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November 28, 2007
MORE THAN ONE-QUARTER OF UNITED STATES BIRDS NEED URGENT CONSERVATION ACTION
WatchList 2007 Identifies Species at Greatest Risk
WASHINGTON, D.C. NOVEMBER 28, 2007 - One hundred seventy-eight species in the continental U.S. and 39 in Hawaii have the dubious distinction of landing on the newest and most scientifically sound list of America’s most imperiled birds. WatchList 2007, a joint effort of Audubon and American Bird Conservancy, reflects a comprehensive analysis of population size and trends, distribution, and threats for 700 bird species in the U.S. It reveals those in greatest need of immediate conservation help simply to survive amid a convergence of environmental challenges, including habitat loss, invasive species and global warming.
“We call this a ‘WatchList’ but it is really a call to action, because the alternative is to watch these species slip ever closer to oblivion,” said Audubon Bird Conservation Director and co-author of the new list, Greg Butcher. “Agreeing on which species are at the greatest risk is the first step in building the public policies, funding support, innovative conservation initiatives and public commitment needed to save them.”
The new Audubon/American Bird Conservancy WatchList identifies 59 continental and 39 Hawaiian “red list” species of greatest concern, and 119 more in the “yellow” category of seriously declining or rare species. It is based on the latest available research and assessment from the bird conservation community along with data from the Christmas Bird Count and the annual Breeding Bird Survey. The data were analyzed and weighted according to methods developed through extensive peer review and revision, yielding an improved assessment of actual peril that can be used to determine bird conservation priorities and funding.
“Adoption of this list as the ‘industry standard’ will help to ensure that conservation resources are allocated to the most important conservation needs,” said David Pashley, American Bird Conservancy’s Director of Conservation Programs and co-author of the new list. “How quickly and effectively we act to protect and support the species on this list will determine their future; where we’ve taken aggressive action, we’ve seen improvement.”
Despite ongoing challenges and their continued place on the list, the status of some WatchList species is improving, according to the new data, as broader awareness of their plight has spawned effective conservation action. Several species have benefited from federal protection under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and now show stabilizing, or even increasing populations. Lacking an ESA designation or the political support needed to secure strong protective measures, others continue to decline.
“Habitat loss due to development, energy exploration and extraction, and the impact of global warming remain serious threats for the most imperiled species, along with others on both the red and yellow lists,” said Pashley. “Concerted action will be needed to address these threats.”
Listed species may seem unfamiliar to many Americans. Unlike those on Audubon’s recent survey of Common Birds in Decline, the species on WatchList are often rare and limited in range. In combination with population declines and new threats, these factors make many of them acutely vulnerable to extinction.
Among the most imperiled species on the list that regularly breed in the continental U.S. are:
Gunnison Sage-Grouse (not on the ESA list)
This species is restricted to Southwest Colorado and adjacent Utah. Drought, which is predicted to get worse with increased global warming, is among the factors that have reduced the Gunnison Sage-Grouse population to fewer than 5,000; habitat loss and fragmentation and excessive grazing are other threats. Protection and restoration of contiguous tracts of good habitat is critical.
Lesser Prairie-Chicken (not on the ESA list)
Habitat loss and degradation have restricted this species to a number of isolated populations, many of which are on private lands in Kansas, Colorado, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Texas. Small population size, changing habitat resulting from drought, and climate change threaten continued survival.
California Condor (protected by the ESA)
Once reduced to nine individual wild birds, this raptor is slowly recovering, thanks to captive breeding and the release of individuals in California and Arizona. There are now 305 individuals, including 148 free-flying birds. Lead bullets are a critical threat to long-term survival, as fragments poison wild condors that eat the remains of hunters’ kills. Audubon California and American Bird Conservancy have spearheaded recent passage of legislation eliminating lead bullets in the range of the condor in that state.
Whooping Crane (protected by the ESA)
Unregulated shooting and loss of habitat reduced this species to fewer than 20 individuals around the turn of the 20th Century. Implementation of a recovery plan developed under the Endangered Species Act has resulted in more than a 1000% increase in population to over 200 individuals, and has spawned efforts to establish additional wild breeding populations.
