[BCNnet] American Bird Conservancy

Tue, 18 Mar 2003 18:13:30 -0600

This is a multi-part message in MIME format.

------=_NextPart_000_0053_01C2ED7A.1547DF60
Content-Type: text/plain;
	charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit

Dear BCNnet friend –

On Thursday and Friday, 3-14 and 3-15, I attended the meetings of the Policy
Council of the American Bird Conservancy (ABC) as well as that organization’
s Board meeting.  The following is a brief synopsis of some of the speakers
and issues raised at these meetings.  Most of the key bird conservation
matters throughout the Americas were addressed.  Please feel free to contact
me directly for elaboration, pass-outs, how to get Bird Calls, the ABC
newsletter, or other information.

Donald R. Dann
60 Ravinoaks Lane
Highland Park, IL 60035
Ph/Fax: 847-266-2222
Cell: 847-997-1011
Email: donniebird@yahoo.com <mailto:donniebird@yahoo.com>

*        Mike Haramis of the USGS gave an update on restrictions on the
Horseshoe Crab harvest as well as some scary statistical revelations on the
decline in red knot populations.  The New Jersey Department of Environmental
Protection indicates that knot weight gains declined from 8 grams per day in
1997 to only 2 grams per day in 2002.  Birds that fail to achieve a weight
of 180 grams before departing to the Arctic have only half the chance of
surviving to the next year.  The number of birds reaching sufficient weight
declined from 33,741 in 1998 to 5,376 in 2002.  The wintering red knot
population has fallen from 67,496 1998 to 29,271 in 2002.  The good news is
the imposition of a total moratorium on crab harvesting by the states of New
Jersey and Delaware from May 1 until June 7, throughout Delaware Bay.
However, without the participation of Maryland, Virginia, and other nearby
states such a moratorium may prove ineffective.

*        Jim Burruss, biologist, with Pacific Corp., a west coast utility,
gave a fascinating presentation on the interaction of birds with power lines
and the research resulting in the design necessary to reduce fatalities from
electrocution and collisions.  The electric utility industry established the
Avian Power Line Interaction Committee (APLIC), for this purpose, a key
element of which is the need to minimize the power outages that these
interactions cause.  The process is accelerating since the court decision
against the rural coop, Moon Lake Electric, requiring that utility to
retrofit 3000 towers of a cost of almost ľ of a million dollars.

*        Jack Capp, with the U.D. Forest Service, described his agencies
actions under the Forest Service’s International Programs, and the
allocation of $3,000,000 under the recent Migratory Bird Conservation Act.
The priority conservation sites include the Bahamas for the Kirtland’s
Warbler, the Dominican Republic for the Bicknell’s Thrush, the Pantanal in
Brazil and the Canadian western boreal forest.  Other target species for
funding and protection include the Swainson’s Warbler, Swallow-tailed Kite,
and Prothonotary Warbler.

*        Al Manville, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, gave his regular Policy
Council update on a variety of F&W programs.  They partner with the Electric
Energy Institute, EEI, to improve 500,000 miles of transmission lines and 16
million power poles.  They are also focusing on wind turbine farms and
communication tower sitings.

*        Paul Hoffman, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Interior for Fish
Wildlife and Parks, began with a defense of the Administration’s
environmental record.  He maintained that in the 70’s we needed strong
environmental laws with tough enforcement provisions like the Clean Air and
Clean Water Acts, Endangered Species protection, etc.  But today, with
enlightened industry leaders who recognize that compliance with these laws
results is good public policy and is better for business, voluntary
constraints are adequate to achieve environmental protection.  With regard
to Migratory Bird Conservation funding, last year’s budget allocated
$3,000,000.  This year, however, the president’s budget requests zero for
this purpose, and the only hope of restoring funds is through grass roots
pressure.

*        Swan Conservation Issues.  A panel included individuals from F&W,
Maryland DNR, and the Trumpeter Swan Society.  Notwithstanding that Mute
Swan numbers in Chesapeake Bay have recently exploded into the thousands,
and that they are an introduced species, last year a federal judge recently
ruled that they are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA).
Meanwhile, a single bird eats as much as 8 pounds of submerged aquatic
vegetation every day, destroying much habitat needed by native species.

