Crucial Bird Conservation Programs Slashed By House

In a move attacked by bird conservation groups as "one of the most regressive wildlife appropriations" ever, crucial conservation programs were slashed by 50% of FY 2012 funding levels in a funding bill approved by the House Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee for Fiscal Year 2013. The Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act (NMBCA) - a major source of funding for conservation programs that benefit migratory birds -was also cut in half.

Also sliced in half were funding for State Wildlife Grants, the nation's core program for preventing birds and wildlife from becoming endangered in addition to supporting strategic conservation investments in every state and territory, and the North American Wetlands Conservation Act, which provides funding for conservation projects that benefit wetland birds.

"I think this is a serious setback on the threat-to-wildlife scale," said Darin Schroeder, Vice President for Conservation Advocacy for American Bird Conservancy. "Of course we are in tough economic times, but the answer certainly isn't to slash and burn conservation programs! Wildlife related activities such as birdwatching pump billions of dollars into the economy every year. If wildlife conservation programs are gutted and wildlife populations shrink, local economies will suffer. There's no doubt that funding for these wildlife bills are both effective and essential."

For example, NMBCA is the only federal U.S. grants program specifically dedicated to the conservation of migrant birds throughout the Americas. NMBCA has a proven track record of success, having supported 367 projects in 48 U.S. states and territories and 35 other countries since its inception in 2002. NMBCA grants totaling more than $39 million have leveraged $152 million in matching funds, a partner to grant dollar match of nearly 4:1. To date, more than 3 million acres of migratory bird habitat have been positively affected. Advances in conservation for many declining species, such as the Baltimore Oriole, Scarlet Tanager and Cerulean Warbler, owe much to the NMBCA.

The NMBCA grant program has also been a catalyst for bird conservation and partnership development throughout the Western Hemisphere, actively promoting the long-term conservation of migratory birds and their habitats.

NMBCA projects focus on priority areas and threats to migratory birds, funding activities that will protect habitat and energize local conservation initiatives. For example, the conversion of grassland habitat to agriculture is a major reason the number of grassland birds such as the Long-billed Curlew, is rapidly declining. Consequently, the conservation of this important ecosystem throughout the hemisphere is a high priority for the NMBCA grant program, which has supported two large-scale conservation efforts aimed at conserving grassland habitats.

The bill will now move to the full House Appropriations Committee for consideration.

Digitizing the Outdoors: Can Gaming be the Gateway to Nature?

By Danielle Moodie-Mills

National Wildlife Federation

 

More and more kids are using mobile devices. By 'digitizing the outdoors,' it may be possible to harness that trend and connect more people to nature.

Children today are spending alarming amounts of their time indoors and in front of screens—7.5 hours per day on electronic devices.

Research suggests that ADHD and other behavioral issues are lessened when children spend time in the outdoors. Most notably, Richard Louv, author of The Last Child in the Woodsand architect of the term Nature Deficit Disorder has argued that "an environment-based education movement–at all levels of education–will help students realize that school isn't supposed to be a polite form of incarceration, but a portal to the wider world."

One complaint from children, however, is the outdoors are "boring," which is a far cry from it being a "portal to the wider world." As a kid I used the outdoors as a way to get away from the trappings of schoolwork and housework. Unlike kids today, I used the outdoors as my outlet–instead of using an electric outlet as my escape.

It's possible however, that I am aging and just can't understand what the "kids are into these days." But if the rise in childhood obesity, ADHD, and other health issues are any indicators of the 21^st century childhood realities—I'll hold tight to my fort-building, Red Rover, hide-and-go-seek 20^th century kid fun!

Is it possible though that kids today don't have to choose between the delight of a swinging screen door to the outdoors and the allure of the digital screen? Can we find a way to meld these two dichotomous worlds? Recently, the Obama Administration followed the lead of the Bipartisan Policy Center and held an event on how we can combine 20th century outdoor ideals with the new 21st century electronic leisure time.

Earlier this month the White House's Office of Science and Technology Policy held a briefing entitled Outdoor Mobile Games and Public Lands. The room was filled with an usual set: gaming experts and environmentalists. Generally, these two groups have been at odds (or at least haven't worked closely together very often), with many environmentalists blaming the gaming industry for the uptick in the sedentary indoor child trend. But if we are to really understand the 21st century childhood–game designers are the experts to court.