Piping Plover (protected by the ESA)
Protection of this shorebird’s beachfront nesting grounds is helping to improve the outlook for this species. Human development along beaches, increased beach recreation, disturbance by pets, and increased predation require constant vigilance. Intensive conservation efforts supported by the Endangered Species Act have helped stabilize populations and allowed populations to increase in some regions of the Atlantic and Gulf coasts.
Black-capped Vireo (protected by the ESA)
Suburban development, agricultural conversion, and fire suppression in Texas and Oklahoma have decreased available breeding habitat, reducing both the range and population size of this species. Increased predation near human development has further decreased populations, as has parasitism from Brown-headed Cowbirds, which lay their eggs in Black-capped Vireo nests, out-competing the vireo chicks. Innovative conservation efforts on public and private lands seem to be helping some populations recover.
Florida Scrub-Jay (protected by the ESA)
Suburban-exurban sprawl and agricultural development have reduced habitat dramatically and isolated many populations. Maintaining natural wildfire regimes will be critical. Although ESA status has increased conservation efforts for this species, it has not been enough to stop loss of habitat.
Golden-cheeked Warbler (protected by the ESA)
Breeding is restricted to the Edwards Plateau in Texas, where suburban sprawl and habitat destruction has greatly reduced population size. Winter habitat loss in southern Mexico and Central America may also be affecting populations. Innovative conservation strategies that protect and restore habitat in both the breeding and wintering grounds are underway and needed.
Kirtland’s Warbler (protected by the ESA)
Dependent on jack pine habitat in northern Michigan, this warbler species has increased more than 600% since the mid-1980s because of management plans implemented under the Endangered Species Act. Singing male counts in the spring have increased from 200 to almost 1,400 (and some singing males are now found in Wisconsin and Ontario). Wild land fire management, control of the parasitic Brown-headed Cowbird, and protection of wintering habitat in the Bahamas remain essential to long-term survival.
Ashy Storm-Petrel (not on the ESA list)
Breeding populations are restricted to islands off the west coast of North America. Non-native nest predators and increased gull populations threaten breeding birds, and ocean pollution and overfishing threaten feeding birds.
Kittlitz’s Murrelet (not on the ESA list)
Breeding and feeding habitat seems to be linked to Alaska’s tidewater glaciers, making this species very susceptible to climate change. Oil spills, coastal pollution, and increased disturbance also threaten this species.
Red-cockaded Woodpecker (protected by ESA)
Habitat loss from logging in the Southeast’s long-leaf pine forests and suburban and agricultural development have isolated populations and greatly reduced overall population size. Protection strategies developed through the Endangered Species Act are helping populations in many places, but restoration of open long-leaf pine forest is desperately needed.
Spectacled Eider (protected by ESA)
Ingestion of lead shot is believed to be a major problem for this species, along with an increase in nest predation by foxes, mink, gulls, and jaegers in a warming Arctic. In addition, changing sea conditions in winter are affecting the distribution of clams - a preferred winter food. Proposed oil development poses an additional and very significant threat.
Reddish Egret (not on the ESA list)
This species forages along the Gulf Coast and is subject to human disturbance at beaches and at nesting sites. It is dependent on high quality coastal habitat for its food. Human coastal development and decreasing water quality are serious threats.
Black Rail (not on the ESA list)
This species makes its home in shallow, grassy wetlands along the Atlantic Coast, San Francisco Bay, southern Great Plains and the Lower Colorado River, habitat that is vulnerable to human conversion to other uses, including agriculture or other development. A secretive bird, it needs further study to increase understanding of its natural history, ecological role and conservation needs.
Buff-breasted Sandpiper (not on the ESA list)
Traveling each fall from Alaska to Argentina, this species is one of our champion long-distance migrants. Along the way, it faces a great variety of threats, from oil development on its Arctic breeding grounds to grassland conversion to soybean fields on its Argentinean wintering grounds. It needs protected grassy stopover sites all along its migration route.
Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow (not on the ESA list)
This tiny bird is restricted to a narrow band of saltmarsh along the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts. It is threatened on one side by human coastal developments and on the other by rising sea levels. With even one foot of sea-level rise from global warming, this species will need a lot of help to maintain sufficient habitat for its survival.
