Action Alert – Sage Grouse Rider Threatens Conservation Effort
Congress is now considering a rider to suspend the ESA for a decade, and to prevent the implementation of new grouse conservation plans. Please send a letter to your elected officials today, urging they stand up for the Endangered Species Act and science-based management plans, and oppose further delays in the conservation of Greater Sage-Grouse. Without these BLM and Forest Service management plans, the Greater Sage-Grouse have little chance of long-term recovery because sagebrush habitat would continue to be lost, and an ESA listing would likely be warranted. Please write today.
https://secure2.convio.net/abcb/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=187
Action Alert – Legislation to Conserve Migratory Birds
The Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act (NMBCA): It has supported 451 conservation projects on more than 3.7 million acres of critical bird habitat, resulting in crucial progress for birds like the Canada Warbler (shown) and rapidly declining species such as the Cerulean Warbler, Long-billed Curlew, and Red Knot. This is the track record of the NMBCA. But Congress is now deciding whether or not to continue to fund this important program. Congressman Ron Kind (WI-3) and Congressman Rob Wittman (VA-1) have introduced legislation in the House of Representatives, H.R. 2957, to reauthorize the NMBCA until 2020. Senator Ben Cardin (MD) has introduced a companion bill, S. 520, in the Senate.
Please act today to ensure the NMBCA is able to continue important work for birds. Tell your Representative and Senators: Let’s build on this conservation success by reauthorizing the NMBCA!
https://secure2.convio.net/abcb/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=215
ABC Updates
Bald and Golden Eagles Victorious: Court Invalidates 30-Year “Eagle Take” Rule
The decision is available here: http://abcbirds.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/30-year-Eagle-Permit-Ruling.pdf.
http://abcbirds.org/article/bald-golden-eagles-victorious-court-invalidates-30-year-eagle-take-rule/
What’s Next for Eagles? Behind the Court Ruling by ABC staff
Bird Conservation: Hawaii http://abcbirds.org/results/publications/
Bird Calls: ABC Blog – Perspectives on Bird Conservation http://abcbirds.org/birdcalls/
Efforts to Save Rare Honduran Hummingbird Result in New Reserve, Conservation Partnerships with Ranchers http://abcbirds.org/article/efforts-to-save-rare-honduran-hummingbird-result-in-new-reserve-conservation-partnerships-with-ranchers
News Briefs and Resources
Poll: Public Strongly Supports Endangered Species Act
http://earthjustice.org/sites/default/files/files/PollingMemoNationalESASurvey.pdf
Feds elevate their fight against bird-killing mine markers http://www.reviewjournal.com/news/nevada/feds-elevate-their-fight-against-bird-killing-mine-markers
Letter to the Editor: BLM Director Kornze on Sage Grouse Plans http://www.stgeorgeutah.com/news/archive/2015/08/24/letter-to-the-editor-blm-director-kornze-counters-opinion-of-mining-association-blms-epic-land-grab/#.VdyXlSVVhHw
Sage Grouse Won’t Cross Power Lines to Mingle
A new University of Washington study is the first to show that power-line corridors get in the way as sage grouse move across the landscape for food and breeding. Specifically, the transmission lines that funnel power from hydroelectric dams and wind turbines across Eastern Washington State affect greater sage grouse habitat by isolating fragile populations and limiting movement. http://www.futurity.org/sage-grouse-power-lines-988102-2/
NRCS Announces Sage Grouse Initiative to Continue – Promises $211 Million Through 2018
American Bird Conservancy commends the continuing commitment to Greater Sage-Grouse conservation on the part of the Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Obama administration. Conservation easements for 320,000 acres of priority habitat at risk of development are a wise investment, as is the continuing outreach to landowners by program partners. Seehttp://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/national/programs/initiatives/?cid=STELDEVB1027671 for more.
Grasslands protocol opens another carbon market for farmers
By Robert Parkhurst | Published: August 10, 2015
Missouri Bird Conservation Initiative Newsletter, August 2015
https://mobci.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/missouri-bird-conservation-newsletter-2015-v4.pdf
Living Bird: Raptors and Rat Poison http://www.raptorsarethesolution.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Living-Bird-2015RaptorsAndRatPoison.pdf
Live-Streaming Views of Wild Condor Nests Connect People to Rare Species
You now have the unprecedented opportunity to observe nesting California Condors and their young chicks in real time via live-streaming webcams near the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Hopper Mountain National Wildlife Refuge in southern California and at the Ventana Wildlife Society’s Condor Sanctuary in Big Sur along the central California coast.
Deer hunters asked to consider copper vs. lead, St. Cloud Times | 08/24/15