*        Patti Bright, Director of Pesticides Program at ABC, explained the
EPA’s effort to weaken the ESA by negating Section 7 of that act (see my
email of 3-14-03 to BCN).  A coalition of 20+ major environmental
organizations was recently formed, known as the National Pesticides
Coalition whose goal is to fight a broad range of pesticides that pose
unreasonable risk to birds and other wildlife when used legally.  Included
are Diazinon, widely used on turf grass, and Fenthion, a known avicide (once
used in ‘Rid-a-Bird’), and banned nationally except in a few Florida
counties.  There is progress on a bird vaccine for West Nile Virus, which
has been tested on and appears effective for California Condors.  She
remarked, ironically, that broadcast spraying of adult mosquitoes, the most
expensive control method, is also the least effective.

------=_NextPart_000_0053_01C2ED7A.1547DF60
Content-Type: text/html;
	charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

<html xmlns:o=3D"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" =
xmlns:w=3D"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" =
xmlns=3D"http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">

<head>
<META HTTP-EQUIV=3D"Content-Type" CONTENT=3D"text/html; =
charset=3Diso-8859-1">

<meta name=3DProgId content=3DWord.Document>
<meta name=3DGenerator content=3D"Microsoft Word 9">
<meta name=3DOriginator content=3D"Microsoft Word 9">
<link rel=3DFile-List href=3D"cid:filelist.xml@01C2ED7A.14938380">
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
 <o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
  <o:DoNotRelyOnCSS/>
 </o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
 <w:WordDocument>
  <w:View>Normal</w:View>
  <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
  <w:DocumentKind>DocumentEmail</w:DocumentKind>
  <w:EnvelopeVis/>
  <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>5.45 =
pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>
  =
<w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>2</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEve=
ry>
  =
<w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>2</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>
 </w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]-->
<style>
<!--
 /* Font Definitions */
@font-face
	{font-family:Wingdings;
	panose-1:5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
	mso-font-charset:2;
	mso-generic-font-family:auto;
	mso-font-pitch:variable;
	mso-font-signature:0 268435456 0 0 -2147483648 0;}
 /* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
	{mso-style-parent:"";
	margin:0in;
	margin-bottom:.0001pt;
	mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
	font-size:14.0pt;
	mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
	font-family:"Times New Roman";
	mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
p.MsoListBullet, li.MsoListBullet, div.MsoListBullet
	{mso-style-update:auto;
	margin-top:0in;
	margin-right:0in;
	margin-bottom:0in;
	margin-left:.5in;
	margin-bottom:.0001pt;
	text-indent:-.25in;
	mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
	mso-list:l3 level1 lfo8;
	tab-stops:list .5in;
	font-size:14.0pt;
	mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
	font-family:"Times New Roman";
	mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
	{color:blue;
	text-decoration:underline;
	text-underline:single;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
	{color:purple;
	text-decoration:underline;
	text-underline:single;}
p.MsoAutoSig, li.MsoAutoSig, div.MsoAutoSig
	{margin:0in;
	margin-bottom:.0001pt;
	mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
	font-size:14.0pt;
	mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;
	font-family:"Times New Roman";
	mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";}
span.EmailStyle17
	{mso-style-type:personal-compose;
	mso-ansi-font-size:14.0pt;
	mso-ascii-font-family:"Times New Roman";
	mso-hansi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
	mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;
	color:black;
	font-weight:normal;
	font-style:normal;}
span.EmailStyle18
	{mso-style-type:personal;
	mso-ansi-font-size:14.0pt;
	mso-ascii-font-family:"Times New Roman";
	mso-hansi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
	mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;
	color:black;
	font-weight:normal;
	font-style:normal;}
@page Section1
	{size:8.5in 11.0in;
	margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;
	mso-header-margin:.5in;
	mso-footer-margin:.5in;
	mso-vertical-page-align:middle;
	mso-paper-source:0;}
div.Section1
	{page:Section1;}
 /* List Definitions */
@list l0
	{mso-list-id:381976411;
	mso-list-type:hybrid;
	mso-list-template-ids:875209698 67698689 67698691 67698693 67698689 =
67698691 67698693 67698689 67698691 67698693;}
@list l0:level1
	{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
	mso-level-text:\F0B7;
	mso-level-tab-stop:43.5pt;
	mso-level-number-position:left;
	margin-left:43.5pt;
	text-indent:-.25in;
	font-family:Symbol;}
@list l1
	{mso-list-id:731974396;
	mso-list-type:hybrid;
	mso-list-template-ids:384706514 67698689 67698691 67698693 67698689 =
