State of the Birds Report Reveals Widespread Losses

Posted on October 14, 2022 by admin
October 12, 2022 American Bird Conservancy

A newly released State of the Birds report for the United States reveals a tale of two trends, one hopeful, one dire. Long-term trends of waterfowl show strong increases where investments in wetland conservation have improved conditions for birds and people. But data show birds in the U.S. are declining overall in every other habitat — forests, grasslands, deserts, and oceans.  

Published by 33 leading science and conservation organizations and agencies, the 2022 U.S. State of the Birds report is the first comprehensive look at the nation’s birds since a landmark 2019 study showed the loss of nearly 3 billion birds in the U.S. and Canada in 50 years.   Findings included in the 2022 State of the Birds report: More than half of U.S. bird species are declining.  U.S. grassland birds are among the fastest declining with a 34 percent loss since 1970. Waterbirds and ducks in the U.S. have increased by 18 percent and 34 percent, respectively, during the same period.

Seventy newly identified Tipping Point species have each lost 50 percent or more of their populations in the past 50 years, and are on a track to lose another half in the next 50 years if nothing changes. These species, none of which are currently listed under the Federal Endangered Species Act, include beloved gems such as the Rufous Hummingbird, songsters such as the Golden-winged Warbler, and oceanic travelers such as the Black-footed Albatross. Hawai‘i’s ten most endangered species are collectively represented by fewer than 5,500 individual birds.

The report advises that meeting declining birds’ tremendous needs will require a strategic combination of partnerships, incentives, science-based solutions, and the will to dramatically scale up conservation efforts. In a companion document, there are three key conservation policy priorities listed to help Tipping Point species recover.   “Everyone can make a difference to help turn declines around,” said Michael J. Parr, President of American Bird Conservancy (ABC). “Everyone with a window can use simple solutions to prevent collisions. Everyone can help green their neighborhood and avoid using pesticides that harm birds. Everyone who lives in a neighborhood can bring the issues and solutions to their community and use their voice to take action.”  

Decisive and collaborative action is particularly needed in the case of Critically Endangered Hawaiian forest birds, of which several are at risk of going extinct within the next few years. Their biggest threat is avian malaria, carried by invasive mosquitos brought to the islands by humans.    “Building upon successes in human health, there is hope and the opportunity to use naturally occurring bacteria to reduce mosquito populations, break the disease cycle, and allow the forest birds to thrive,” said Chris Farmer, Hawai‘i Program Director at ABC. “The Birds, Not Mosquitoes partnership is dedicated to developing and implementing this technique to save our remaining forest birds.”  

The State of the Birds report used five sources of data, including the North American Breeding Bird Survey and Christmas Bird Count, to track the health of breeding birds in habitats across the U.S.   “From grassland birds to seabirds to Hawaiian birds, we continue to see that nearly all groups of birds and types of bird habitat have declined significantly,” said Martha Williams, Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). “The one group that is seeing an increase in population size is wetland-dependent birds, including waterfowl.”    

“While a majority of bird species are declining, many waterbird populations remain healthy, thanks to decades of collaborative investments from hunters, landowners, state and federal agencies, and corporations,” said Dr. Karen Waldrop, Chief Conservation Officer for Ducks Unlimited. “This is good news not only for birds, but for the thousands of other species that rely on wetlands, and the communities that benefit from groundwater recharge, carbon sequestration, and flood protection.”  

The report suggests that applying that winning formula in more habitats will help birds and natural resources rebound.    “The North American Waterfowl Management Plan, Federal Duck Stamp Program, grants from the North American Wetlands Conservation Act, and regional Joint Ventures partnerships are all part of a framework that has a proven track record with restoring and protecting wetland-dependent species,” said Williams of the FWS. “Now we want to use that precedent to work with our partners to restore bird populations, conserve habitat, and build a foundation for how we respond to the loss of other bird groups.”    

Data show that the biggest population declines are among shorebirds, down by 33 percent since 1970, and grassland birds, down by 34 percent. Conservation must be stepped up to reverse these losses. Everyone can play a role in saving these species by making their voices heard in support of bird-saving legislation.    “Urgent action and funds are needed to halt biodiversity loss in the U.S.,” said Jennifer Cipolletti, Director of Conservation Advocacy at ABC. “Federal funding sources such as the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act, the Inflation Reduction Act, and the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act can help fill the massive gap in funding for conservation programs managed by states, territories, and tribes. Migratory Bird Joint Ventures can play a vital role as the nexus among these organizations, bringing partners together to facilitate effective delivery of these funds for the greatest conservation success.”  