Both groups discussed the need for collaboration. "Games could help turn a regular park into a storybook" said one game aficionado. It can't be negated that the popularity of the Olympic National Forest went through the roof once the movie Twilight was released–that's the power of media, and arguably the power of games. Several agencies across the US government currently fund game development and research programs, but there has been little coordinated effort to target games that get kids to public lands. Seventy-one percent of tweens (kids ages 12-14) play games on a mobile device and that number is only growing.

Digitizing the outdoors is a new trend that's gaining traction even at the nation's largest conservation organization. The National Wildlife Federation has entered into the electronic market with several offerings for virtual exploration into nature using the iPad as well as their geo-caching "nature treasure hunt," a Nature Find website and digitizing their famous Ranger Rick magazine among other electronic advancements.

If we could entice these tech savvy kids with the natural world through games, not only could we begin to reverse the sedentary indoor childhood trend, but build conservation stewards of tomorrow—one click at a time.

Do you think digitizing the outdoors is a good thing? Tell us what you think. Let us know at info@kswildlife.org.

 

Danielle Moodie-Mills joined the NWF team in 2010 as Senior Manager for Environmental Education Campaigns. From the classroom to Capitol Hill, Danielle has taught her students and advocated for the use of the environment in education as an integrating tool. "We don't live in silos, so why should children learn that way?"

5 Reasons to Enter this Year's NWF Photo Contest

There are only two weeks left in the 42nd annual National Wildlife Photo Contest.  Enter your photos today before it's too late!

Need convincing?  Here are five excellent reasons to enter today:

You could win thousands of dollars in cash and other prizes — including the $5,000 Grand Prize!

You can showcase your talent by sharing your photos online with family and friends and encouraging them to vote for you to win the coveted People's Choice Award.

You can gain exposure for your photography. National Wildlife Federation has a large network of supporters.  By participating in our contest, your photos could be seen by thousands of people across the country.

Your photo could appear in our award-winning magazine, National Wildlife®, alongside photos taken by the world's top professional photographers!

Your $20 entry fee goes to a good cause – as a donation that supports National Wildlife Federation's work protecting America's treasured wildlife.

It's fun taking photos, and it's never been easier to enter our photo contest. So hurry, enter today before the July 16th deadline!

Hunters Needed for Manhattan-area Youth/Handicap Deer Hunt

Application deadline Aug. 1

The 10th Annual Youth/Handicap Assisted Deer Hunt is just three months away, and now is the time to sign up. The Riley County Fish and Game Association; Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism; and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Tuttle Creek Reservoir are seeking participants for the hunt, to be held Sept. 8 and 9.

Kansas youth 11 through 16 years old and Kansas residents with a certified disability are eligible to participate in this hunt. Participants will need a Kansas hunting license, a deer permit, and, if required by Kansas law, to take or have taken an approved hunter education course. Sponsoring agencies and associations can provide assistance meeting these requirements, including scholarships to help purchase licenses and permits. Rifles and/or ammunition can be provided, as well.

Each hunt participant will be paired with an experienced hunter who will serve as guide. Arrangements have been made with area lockers, where basic processing of harvested deer will be handled free of charge. Other items provided for this hunt include accessible hunting blinds, access to hunting property, hunter orange hats and vests, and transportation to the field.

Hunt participants will also be required to attend a firearm safety presentation and sight-in at the Fancy Creek Shooting Range at 4 p.m. on Sunday afternoon, Aug. 19.

Other groups and organizations contributing to this hunt include the Friends of Fancy Creek Range, Kansas City Chapter of Safari Club International, Kansas State Rifle Association, and the Tuttle Creek Lake Association.

For more information or an application, phone Steve Prockish at the Tuttle Creek Lake Corps of Engineers Office, 785-539-8511, ext. 3167, or emailstephen.e.prockish@usace.army.mil. Applications will be accepted thru Aug. 1.

Nature Centers Enhance Outdoor Experiences

Dioramas, wildlife displays, educational events lure outdoor enthusiasts

The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) operates five nature centers across the state, each offering great outdoor education experiences for visitors of all ages. On your next outdoor outing, take advantage of one of these or other nature centers. Information on KDWPT nature centers may be found online at ksoutdoors.com, and those operated by other entities may be found at naturalkansas.org, including center details, events, and other wildlife links.