Tricolored Blackbird (not on the ESA list)
A highly social species, this bird is found in freshwater wetlands in the Pacific states, mainly California. With loss of this habitat, this species increasingly relies on agricultural fields for nesting, leaving chicks vulnerable to the harvest of hay and other crops. Audubon California and other conservationists are working with farmers to maintain agricultural nesting habitat long enough each season to allow the blackbirds to successfully raise their young – potentially spelling the difference between survival and extinction for this highly specialized bird.
Yellow Rail (not on the ESA list)
Rails are small, secretive birds that winter in wetlands along the Gulf and Atlantic Coasts. This species prefers to breed in wet grasslands across Canada and the northern tier of states from Minnesota to Maine. These grasslands are easily converted to other uses, so protection of high-quality habitat will be essential for this migratory bird’s survival.
Xantus's Murrelet (not on the ESA list)
This tiny seabird nests on islands off southern California. Conservationists are tackling the major threat on the nesting grounds – non-native predators like rats and mice. Global warming seems to wreak havoc with the water circulation and availability of food sources in the ocean, causing shortages for this and other coastal seabirds.
Conservation action is also needed beyond the mainland. Hawaii has the highest proportion of native species in peril, primarily because of the state’s small land area and wide variety of introduced invasive animal and plant species. In addition, the Hawaiian Islands are particularly vulnerable to global warming. Hawaiian species facing the greatest threats are highlighted in a special section of WatchList.
The combined WatchLists show that imperiled birds – whether on the U.S. mainland or in Hawaii – are vulnerable to many of the same environmental threats, including global warming, habitat loss, pollution, and non-native invasive species. Aggressive conservation action to address these challenges is essential to their survival.
“Everyone, from conservation groups to policy-makers and birdwatchers, needs to take a hard look at these lists and use them to inform and hone our conservation approaches and funding priorities while there’s still time,” says Butcher. “It’s astounding that several are so close to the edge but haven’t even received Endangered Species Act protection—this list is a reminder that we need to act and act now.”
“The WatchList sounds a real warning, but fortunately, when we put our minds and laws to it, as we did with the Bald Eagle, Whooping Crane and California Condor, we can make a difference,” said Pashley.
For the complete 2007 WatchList, and information on how to help imperiled birds, visit www.audubon.org or www.abcbirds.org.
Posted by Jeffrey Hunter at 11:30 AM | Comments (0)
November 24, 2007
Music For The Trail:
Robert Plant and Alison Krauss - Raising Sand
Do you love music? While I'm not a big fan of listening to music while hiking, I know that many folks love to hike with MP3 players. While I may not hike with an MP3 player, music ranks right up their with my love of hiking.
Since moving to the southeast almost 5 years ago, I have really developed a keen appreciation for bluegrass music. I have enjoyed bluegrass for years, and credit Old and In the Way with opening my eyes to some great music.
In the last few years, I have developed an appreciation for the music of Alison Krauss and Union Station. Alison Krauss' mandolin player Dan Tyminski sang on the Oh Brother Where Art Thou? soundtrack. In fact he sings lead on Man of Constant Sorrow. Checkout the video below of Man of Constant Sorrow being lip-synced by George Clooney.
Now, Alison Krauss has joined forces with rock legend Robert Plant. In my opinion, their new album entitled Raising Sand is the Album of the Year. While they may seem like an unlikely combo, it works - really well! You can stream the album at their website, or view the video below about the Raising Sand project.
The album is produced by T-Bone Burnett. He also produced the Oh Brother Where Art Thou? soundtrack.
Enjoy! I hope to submit additional entries about music in the coming weeks.
Posted by Jeffrey Hunter at 09:16 PM | Comments (2)
On God's trail: Mental health peer mentor meets God, good friends on life-changing Appalachian journey
Here's an inspiring story about how hiking can help provide a sense of balance. The article is from the Lacrosse Tribune.
On God's trail: Mental health peer mentor meets God, good friends on life-changing Appalachian journey
By Joe Orso, La Crosse Tribune
Nathan Billy Baney’s spiritual path leads through the woods.
On four occasions, Baney has hiked more than 1,000 miles on the Appalachian Trail. For him, the hiking is pilgrimage, and God is on the trail.
