Stephen Brown, Manomet’s Director of Shorebird Science, and his team, will head back to the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge this summer to conduct an intensive season of fieldwork that includes a major coastal survey, a survey of a critical portion of the National Petroleum Reserve, as well as Avian Flu testing. Read more…
Flight Path
A Special Exhibition at Plimoth Plantation
May 3 to November 30, 2008
Plimoth Plantation has teamed up with wildlife photographer Jim Fenton, Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences, Goldenrod Foundation and Massachusetts Audubon Society, to present a fascinating new exhibit entitled Flight Path. The exhibit will run from May 3 to November 30, 2008 at the Plimoth Plantation.
Flight Path explores the crucial role of Plymouth Beach as part of a complex and ancient system of shorebird migration routes running from to the tip of South American to the Arctic Tundra.
Saving Shorebirds and Their Habitats on a Hemispheric Scale
Manomet Hosts Event in Falmouth, MA
The plight of shorebirds, one of nature’s most amazing migrant species, and the conservation of their habitats will be the topic of a special lecture at the West Falmouth Library, Falmouth, MA, Thursday, June 19, 7:30 p.m. The event will be hosted by Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences to raise awareness of one of its key initiatives, The Shorebird Recovery Project.
Dr. Charles Duncan, Director of the Shorebird Recovery Project, is the featured speaker. The event is free and open to the public.
Shorebirds such as Red Knots, Buff-breasted Sandpipers, and Hudsonian Godwits undertake one of nature’s most daunting journeys, traveling from their winter grounds as far south as Tierra del Fuego, to their breeding grounds in the Arctic Tundra—and then back again. But today, many of these species, some of which we’ve seen on Falmouth beaches, are in serious trouble: their numbers are dropping so quickly that scientists estimate some could become extinct in our lifetime.
Conserving shorebirds entails the enormous challenge of protecting the many far-flung, international sites that shorebirds require in order to survive—from their breeding grounds in the Arctic, to their wintering grounds in the southern hemisphere and their resting and refueling sites in between.
Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences and its partners have launched the Shorebird Recovery Project to save shorebirds and their habitats using site-based conservation, science and monitoring to ensure success.
“I may never in my life see a Polar Bear or a Mountain Gorilla, but it is important to me that they exist,” said Duncan. “I want our grandkids to be able to imagine countries far from their own, to imagine or maybe someday visit Tierra del Fuego or Baffin Island, Canada. I want them to be inspired by how a bird, no bigger than a dove, can shrink the Earth to a size that brings people together instead of dividing us. That for me is ultimately what the Shorebird Recovery Project is about.”
Join Manomet for a special evening, and learn why shorebirds and their habitats are in danger of disappearing. Explore how that would affect the quality of our lives, and what the Shorebird Recovery Project is doing about it.
West Falmouth Library is located in Falmouth, MA, on West Falmouth Highway, Route 28A, near the corner of Blacksmith Shop Road across from the Quaker Meeting House. For more information, visit www.westfalmouthlibrary.org or call 508-548-4709.
About Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences
Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences is dedicated to helping humans live in harmony with natural resources. Founded 40 years ago, Manomet has led the way in bringing together stakeholders—communities, individuals, universities, government agencies, and businesses—to develop cooperative, science-based policies and management strategies that work in the real world.
Manomet’s major initiatives focus on enabling people, communities and businesses to measure, manage and sustain natural systems and the wildlife and people dependent on them. We strive to develop new solutions for climate change and natural capital protection and create conservation strategies for wildlife, working landscapes, and wetlands. For more information, visit www.manomet.org
Famed Explorer and Bird Expert Bruce Beehler to appear in Duxbury
Plymouth, MA, April 25, 2008 – The Doran Insurance Agency of Duxbury is celebrating a major anniversary milestone this May by hosting a public event featuring acclaimed naturalist Bruce Beehler, and donating the proceeds from admission to the Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences. The event will take place at 7:30 p.m. on May 28 at the Duxbury Performing Arts Center in Duxbury, MA. Tickets are $5.00 ($2.00 children 12 and under) and can be purchased at the door. To RSVP or for more information call Manomet Center at (508) 224-6521.
Dr. Beehler is an ornithologist and vice-president of Conservation International’s Melanesia Center for Biodiversity Conservation. A sought-after speaker, Dr. Beehler has appeared on PBS Television’s Nature Series, as well as CBS’ 60 Minutes. He has authored or co-authored several major works on the birds of New Guinea, and will be signing his latest book, entitled Lost Worlds, at the event.