Learn more about the wildlife and ecology of outdoor Kansas, and enjoy the next camping, hunting, fishing, or birdwatching trip all the more, buy visiting a KDWPT nature center this spring or summer.

Great Plains Nature Center — 6232 E 29th Street North, Wichita, KS 67220, phone 316-683-5499

The Great Plains Nature Center (GPNC) is operated and maintained jointly by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism; and the Wichita Department of Park and Recreation. All three entities share the common goal of providing recreational, interpretive, and environmental education opportunities to the public. This nature center is an exciting place to learn about natural resources, especially the wildlife and habitats of the Great Plains.

Nature-related programs are offered quarterly. These are advertised on the nature center's website, www.gpnc.org, and in the newsletter Prairie Reflections.

GPNC's biggest event of the year takes place the second Saturday in June. Walk With Wildlife, entering its third decade, provides a glimpse of native Kansas wildlife to approximately 1,500 visitors annually and includes a fishing clinic for kids 12 and younger.

Other opportunities include wildlife programs, field trips, discovery boxes, adult workshops, junior naturalist classes, scout programs, and nature hikes.

Kansas Wetlands Education Center — 592 NE K-156 Highway, Great Bend, KS67530, phone 620-786-7456 or 1-877-243-9268

Operated by Fort Hays State University as an annex of the college's Sternberg Museumon KDWPT land, the Kansas Wetlands Education Center (KWEC) includes a 2,000 square-foot exhibit gallery, classroom, auditorium, and gift store. A handicapped-accessible ½-mile nature trail displays grasslands, marshes, and woodlands. A vast expanse of windows allows visitors to comfortably view wildlife on the wetland.

From a spiny soft-shell turtle to grasshopper mice, visitors can view some of the lesser known inhabitants of Cheyenne Bottoms in the KWEC classroom. Children can discover the feel of animal furs, snake skins, and feathers; match animals to their tracks; and make their own track stencil or rubbing.

Combine a visit with a drive through the 19,857-acre Cheyenne Bottoms Wildlife Area and The Nature Conservancy's 7,600-acre reserve. The largest interior wetland in the United States, Cheyenne Bottoms is one of only 22 U.S. "Wetlands of International Importance," where more than 330 bird species have been observed.

Milford Nature Center — 3415 Hatchery Dr., Junction City, KS 66441, phone 785-238-5323

Located near beautiful Milford Reservoir in the Flint Hills, the Milford Nature Centeroffers visitors a better understanding of the natural communities of Kansas. Visitors can see and touch native animal furs, print their own animals tracks, and use their sense of touch to identify natural mystery items. Dioramas line the halls, depicting an aquatic system with more than 300 life-like fish, turtles, snakes, and insects and a terrestrial system showcasing wildlife from the prairies, marshes, and woods.

Live animal exhibits feature snakes, amphibians, turtles, lizards, prairie dogs, and more. A large bird of prey exhibit outside the building features many native raptors, including both bald eagle and golden eagle. Adjacent to the raptor cages is the bobcat display. Nature trails, a birdwatching wall, and a backyard habitat area can also be enjoyed on the center's grounds. The educational sites housed in these areas demonstrate how to attract birds, butterflies, and other animals to your backyard. The Butterfly House Exhibit is open from late May through early October (weather and butterflies permitting).

The Nature Playground has quickly become a favorite among visitors. This playground gives kids chance to slide through the belly of a snake or jump on the back of a spider. A picnic shelter can be found next to the playground area and is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

The Milford Fish Hatchery is adjacent to the nature center, and visitors are welcome to walk around the outside raceways during their visit. Hatchery tours are offered on weekends at 1 p.m. or by appointment.

Prairie Center — 26235 West 135th Street, Olathe, KS 66061, phone 913-856-7669

Just five minutes from downtown Olathe, the Prairie Center is a 300-acre tallgrass preserve and education site with trails winding through remnant and reestablished prairie and riparian woodlands. Most of the eight ponds on the property serve as intermittent wetlands for wildlife. There is a small lake for fishing and water studies. Visitors can explore a bedrock creek provides for aquatic life and a look back in time through the fossil remains embedded in the limestone creek bed. In mid-summer, native grasses grow taller than a living room ceiling.