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“I’m a little different,” Baney said this week, sitting at Jules Coffee House. “Most normal people can pick up on that, and usually when people see someone different, people don’t treat them that well.”
Baney, 46, speaks with a speech impediment caused by past medication he took for paranoid schizophrenia. He takes different medication now, which keeps him stable and which he has stayed on ever since his first go at the Appalachian Trail four years ago ended in a fiasco.
He and his girlfriend parted after that short hike, but he found something else: The Appalachian Trail meant something to him. He began reading books about the trail, which is 2,175 miles long, takes about six months to complete and runs from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Mount Katahdin in Maine.
On March 18, 2004, Baney took a bus from Maine to Georgia to begin his hike alone.
Almost four years later, how he speaks about what he found in the woods could serve as a Sunday sermon.
“I used to think all the people were bad, that there weren’t many good ones. I was that close to being suicidal before I went on the trail. But after I got out there, after a couple weeks of hiking, I had met a hundred friends that I had never had before. And everybody except one or two were really nice, cool people. … They’re willing to be your friend as long as you’re willing to be cool right back. And I’d never experienced that anywhere before I went on the Appalachian Trail.”
Baney talked about experiencing God while sitting on a rock or walking through the woods, and also in the people he met.
“I wasn’t sure there was a God until I got out there and found out how good the world was,” he said. “Only God would have made such good people."
I met Baney while I was sitting outside of Jules a few months ago. He stepped from the door with a grin on his face and said to anyone listening, “Welcome to my nightmare."
Our eyes caught, and then his smile grew and he said with a shrug, “It’s a pretty good nightmare.”
He pulled up a chair as I finished cracking up, and after a while we were talking about the Appalachian Trail.
Baney said he likes La Crosse, but it hasn’t been like the trail.
“People are more skeptical in the cities than they are in the woods. In the woods, they trust you,” he said. “You go to a campfire and there’s 10 people out there and they’ll all talk to you for 10 years. And I don’t see that in La Crosse too much — except for in Jules Coffee Shop.“
Baney, who works as a peer mentor at RAVE, a drop-in center for people with mental health issues, spent six years of his childhood at St. Michael’s Home for Children in La Crosse. On the trail, he has run from wild pigs and heard a bear nosing around his tent. He has suffered from cellulitis, tendonitis and third-degree burns on his feet. And he has met doctors, dishwashers, lawyers, college students and a 78-year-old woman with a bag full of pills.
His trail name is Underground, given to him after people found out he had transgressed trail code and gotten rid of extra weight by burying a radio and other stuff in the woods. He says he’ll never do it again, but the name has stuck.
Baney plans to finish the whole trail someday and hopes to get out on it again this spring or the following, depending on finances.
“I think God loves the Appalachian Trail,” Baney said. “He loves the rest of the world, too. But the Appalachian Trail is a pilgrimage in a way, and I think God loves pilgrimages.”
For an extended interview with Nathan Billy Baney, click here.
Posted by Jeffrey Hunter at 04:15 PM | Comments (0)
November 21, 2007
Help Needed to Build Great Eastern Trail!
PATC Volunteers working on a new segment of the Great Eastern Trail
The week of May 4-10, 2008 the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club will be hosting an American Hiking Society Volunteer Vacation to help construct a new segment of the Great Eastern Trail in the beautiful George Washington National Forest in SW Virginia. American Hiking Society is actively recruiting 12 volunteers to participate in this project.
The fee for participation in this trip is $275, but there is a 10% discount if you register before February 29, 2008. Your fee includes lodging in a cabin, all food, a Volunteer Vacation t-shirt, a one year membership in American Hiking Society (includes subscriptions to American Hiker and Backpacker magazines). Better yet, the fee includes a great time out on the trail, meeting new friends, and leaving a lasting legacy for future generations in the form of a new hiking trail!
The Great Eastern Trail, which was announced in May 2006 stretches from Alabama to New York State. The segment in SW Virginia will connect West Virginia's Allegheny Trail with Virginia's Tuscarora Trail.
For more information about this project, please contact Andrea Ketchmark at 301-565-6704 ext 206.