In special recognition of the Doran Agency’s 20th year of business, Fran Doran, President of Doran Insurance, wanted to share his appreciation by celebrating with the entire community. “I feel honored to belong to this community and to know so many of its families,” Doran said. “We’re delighted to partner with Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences, an organization whose mission is to protect the environment, the quality of our lives, and the legacy we pass along to our children.
“We appreciate the Doran Insurance Agency’s friendship and generous support, and we are delighted to be part of this special event,” said Linda Leddy, President, Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences.
The event that will take place on May 28th in Duxbury will have broad appeal to the community. Bruce Beehler has done field research in many tropical rain forests and is an authority on New Guinea birds, especially the exotic birds of paradise. Beehler, a popular figure in the world of international conservation, will take the audience on a journey through the mist shrouded “lost world” in the isolated Foja Mountains of New Guinea, showing imagery of unique wildlife such as the six-wired bird of paradise named for the wire-like whiskers sprouting from its head. His most recent expedition with the CBS 60 Minutes crew in 2007 resulted in the first ever filming of several of the species discovered in 2005. To watch the video please visit: www.manomet.org/beehler.
Fran Doran is glad to have an opportunity to share Beehler’s presentation with the community at large. “We’re living in an age when the stewardship of our planet is more important than ever for ourselves, our families and neighbors,” he noted. “I’m looking forward to a fun gathering that will be exciting as well as enlightening.”
About Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences is dedicated to helping humans live in harmony with natural resources. Working with stakeholders, the Center works to develop cooperative, science-based solutions to environmental problems and on-the-ground management strategies. Manomet’s programs focus on enabling communities and businesses to sustain natural systems and the wildlife and people dependent on them. It is a national leader in bird conservation—especially shorebirds—and currently heads a hemispheric wide initiative to reverse population declines in this highly migratory and threatened group of birds.
About the Doran Insurance Agency The Doran Insurance Agency of Duxbury, Massachusetts, is an Independent Agency that specializes in serving the personal insurance needs of individuals and families since 1988. The agency is regarded as a specialist in insuring antique and custom homes. Doran Insurance with offices in Duxbury and Concord, assists clients in Massachusetts and 20 other states in proper planning of property & casualty insurance as well as life and long-term care insurance. For more information, visit www.doraninsurance.com.
Make Every Day Earth Day Building a Sustainable World—Together
It seems only fitting that in honor of Earth Day, we all give something back to the place that has given us all so much. And not just one day, April 22, but every day of the year. Here are some simple things that you can feel good about doing and that will make the Earth an even better place to live.
Get outside and explore: Enjoy the peace and serenity of an open space in your community.
Drive less: Help reduce our country’s demand for oil and reduce green house gas emissions by walking or cycling to do errands, carpooling or using public transportation when possible.
Take pride in your commitment to the environment: By caring about the environment you are promoting the importance of sustainability as a mainstream societal value. This is ultimately how we will affect true change for the Earth.
Learn to identify 10 simple native species: Knowing how to identify plants and animals that are native to your area is a simple way to connect with nature that will inspire you to care about the environment.
Conserve water, heat and electricity. Turn off water, lights, and heat when possible. By using less water and energy, you will also save on your utility bills.
Practice organic gardening: Use native plants when you landscape and consider alternatives to chemical pesticides.
Teach children a healthy respect for the natural world: Kids learn best by following your example. Practice responsible environmentalism that will carry over into the next generation.
Shop Smart: Show your support for businesses that practice sustainability. Purchase products that are environmentally friendly.
Brought to you by Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences, a conservation organization committed to achieve a more sustainable world.
Avian Influenza type A (H5N1) or Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI H5N1)
As a conservation science organization with many bird-based programs, Manomet is closely monitoring the current outbreak of Avian Influenza type A (H5N1). Because the scientists at Manomet are not experts in the fields of wildlife virology or human infectious diseases, the Center is working with colleagues to better understand the potential impact of Avian Flu in the Western Hemisphere. In addition, we have identified a number of websites that contain useful information about the potential risks to human health, domestic birds and wild bird populations presented by avian flu. As a public service, we are providing a brief description and links for the websites that contain the most accurate, comprehensive and up-to-date information on all aspects of avian flu. We will update them regularly.
We have tested spring and fall migrant landbirds at Manomet and breeding shorebirds in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (2006 and 2007) with a harmless swab technique to establish the presence or absence of any sub-type of avian influenza type A virus. This is a joint effort by many US banders in cooperation with the US Fish and Wildlife Service, testing labs at UCLA’s Center for Tropical Research, Los Alamos National Lab, USGS Diagnostic Virology Laboratory in Madison, WI and numerous other government and NGO organizations. Over 74,000 wild birds were tested in the USA in 2006 and 12,000 in Canada; all samples are negative. All 2007 samples to date have also tested negative for H5N1.
