on a three-year effort with other entities,
including Mississippi State University, to determine the initiative's
effectiveness through monitoring the number and species of birds which
utilize the habitat created. The first progress report will be available
in spring 2011.
The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others
to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats
for the continuing benefit of the American people. Both a leader and
trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, the Fish and Wildlife
Service is known for its scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and
natural resources, dedicated professionals and commitment to public
service. For more information on our work and the people who make it
happen, visit www.fws.gov.
This year represents the 75th year of NRCS helping people help the land.
Since its inception in 1935, the NRCS conservation delivery system has
advanced a unique partnership with state and local governments and private
landowners delivering conservation based on specific, local conservation
needs, while accommodating state and national interests.
William P. Mueller
Conservation Chair - Wisconsin Society for Ornithology (WSO)
Project Coordinator - MCAMMP/The Milwaukee BIOME Project
(414) 698-9108
Milwaukee, WI
E-mail: iltlawas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
On the web: http://home.earthlink.net/~iltlawas/index.html
Blog: http://bluebirdslaugh.blogspot.com
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