67698691 67698693 67698689 67698691 67698693;}
@list l1:level1
	{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
	mso-level-text:\F0B7;
	mso-level-tab-stop:.25in;
	mso-level-number-position:left;
	margin-left:.25in;
	text-indent:-.25in;
	font-family:Symbol;}
@list l2
	{mso-list-id:965306805;
	mso-list-type:hybrid;
	mso-list-template-ids:-455941426 -1541791678 67698691 67698693 67698689 =
67698691 67698693 67698689 67698691 67698693;}
@list l2:level1
	{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
	mso-level-text:\F0B7;
	mso-level-tab-stop:.5in;
	mso-level-number-position:left;
	text-indent:-.25in;
	font-family:Symbol;}
@list l2:level2
	{mso-level-tab-stop:1.0in;
	mso-level-number-position:left;
	text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l2:level3
	{mso-level-tab-stop:1.5in;
	mso-level-number-position:left;
	text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l2:level4
	{mso-level-tab-stop:2.0in;
	mso-level-number-position:left;
	text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l2:level5
	{mso-level-tab-stop:2.5in;
	mso-level-number-position:left;
	text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l2:level6
	{mso-level-tab-stop:3.0in;
	mso-level-number-position:left;
	text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l2:level7
	{mso-level-tab-stop:3.5in;
	mso-level-number-position:left;
	text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l2:level8
	{mso-level-tab-stop:4.0in;
	mso-level-number-position:left;
	text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l2:level9
	{mso-level-tab-stop:4.5in;
	mso-level-number-position:left;
	text-indent:-.25in;}
@list l3
	{mso-list-id:1167942379;
	mso-list-type:hybrid;
	mso-list-template-ids:1128149816 1493996618 67698691 67698693 67698689 =
67698691 67698693 67698689 67698691 67698693;}
@list l3:level1
	{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
	mso-level-style-link:"List Bullet";
	mso-level-text:\F0B7;
	mso-level-tab-stop:.5in;
	mso-level-number-position:left;
	text-indent:-.25in;
	font-family:Symbol;}
@list l4
	{mso-list-id:1374623110;
	mso-list-type:hybrid;
	mso-list-template-ids:-502352774 67698689 67698691 67698693 67698689 =
67698691 67698693 67698689 67698691 67698693;}
@list l4:level1
	{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
	mso-level-text:\F0B7;
	mso-level-tab-stop:.25in;
	mso-level-number-position:left;
	margin-left:.25in;
	text-indent:-.25in;
	font-family:Symbol;}
@list l5
	{mso-list-id:1590967932;
	mso-list-type:hybrid;
	mso-list-template-ids:-1060623628 67698689 67698691 67698693 67698689 =
67698691 67698693 67698689 67698691 67698693;}
@list l5:level1
	{mso-level-number-format:bullet;
	mso-level-text:\F0B7;
	mso-level-tab-stop:.5in;
	mso-level-number-position:left;
	text-indent:-.25in;
	font-family:Symbol;}
ol
	{margin-bottom:0in;}
ul
	{margin-bottom:0in;}
-->
</style>
</head>

<body lang=3DEN-US link=3Dblue vlink=3Dpurple =
style=3D'tab-interval:.5in'>

<div class=3DSection1>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><span class=3DEmailStyle17><font size=3D4 =
color=3Dblack
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:14.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"'><span
style=3D'mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt'>Dear BCNnet friend =
&#8211;<o:p></o:p></span></span></font></span></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><span class=3DEmailStyle17><font size=3D4 =
color=3Dblack
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:13.5pt;mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"'><![if =
!supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]><o:p></o:p></span></font></span></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><span class=3DEmailStyle17><font size=3D4 =
color=3Dblack
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:14.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"'><span
style=3D'mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt'>On Thursday and Friday, 3-14 and =
3-15, I
attended the meetings of the Policy Council of the American Bird =
Conservancy
(ABC) as well as that organization&#8217;s Board meeting.<span =
style=3D"mso-spacerun:
yes">&nbsp; </span>The following is a brief synopsis of some of the =
speakers
and issues raised at these meetings.<span style=3D"mso-spacerun: =
yes">&nbsp;
</span>Most of the key bird conservation matters throughout the Americas =
were
addressed.<span style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Please feel =
free to
contact me directly for elaboration, pass-outs, how to get Bird Calls, =
the ABC
newsletter, or other =
information.<o:p></o:p></span></span></font></span></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><span class=3DEmailStyle17><font size=3D4 =
color=3Dblack
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:14.0pt;mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"'><![if =
!supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]></span></font></span><span
class=3DEmailStyle17><font color=3Dblack><span =
style=3D'mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New =
Roman"'><o:p></o:p></span></font></span></p>