Posted by Jeffrey Hunter at 03:52 PM | Comments (1)
American Hiking Society offers Alternative Spring Break projects in 2008
In 2008, American Hiking Society is offering a number of opportunities for college students to get out help build or maintain hiking trails in America's National Parks and Forests. Checkout the following video clip to get an idea what these projects can be like.
Projects for 2008 include;
Cumberland Gap National Historical Park, Kentucky
5-12 Volunteers Needed
Must be 18
Daypacking, Moderate
3/15/2008-3/21/2008
Project Details:
Crew will perform trail maintenance, repair, and enhancement on the Cumberland Trail inside Cumberland Gap National Historical Park and along the park boundary. Work will include installation of water bars and structures to facilitate drainage, re-grading tread, and clearing and removal of vegetation. Cumberland Gap National Historical Park is located in the Southern Appalachians in the states of Kentucky, Virginia, and Tennessee. The park consists of approximately 20,000 acres and 70 miles of trails. Most of the park is mixed deciduous forest with many historic and scenic features. The northern terminus of Tennessee’s Cumberland Trail can be found in the park as well as the southern terminus of Kentucky’s Pine Mountain Trail.
Location:
The trail that will be the focus of this project begins at Tri-state peak, where Kentucky, Virginia, and Tennessee come together. Elevation will range from approximately 2000‚ to 2500‚ and will involve moderate hiking. One of the work days will be devoted to resource work in the field for a behind the scenes look at resource issues in the park.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park - NPS photo
Great Smoky Mountains National Park, North Carolina
5-10 Volunteers Needed
Must be 18 years of age to participate
Daypacking, Moderate to Difficult
03/09/2008-3/14/2008
Project Details:
Removal of invasive plant species in Deep Creek, which is located near Bryson City, NC. Extensive trail systems are convenient to both locations for hiking in spare time, as well as birding and other natural history explorations.
Location:
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the largest area in the eastern US managed as wilderness and contains old growth forests, interesting historical sites, and opportunities for hiking, photography, birding, canoing, and cycling. Several National Forests and the Cherokee Tribal lands are located nearby. Plant diversity is notable, with over 1700 species of vascular plants and 130 species of trees. Spring wildflowers are abundant. Elevation ranges from 1500 ft to over 6000 ft. This project involves managing exotic plants which threaten native plant communities.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park, North Carolina
5-15 Volunteers Needed
Must be 18 years of age to participate
Daypacking, Moderate to Difficult
3/15/2008-3/21/2008
Project Details:
Removing invasive plants in Hazel Creek, a remote backcountry area (no showers or bathrooms) accessible by hiking or boat across Fontana Lake. The exotic shrub privet infests a wetland and trail for several acres.
Location:
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the largest area in the eastern US managed as wilderness and contains old growth forests, interesting historical sites, and opportunities for hiking, photography, birding, canoing, and cycling. Several National Forests and the Cherokee Tribal lands are located nearby. Plant diversity is notable, with over 1700 species of vascular plants and 130 species of trees. Spring wildflowers are abundant. Elevation ranges from 1500 ft to over 6000 ft. This project involves managing exotic plants which threaten native plant communities.
Green Heron Feeding in Big Cypress - NPS photo
Big Cypress National Preserve, Florida
6-12 Volunteers Needed
Must be 18
Daypacking, Difficult
3/8/2008-3/14/2008
Project Details:
Big Cypress National Preserve is one of the few remaining "wild" places left in southern Florida. It is part of the Everglades ecosystem which is basically a wide and shallow river that drains all of south Florida into the Gulf. The Florida National Scenic Trail has its southern terminus in the Preserve. There are no other ecosystems like it in the US. The crew will performing trail maintenance in the hard-to-reach sections of the deep swamp. The work will include painting blazes, trimming back brush, and clearing the corridor.
Location:
The Big Cypress National Preserve is home to many mammals, birds, and reptiles unique to Florida’s climate. It is easy to view and appreciate Florida’s largest reptile, the American alligator, living here in its natural environment. Anhingas, egrets, and herons are found in plentiful numbers feeding, displaying courtship feathers, and nesting in and among the Cypress trees. Occasionally, one can witness river otter, bobcats, black bear, and the endangered Florida panther on the Preserve’s back roads and trails. Culturally, the Big Cypress Swamp has served as home and refuge to many people throughout time including the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida, the Seminole Tribe of Florida and early settlers.