Background Information on H5N1 (Updated 2nd April 2008)
Although there are at least 16 types of bird flu, the serious 2003-2008 outbreak which started in Asia is a virus strain called Avian Influenza type A (H5N1). This strain is frequently called Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI H5N1). This has caused the death or culling of hundreds of millions of mostly domestic birds in Asia and now Africa (Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Burkina Faso, Sudan, Cote d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt), northwest India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and most of Europe. The World Health Organization reports (2nd April 2008) a total of 376 human cases and 238 deaths, the latter all in Asia, Nigeria and Egypt (12 countries to date). Fewer human cases and deaths were reported in 2007 than in 2006.
Some Key Facts:
There have been no cases of HPAI H5N1 reported in the Western Hemisphere.
No human to human transmission has been proved to date, except a very few rare cases which may have occurred in SE Asia; transmission has not continued beyond one person (CDC).
Until 2006, there was no unambiguous evidence that wild migratory birds had spread the HPAI H5N1 to new locations, but this possibility now seems likely and requires constant monitoring. Recent outbreaks from January to December 2007 in England, Germany, France, Poland, Hungary, Czech Rep. and Romania have involved only domestic poultry, with a few recent confirmed cases in wild waterfowl in Germany and France. In winter 2008 outbreaks were confined to wild swans and Canada Geese in England and Iran, also waterbirds in Ukraine. Hong Kong continues to report H5N1 in wading birds and a Peregrine Falcon.
Humans transporting live domestic poultry or their products have been implicated as the principal cause of the virus transmission to date. Legal and illegal pet trade birds have also carried the virus.
If wild migratory birds carry and shed the virus along flyways, the potential exists for the virus to spread to additional migratory species and into other parts of the world including eastern Siberia, Australasia and the Americas. It is unclear how far infected birds are capable of migrating and spreading the virus. Wild ducks, geese, and swans are theoretically possible carriers.
[The graph illustrates the 376 confirmed human cases (World Health Organization data) since 1st January 2003 when the current outbreak began. The serious nature of the H5N1 virus is indicated by the 238 human deaths, an average mortality rate of 63%.]
Sources of Additional Information
For more information see these links:
Centers for Disease Control web site is an authoritative and up-to-date source of science and recent news. Articles on key facts about Avian Influenza in wild birds and livestock, and infections in humans, are very recently updated. Links are given to other related web-sites. http://www.cdc.gov/flu/avian/index.htm
World Health Organization a very full and completely up-to-date site with articles, links and answers to frequently asked questions on all general aspects of Avian Influenza. http://www.who.int/csr/disease/avian_influenza/en/
Public Health Agency of Canada has current Canadian and worldwide information with numerous links. This site is available in English and French. http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/new_e.html
World Organization for Animal Health [or Office International des Epizooties (OIE)] animal summary is a completely up-to-date listing of outbreaks by country with graphs of cumulative cases. This site is available in English, Spanish and French. http://www.oie.int/downld/AVIAN%20INFLUENZA/A_AI-Asia.htm
UN Environment Programme – Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (24th Oct. 2005) task force report gives broad guidelines for governments and appends a list of Eurasian migrant Globally Threatened bird species at risk from Avian Influenza. http://www.cms.int/news/PRESS/nwPR2005/pressrelease_AvianFlu_final_24_10_05.pdf
Ducks Unlimited statement - (11th December 2006) answers basic questions with an emphasis on facts for waterfowl and upland game-bird hunters. Links are provided to some US government sites. http://www.ducks.org/Hunting/BirdFlu/128/BirdFluLanding.html
US Fish and Wildlife Service this compilation of links to some of the best information currently available online on the topic of avian influenza in wild birds is now on the Fish and Wildlife Service's Division of Migratory Bird Management Web site: but has not been updated since 2005. http://www.fws.gov/migratorybirds/issues/AvianFlu/WBAvianFlu.htm
Vernal Pool Project: An Evaluation of the Water Quality in Vernal Pools
Come hear about an exciting project on vernal pools in the Charles and Taunton River watersheds. We will introduce you to Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences, familiarize you with what a vernal pool is, let you know what animals use vernal pools, and inform you about how our project intends to improve the quality of water in vernal pools. We hope to see you at one of the following presentations:
Thursday, February 7th at 6:30 PM Norton Public Library For directions please visit the library’s web page. This presentation is being organized by the Norton Conservation Commission.
Tuesday, March 11th at 12:30 PM Charles River Watershed Association Weston, MA For directions please visit CRWA’s web page.
The vernal pool project has been made possible due to the generosity of our partners and funders who include the Massachusetts Environmental Trust, Massachusetts Cultural Council, Island Foundation, and Entergy.