Donald
R. Dann<o:p></o:p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D4 color=3Dblack face=3D"Times New =
Roman"><span
style=3D'font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><span =
style=3D'mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt'>60
Ravinoaks Lane</span></span></font><font color=3Dblack><span =
style=3D'color:black;
mso-color-alt:windowtext'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D4 color=3Dblack face=3D"Times New =
Roman"><span
style=3D'font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><span =
style=3D'mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt'>Highland
Park, IL 60035</span></span></font><font color=3Dblack><span =
style=3D'color:black;
mso-color-alt:windowtext'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D4 color=3Dblack face=3D"Times New =
Roman"><span
style=3D'font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><span =
style=3D'mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt'>Ph/Fax:
847-266-2222</span></span></font><font color=3Dblack><span =
style=3D'color:black;
mso-color-alt:windowtext'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D4 color=3Dblack face=3D"Times New =
Roman"><span
style=3D'font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><span =
style=3D'mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt'>Cell:
847-997-1011</span></span></font><font color=3Dblack><span =
style=3D'color:black;
mso-color-alt:windowtext'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><font size=3D4 color=3Dblack face=3D"Times New =
Roman"><span
style=3D'font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><span =
style=3D'mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt'>Email:<span
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span><a =
href=3D"mailto:donniebird@yahoo.com">donniebird@yahoo.com</a></span></spa=
n></font><span
class=3DEmailStyle18><font color=3Dblack> </font></span><span =
class=3DEmailStyle17><font
color=3Dblack><span style=3D'mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New =
Roman"'><o:p></o:p></span></font></span></p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><span class=3DEmailStyle17><font size=3D4 =
color=3Dblack
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:13.5pt;mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"'><![if =
!supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]><o:p></o:p></span></font></span></p>

<![if !supportLists]>=B7&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
<![endif]>Mike Haramis
of the USGS gave an update on restrictions on the =
Horseshoe
Crab harvest as well as some scary statistical revelations on the =
decline in
red knot populations.&nbsp; The =
New
Jersey Department of Environmental Protection indicates that knot weight =
gains
declined from 8 grams per day in 1997 to only 2 grams per day in =
2002.&nbsp; Birds that fail to achieve a =
weight of
180 grams before departing to the Arctic have only half the chance of =
surviving
to the next year.&nbsp; The =
number of
birds reaching sufficient weight declined from 33,741 in 1998 to 5,376 =
in
2002.&nbsp; The wintering red =
knot
population has fallen from 67,496 1998 to 29,271 in 2002.&nbsp; The good news is the =
imposition of a
total moratorium on crab harvesting by the states of New Jersey and =
Delaware from
May 1 until June 7, throughout Delaware Bay.&nbsp; However, without the participation of Maryland, =
Virginia,
and other nearby states such a moratorium may prove ineffective. =
<o:p></o:p>

<p class=3DMsoNormal><span class=3DEmailStyle17><font size=3D4 =
color=3Dblack
face=3D"Times New Roman"><span =
style=3D'font-size:13.5pt;mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"'><![if =
!supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]><o:p></o:p></span></font></span></p>