Recognizing the need to work at bigger, faster scales, 200 organizations from across seven sectors in Mexico, Canada, the U.S., and Indigenous Nations are also collaborating on a Central Grasslands Roadmap to conserve one of North America’s largest and most vital ecosystems — grasslands, which span hundreds of million acres.   “People have changed our grassland landscape and people are key to its future,” said Tammy VerCauteren, Executive Director of the Bird Conservancy of the Rockies and a representative of the Central Grasslands Roadmap partnership. “Collectively, we are working to make a movement to save our grasslands and the people and wildlife that depend upon them. Together we can ensure Tribal sovereignty, private property rights, food security, resilient landscapes, and thriving wildlife populations.” 

Given widespread declines in bird populations, the report emphasizes the need for proactive conservation across habitats and species.   “Despite best hopes and efforts, 70 Tipping Point bird species have a half life of just 50 years — meaning they will lose half their already dwindling populations in the next 50 years unless we take action,” said Dr. Peter Marra, Director of The Earth Commons — Georgetown University’s Institute for Environment & Sustainability. “What we’ve outlined in this State of the Birds is a recipe for how conservation biologists can work with communities and use surgical precision to solve environmental problems — blending new technology and data to pinpoint the cause of losses and to reverse declines while we still have the best chance — now, before more birds plummet to Endangered.”   The 2022 U.S. State of the Birds report was produced by a consortium of government agencies, private organizations, and bird initiatives led by NABCI (North American Bird Conservation Initiative). Read the report at StateoftheBirds.org.    ###

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Fergus Falls, MN First Prairie City USA

Posted on October 6, 2022 by admin

Contact: Dane Huinker: DHuinker@WildlifeForever.org, October 6, 2022

White Bear Lake, MN – Wildlife Forever is proud to certify Fergus Falls, MN as the first Prairie City USA community in the country. Friday, September 30th, marked the occasion with a dedication ceremony at Spies Riverfront Park in downtown Fergus Falls. Mayor Ben Schierer received the recognition on behalf of the community’s efforts to convert and restore 30 acres of prairie habitat within city limits.

Prairie City USA works to engage and certify communities for their model conservation program; restoring ecological function to the landscape and beautifying urban and rural cities. As a certified Prairie City, municipalities adopt and implement best practices to enhance pollinator habitat, carbon sequestration, erosion control, and water quality. Working to integrate native prairie and local ecotype landscapes, Prairie City certification starts with civic leadership and a commitment to conservation.

“I am thrilled that Fergus Falls is an official Prairie City USA community. Making the commitment to enhance our natural areas and investing in nature-based infrastructure will help our community thrive, creating a more sustainable place to live and work,” said Mayor Ben Schierer.

Through a 5-step application, communities can initiate the process toward certification which varies, based on an acreage commitment to convert green space to prairie and pollinator habitat. A long-term management plan is provided upon certification to aid in sustaining the quality of the restoration sites over time.

“Congratulations to the people of Fergus Falls and to the numerous partners that made this designation possible. Through civic leadership and restoration funds from the Outdoor Heritage Fund, Fergus Falls has created urban wildlife corridors and new opportunities for the community to expand prairie conservation,” said Pat Conzemius, President and CEO of Wildlife Forever.

About Prairie City USA: The mission is to build stronger communities through integrated prairie habitats, conservation best practices, and civic leadership. Developed in partnership with the United Prairie Foundation, Prairie City USA engages local governments to adopt and integrate prairie restorations on underutilized green spaces and community areas that encourage public awareness and education.

About Wildlife Forever: Our mission is to conserve America’s outdoor heritage through conservation education, preservation of habitat and management of fish and wildlife. Wildlife Forever is a 501c3 non-profit organization dedicated to investing resources on the ground. Recent audits reveal that 96 percent of every dollar supports our award-winning conservation programs. Become a member and learn more about the Art of Conservation® Fish Art Contest™ and Songbird Art Contest™, Clean Drain Dry Initiative™ and Prairie City USA® at www.WildlifeForever.org.

 Building Stronger Communities Through Nature Based Solutions™

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Majority of Americans Support RAWA