Coronado National Forest, Arizona
5-8 Volunteers Needed
Must be 18 years of age to participate
Backpacking, Moderate to Difficult
*Dates are negotiable
Project Details:
This is a new ten mile segment of the Arizona Trail known as Las Colinas. The route has been designed to accommodate hikers, mountain bikers and equestrians,and will provide broad vistas of the surrounding terrain to include the Rincon and Whetstone Mountains. We will be working at the 4500 to 5000 foot levels in the Santa Rita Mountains. The approximately mile that we will construct will be cleared of brush and minimal trees (generally small mesquites) to a width of six feet and a height of ten feet. The tread will be constructed of native on-site material with average grades of 5 to 10%.
Location:
The Santa Rita Mountain area is one of the many "sky islands" that dot the Arizona terrain. The highest peak is Mt. Wrightson at 9453 with most peaks at the 6000+ elevation. The terrain is rocky and although we are in the Coronado NF, the area is very desert like in nature. The late winter/early spring is an exciting time in southeastern Arizona as it is warm with minimal humidity during the day and cool at night. Rain is very infrequent and the skies are quite clear. Mountains are visible in all directions. Recreational activities include hiking and we can visit the closer communities such as Sonoita and Elgin after the work day.
Golden Gate National Recreation Area - NPS photo
Golden Gate National Recreation Area, California
6-10 Volunteers Needed
Must be 21 years of age to participate
Daypacking, Difficult
*Dates are Negotiable
Project Details:
Trail maintenance, repair, and enhancement projects along the coastal trails within the Golden Gate National Park located in San Francisco. Projects will include reconstructing sand ladders and regrading tread, box-step staircase repair and regrading steps, reconstructing post and cable fencing, cutting back encroaching vegetation, berm removal and regrading, creating and restoring water bars, and clearing drainage systems.
Location:
The Golden Gate National Park, otherwise known as the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA), is our largest urban national park. It contains many scenic and unique places located north and south of the Golden Gate Bridge. The dormitory is located within the Presidio of San Francisco. The trails that we will be focusing on are along the San Francisco coastline, overlooking the San Francisco Bay and Pacific Ocean.
For more information about how your school can get a group together and participate in these great projects, please contact Andrea Ketchmark at 301-565-6704 ext. 206.
Posted by Jeffrey Hunter at 02:39 PM | Comments (0)
Finally the answer to the age old question....
If there was ever any doubt.
Posted by Jeffrey Hunter at 11:02 AM | Comments (0)
November 11, 2007
Jocassee Gorges Profiled in The State
The lovely Jocassee Gorges area is profiled in an article appearing in The State. Jocassee Gorges is home to both the Foothills Trail and the Palmetto Trail. It is one of my favorite places to hike - hands down. You can read the article about Jocassee Gorges at the link below.
"S.C. treasure still a secret"
Posted by Jeffrey Hunter at 09:31 AM | Comments (0)
November 01, 2007
National Park Service Civil War Historian to speak in Chattanooga November 5
The Chickamauga Chattanooga National Military Park offers more than 50 miles of great hiking (157KB PDF) through an amazing park. You may not be aware, but the Chickamauga Chattanooga National Military Park was the first National Park dedicated to studying the Civil War.
Posted by Jeffrey Hunter at 11:34 AM | Comments (0)
Hiking the Appalachian Trail in New England:
A podcast from WNPR
WNPR - Connecticut Pubic Radio has a great podcast posted on their site about backpacking the Appalachian Trail along the Connecticut/Massachusetts border. NPR correspondent Nancy Cohen digs out an old frame pack and heads out for an overnight on the trail. It's definitely worth a listen.
After listening, maybe you'd like to do what Nancy did and dust off your old pack or rent, borrow, or purchase one if you don't already own one. The many joys and benefits of hiking and backpacking are simply too numerous to list here.
In the meantime, please consider joining American Hiking Society. That first step will help you on your way to reconnecting with nature out on the trail.
Happy Trails!
Download the Podcast
View an excellent slideshow of photos from Nancy's trip.
Posted by Jeffrey Hunter at 09:33 AM | Comments (1)