The primary goal of the Prairie Center is to serve as a preserve for local flora and fauna. There are no public buildings, and public access is restricted to trails and a few gathering areas. No horses, bicycles, or motorized vehicles are allowed, and dogs must be on leashes. Pit toilets and an archery range are available. The Prairie Center is open to the public from dawn to dusk seven days a week for trail walking or fishing in the lake.

The center also provides educational opportunities for the public. Most of the programs are educator-led, with supplies provided by the Prairie Center. One such opportunity is Stations Programming, where students rotate through 10 stations with specific studies such as mammals, soil, water quality, macro-invertebrate exploration, birds, and reptiles and amphibians. Other educational programming is also available. The center will help tailor a program to fit your needs.

Pratt Education Center — 512 SE 25th Ave., Pratt, KS 67124, phone 620-672-5911

Numerous displays, dioramas, and exhibits provide close encounters with the native birds, fish, mammals, and reptiles of Kansas. The center's winter diorama provides a glimpse at how wildlife deals with the snow and cold of Kansas winters. The grassland display depicts the three grasslands (short, mixed, and tall) of Kansas and wildlife common to each region, as well as a rare black-footed ferret mount. The raptor exhibit features owls, hawks, falcons, and kite mounts. The wetland wall depicts Cheyenne Bottoms, one of the five most important wetlands inNorth America.

The Aquarium Room contains 12 aquaria, ranging from 400 to 600 gallons and displaying fish species native to Kansas or that have been successfully introduced into Kansas. Wall panels feature the early history of the Pratt Hatchery and the catfish rearing program, along with a working model of the hatchery's innovative incubating trough. More than 128 species of birds and their eggs are displayed in the Bird Room. Across from this room, visitors can enjoy duplicating the tracks of Kansas animals using the vinyl replica tracks. Numerous interactive exhibits test knowledge of Kansas wildlife.

Special Hunts Applications go Online July 16

KDWP offers youth, novice hunts of a lifetime; first application deadline Aug. 13

The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism's (KDWPT) Special Hunts Program offers a variety of limited hunts, many designed to introduce youth and novices to hunting in an uncrowded setting with good opportunity for success. The first application period — for special hunts in September and October — is July 16 through Aug. 13, and drawing results will be emailed within a week. A second application period — for November, December, and January hunts — begins July 16 and runs through Oct. 1., with drawing results emailed during the following week. New this year, applicants may apply for both hunt periods beginning July 16, and they will have three choices for each species per draw period.

Most special hunts occur during regular hunting seasons and will be conducted in all regions of the state on both public and private land. Not all special hunts are for youth or older beginning hunters (novices). Some are open to all hunters, and each special hunt targets specific game species, including doves, upland game (pheasant and quail), waterfowl, and deer. Some take place during the special youth/disabled deer season Sept. 8-16, some during the youth pheasant and quail season Nov. 3-4, and others during special youth waterfowl seasons yet to be set.

Specifically, there are three categories of hunts: open, youth, and mentor. Open hunts are available to all hunters, with no age or experience restrictions. Youth hunts may require at least one youth 15 or younger who must be accompanied by an adult 18 or older who may hunt. Some youth hunts may have more specific age requirements, and accompanying adults are not allowed to hunt. Mentor hunts are open to both youth and/or inexperienced hunters who are supervised by a licensed adult 18 or older (mentor) who may hunt. Some hunts require the supervising adult to be 21 years or older.

Many veteran hunters find new satisfaction in serving as mentors, introducing a relative, friend, or neighbor to the wonder of the hunt in a wildlife-rich setting. Parents or grandparents may take children or grandchildren who have never hunted but are now showing an interest, but mentors and novices do not have to be related.

Hunter Education is not required for youth 15 and younger accompanied by an adult 18 or older. However, persons 16 and older who have not hunted before and do not have hunter education must obtain a one-time apprentice hunting license, which exempts them from the hunter education requirement through the calendar year in which it is purchased. All hunters 16 and older need a valid Kansas hunting license.

For more detailed information or to apply, go online to ksoutdoors.com. Click "Hunting/Special Hunts" on or after July 16. Those who do not have computer access may apply by telephone at 620-672-0791.

New Farm Bill

http://www.kansas.com/2012/04/20/2303640/new-farm-bill-should-protect-sensitive.html