<p class=3DMsoListBullet><![if !supportLists]><font size=3D4 =
color=3Dblack
face=3DSymbol><span =
style=3D'font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:black;
mso-color-alt:windowtext'>=B7<font size=3D1 face=3D"Times New =
Roman"><span
style=3D'font:7.0pt "Times New =
Roman"'>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
</span></font></span></font><![endif]><u><font color=3Dblack><span
style=3D'color:black'>Jim Burruss, biologist, with Pacific =
Corp</span></font></u><font
color=3Dblack><span style=3D'color:black'>., a west coast utility, gave =
a fascinating
presentation on the interaction of birds with power lines and the =
research
resulting in the design necessary to reduce fatalities from =
electrocution and
collisions.<span style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>The electric =
utility
industry established the Avian Power Line Interaction Committee (APLIC), =
for
this purpose, a key element of which is the need to minimize the power =
outages
that these interactions cause.<span style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; =
</span>The
process is accelerating since the court decision against the rural coop, =
Moon
Lake Electric, requiring that utility to retrofit 3000 towers of a cost =
of
almost =BE of a million dollars.<span style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; =
</span></span></font><font
color=3Dblack><span =
style=3D'color:black;mso-color-alt:windowtext'><o:p></o:p></span></font><=
/p>

<p class=3DMsoListBullet =
style=3D'margin-left:.25in;text-indent:0in;mso-list:none;
tab-stops:.5in'><font size=3D4 color=3Dblack face=3D"Times New =
Roman"><span
style=3D'font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><![if =
!supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]></span></font><font
color=3Dblack><span =
style=3D'color:black;mso-color-alt:windowtext'><o:p></o:p></span></font><=
/p>

<![if !supportLists]>=B7&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
<![endif]>Jack Capp, with the U.D. Forest =
Service, described his agencies =
actions under
the Forest Service&#8217;s International Programs, and the allocation of =
$3,000,000
under the recent Migratory Bird Conservation Act.&nbsp; The priority conservation sites include the Bahamas =
for the
Kirtland&#8217;s Warbler, the Dominican Republic for the =
Bicknell&#8217;s Thrush, the
Pantanal in Brazil and the Canadian western boreal forest.&nbsp; Other target species for =
funding and
protection include the Swainson&#8217;s Warbler, Swallow-tailed Kite, =
and
Prothonotary Warbler.&nbsp; =
<o:p></o:p><=
/p>

<p class=3DMsoListBullet =
style=3D'margin-left:.25in;text-indent:0in;mso-list:none;
tab-stops:.5in'><font size=3D4 color=3Dblack face=3D"Times New =
Roman"><span
style=3D'font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><![if =
!supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]></span></font><font
color=3Dblack><span =
style=3D'color:black;mso-color-alt:windowtext'><o:p></o:p></span></font><=
/p>

<![if !supportLists]>=B7&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
<![endif]>Al Manville, U.S. Fish and =
Wildlife, gave his regular Policy =
Council update
on a variety of F&amp;W programs.&nbsp;
They partner with the Electric Energy Institute, EEI, to improve =
500,000
miles of transmission lines and 16 million power poles.&nbsp; They are also focusing on wind =
turbine
farms and communication tower sitings.&nbsp;
<o:p></o:p>

<p class=3DMsoListBullet =
style=3D'margin-left:.25in;text-indent:0in;mso-list:none;
tab-stops:.5in'><font size=3D4 color=3Dblack face=3D"Times New =
Roman"><span
style=3D'font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><![if =
!supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]></span></font><font
color=3Dblack><span =
style=3D'color:black;mso-color-alt:windowtext'><o:p></o:p></span></font><=
/p>

<![if !supportLists]>=B7&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
<![endif]>Paul Hoffman, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the =
Interior
for Fish Wildlife and Parks, began with a defense of the =
Administration&#8217;s
environmental record.&nbsp; He
maintained that in the 70&#8217;s we needed strong environmental laws =
with tough
enforcement provisions like the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts, =
Endangered
Species protection, etc.&nbsp; =
But today,
with enlightened industry leaders who recognize that compliance with =
these laws
results is good public policy and is better for business, voluntary =
constraints
are adequate to achieve environmental protection.&nbsp; With regard to Migratory Bird Conservation funding, =
last
year&#8217;s budget allocated $3,000,000.&nbsp;
This year, however, the president&#8217;s budget requests zero =
for this purpose,
and the only hope of restoring funds is through grass roots pressure. =
<o:p></o:p><=
/u>

<p class=3DMsoListBullet =
style=3D'margin-left:.25in;text-indent:0in;mso-list:none;
tab-stops:.5in'><font size=3D4 color=3Dblack face=3D"Times New =
Roman"><span
style=3D'font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><![if =
!supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]></span></font><font
color=3Dblack><span =
style=3D'color:black;mso-color-alt:windowtext'><o:p></o:p></span></font><=
/p>