Posted on September 15, 2022 by admin
  September 15, 2022 by Responsive Management
A new survey conducted by Responsive Management finds that 70 percent of Americans support the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act, pending federal legislation that would allocate an additional $1.4 billion in annual funding to state agencies and tribal land managers for wildlife conservation.   State-level wildlife conservation efforts in the United States have historically been funded largely by hunters and recreational shooters through an excise tax on their purchases of firearms, pistols, and ammunition. This funding mechanism was created in 1937 through the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act (often referred to as the “Pittman-Robertson Act” for the legislators who sponsored it). Because Pittman-Robertson funding comes mostly from sportsmen and women, it has generally been used by state fish and wildlife agencies to manage game species. For instance, Pittman-Robertson excise tax revenues have helped to fund the recovery of white-tailed deer, Rocky Mountain elk, wild turkey, and many other iconic North American game animals.   While the Pittman-Robertson system has been a major success for almost a century, more than 12,000 wildlife species—including threatened and endangered species and other animals—remain in need of conservation and restoration. The Recovering America’s Wildlife Act (commonly known as “RAWA”) is designed to address these needs and strengthen the current wildlife conservation funding model by redirecting $1.4 billion to state fish and wildlife agencies and tribal wildlife managers for the conservation and restoration of wildlife and plant species of greatest conservation need.   In a time of stark political polarization, RAWA appears to be one of the few causes able to unite both Democrats and Republicans: the bill passed the U.S. House of Representatives with bipartisan support in June and has been introduced in the U.S. Senate, where it is expected to be voted on this month.   The survey conducted by Responsive Management marks one of the first major assessments of public opinion on RAWA. In the survey, respondents were first read a description of the legislation that explained the purpose of the bill and the funding source; they were then asked whether they supported or opposed the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act. A total of 70 percent of adult U.S. residents expressed support for RAWA (including 42 percent who indicated strong support), compared to only 5 percent who oppose the measure.   Reflecting the bipartisan support for the bill in the House, the survey found strong support for RAWA across the political spectrum, with majorities of Democrats (82 percent), Republicans (64 percent), and independents (64 percent) supporting the legislation. 
Furthermore, the survey identified majority support for RAWA among every major demographic group examined in the research, including males and females; younger, middle-aged, and older residents; those of higher and lower education levels; those in urban, suburban, and rural areas; and numerous categories of outdoor recreationists. It also was supported by diverse outdoor recreationists including 80% of wildlife viewers, 78% of anglers, 77% of birdwatchers, and 70% of hunters.   “I was initially surprised at how high the support for RAWA was in the survey,” said Responsive Management Executive Director Mark Damian Duda. “But the truth is that, over three decades of survey research, we’ve seen that Americans consistently back conservation issues. In fact, in the last several elections, upwards of 75 percent of the ballot measures on wildlife, habitat, and green issues around the country pass. When these issues are presented directly to the people, Americans tend to vote consistently in favor of conservation.” 
“Something we understand well as wildlife managers and representatives of state agencies is that wildlife conservation transcends party politics, and this polling demonstrates that,” said Ron Regan, Executive Director of the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies. “The Recovering America’s Wildlife Act is the single most impactful wildlife conservation bill in a generation.” 
The scientific, probability-based survey was conducted August 25-28 and entailed a random sample of 1,002 United States residents ages 18 and older. The survey was fielded through a combination of telephone (including landline and cellular numbers) and online interviews. (The use of supplemental online interviews allowed for greater representation of younger residents, as research indicates that younger people are less likely to complete a telephone survey than they are to complete a survey online.) For the entire sample of adult U.S. residents, the sampling error is at most plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.
For questions about the survey results, please contact Responsive Management Executive Director Mark Damian Duda at mark@responsivemanagement.com. 
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Steve Williams Announces Retirement From WMI

Posted on August 22, 2022 by admin

August 15, 2022

After 18 years as the President of the Wildlife Management Institute, Steve Williams is announcing that he has decided to retire from the organization on March 31, 2023. The WMI Board of Directors will be searching for a new WMI President starting this fall with an anticipated selection being made on or before February 2023. A position announcement will be circulated prior to the AFWA meeting in September. Following is a statement from Williams about his retirement.

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Howard Vincent Announces 2023 Retirement

Posted on March 31, 2022 by admin


National Board of Directors has hired Cohen Taylor to lead Executive Search

St. Paul, Minn. – March 31, 2022 – Howard Vincent, Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever’s president & CEO since 2000, has announced plans to retire following National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic 2023 next February. The organization’s national board of directors has enlisted the services of Cohen Taylor to lead the nationwide application and interview process. 

Vincent joined the organization as a volunteer in 1984, only two years after the organization’s creation in 1982.  He was hired as a full-time employee in 1987 as the organization’s first director of finance. In 2000, Vincent succeeded Jeff Finden to become the second person to lead the non-profit conservation organization during its 40-year history. 

“I’m extremely proud of the team we have in place to deliver this organization’s habitat mission,” Vincent said. “We produced more acres of habitat and generated more dollars for conservation in 2021 than any other year in our history, and we’re going to break those records in 2022. That’s a credit to every one of our employees, our national board of directors, this organization’s dedicated volunteers, and our many partners. It’s now time to prepare for the next chapter. ”
 

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