<![if !supportLists]>=B7&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
<![endif]>Swan Conservation Issues.&nbsp;
A panel included individuals from F&amp;W, Maryland DNR, and the =
Trumpeter
Swan Society. &nbsp;Notwithstanding that
Mute Swan numbers in Chesapeake Bay have recently exploded into the =
thousands,
and that they are an introduced species, last year a federal judge =
recently ruled
that they are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA). =
&nbsp;Meanwhile, a single bird eats =
as much as
8 pounds of submerged aquatic vegetation every day, destroying much =
habitat needed
by native species.<o:p></o:p>

<p class=3DMsoListBullet =
style=3D'margin-left:.25in;text-indent:0in;mso-list:none;
tab-stops:.5in'><font size=3D4 color=3Dblack face=3D"Times New =
Roman"><span
style=3D'font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><![if =
!supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]></span></font><font
color=3Dblack><span =
style=3D'color:black;mso-color-alt:windowtext'><o:p></o:p></span></font><=
/p>

<p class=3DMsoListBullet><![if !supportLists]><font size=3D4 =
color=3Dblack
face=3DSymbol><span =
style=3D'font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:black;
mso-color-alt:windowtext'>=B7<font size=3D1 face=3D"Times New =
Roman"><span
style=3D'font:7.0pt "Times New =
Roman"'>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
</span></font></span></font><![endif]><u><font color=3Dblack><span
style=3D'color:black'>Patti Bright, Director of Pesticides Program at =
ABC, </span></font></u><font
color=3Dblack><span style=3D'color:black'>explained the EPA&#8217;s =
effort to weaken the
ESA by negating Section 7 of that act (see my email of 3-14-03 to =
BCN).<span
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>A coalition of 20+ major =
environmental
organizations was recently formed, known as the National Pesticides =
Coalition whose
goal is to fight a broad range of pesticides that pose unreasonable risk =
to
birds and other wildlife when <u>used legally</u>.<span =
style=3D"mso-spacerun:
yes">&nbsp; </span>Included are Diazinon, widely used on turf grass, and
Fenthion, a known avicide (once used in &#8216;Rid-a-Bird&#8217;), and =
banned nationally
except in a few Florida counties.<span style=3D"mso-spacerun: =
yes">&nbsp; </span>There
is progress on a bird vaccine for West Nile Virus, which has been tested =
on and
appears effective for California Condors.<span style=3D"mso-spacerun: =
yes">&nbsp;
</span>She remarked, ironically, that broadcast spraying of adult =
mosquitoes,
the most expensive control method, is also the least effective.<span
style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span></span></font><u><font =
color=3Dblack><span
style=3D'color:black;mso-color-alt:windowtext'><o:p></o:p></span></font><=
/u></p>

<p class=3DMsoListBullet =
style=3D'margin-left:.25in;text-indent:0in;mso-list:none;
tab-stops:.5in'><font size=3D4 color=3Dblack face=3D"Times New =
Roman"><span
style=3D'font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><![if =
!supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]></span></font><font
color=3Dblack><span =
style=3D'color:black;mso-color-alt:windowtext'><o:p></o:p></span></font><=
/p>

<p class=3DMsoListBullet =
style=3D'margin-left:.25in;text-indent:0in;mso-list:none;
tab-stops:.5in'><font size=3D4 color=3Dblack face=3D"Times New =
Roman"><span
style=3D'font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><![if =
!supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]></span></font><font
color=3Dblack><span =
style=3D'color:black;mso-color-alt:windowtext'><o:p></o:p></span></font><=
/p>

<p class=3DMsoListBullet =
style=3D'margin-left:.25in;text-indent:0in;mso-list:none;
tab-stops:.5in'><font size=3D4 color=3Dblack face=3D"Times New =
Roman"><span
style=3D'font-size:14.0pt;color:black'><![if =
!supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]></span></font><font
color=3Dblack><span =
style=3D'color:black;mso-color-alt:windowtext'><o:p></o:p></span></font><=
/p>

</div>

</body>

</html>

------=_NextPart_000_0053_01C2ED7A.1547DF60--