A vernal pool, or "spring pool," is a shallow depression that typically contains water for only part of the year. These pools provide important wildlife habitat, especially to amphibians, and range in size from a few square feet to several acres.
Flip through the pages of U.S. News & World Report, Time, Fortune, Business Week, Money, Outside Magazine, and Sports Illustrated, and chances are you’ll see Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences’ full-page public service announcement. Manomet launched its new ad campaign late in 2007, and the ad has since made its way into major national publications. The ad shows an image of a table and chairs in a natural setting, indicative of how Manomet “brings people to the table” to work together on conservation strategies that improve conditions for wildlife, habitats and people. Manomet believes that the most powerful approach to solving environmental problems is engaging with stakeholders and decision makers to understand their values and their needs, and to collaboratively–not confrontationally–seek solutions using science as our guide.
Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences Awarded Major Grant to Foster Shorebird Conservation throughout Western Hemisphere
Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network Receives its Largest-ever Grant from National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to Address Shorebird Declines
The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) recently approved a $743,000 grant to the Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences to sustain the development and implementation of conservation programs that address the decline of shorebird populations throughout the Western Hemisphere.
The conservation activities will be conducted by the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN), a coalition of conservation organizations with 68 shorebird protection sites in nine nations of the Western Hemisphere. This network of sites is essential to the ambitious Shorebird Recovery Project, led by the Executive Office of WHSRN at Manomet. The NFWF funds will be matched two to one by Manomet and other non-governmental organizations, for a total investment of more than $2.2 million for conservation projects.
“This is our largest award yet to WHSRN, and reflects our confidence in their ability to build the international coalitions necessary to conserve shorebirds across the Hemisphere,” notes Dr. Daniel Petit, Director of the NFWF Bird Conservation Initiative. “This grant also launches a new era in bird conservation investments for NFWF, one in which we are focused on producing tangible outcomes in terms of population increases for imperiled species. Working with partners such as WHSRN, we are establishing aggressive goals to stem the declines in Red Knots, American Oystercatchers and other species.”
“WHSRN is a coalition of partners–hundreds of groups voluntarily joining to conserve shorebird species and their habitats at a breathtaking scale—founded by visionary leaders in 1985. This award continues and greatly expands our on-the-ground conservation for key species and critical places,” said WHSRN’s Executive Office Director, Dr. Charles Duncan. “In addition it will allow us and our partners across the hemisphere to build a stronger scientific understanding of shorebird population declines and a ‘conservation accounting’ that can judge our progress to achieving our goal of healthy shorebird populations.”
The projects that the grant will support include:
New land protection/habitat management initiatives at three critical sites in Mexico, all for high priority species identified in the U.S. Shorebird Conservation Plan.
“Pride” campaigns in three communities in Patagonia, Argentina that host hemispherically important numbers of Red Knots.
Support for the Tierra del Fuego Bird Observatory to protect migratory shorebirds and support sustainable economic development in southernmost Chile.
Demographic metrics and success measures (“conservation accounting”) for endangered Red Knots as part of a larger recovery effort for the species.
Strengthening and expanding the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network by identifying and enrolling new sites in Latin America.
Implementing Manomet’s Shorebird Recovery project (SRP), by coordinating and facilitating on-the-ground conservation with partners at WHSRN and other key sites
Leadership for the Shorebird Research Group of the Americas (SRGA) in their work to determine the underlying causes of shorebird declines.
Accelerating shorebird monitoring work to measure population sizes and trends with the Program for International and Regional Shorebird Monitoring.
Enhancing the value of ricelands as shorebird habitat and as a sustainable economic activity in northern South America.
“Migratory species capture our imagination as humans, and depend on healthy ecosystems across the hemisphere that also provide critical benefit to humans as well,” said Jeffrey Parrish, Vice-President of Conservation Sciences at Manomet Center. “This leadership grant to Manomet from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation will ensure that we and our partners make dramatic progress in reversing declines of shorebirds–the marathon migrants of the world–while saving habitat from Alaska to Argentina for people and nature.”
By incorporating Manomet’s integrated 3-S strategy of Site-based Conservation; building the Science foundation; and using explicit Success measures, projects will move more quickly and efficiently to recovering shorebird populations, allowing for adaptive management when new approaches are needed and providing the opportunity to take advantage of new opportunities as they arise.
To date, with previous awards from NFWF, the Manomet WHSRN program and its partners’ accomplishments have included the following:
Protection of 20,000 acres of winter habitat in Mexico for two high priority shorebirds: Long-billed Curlew and Mountain Plover
Conservation action plans to guide recovery for over a dozen of the highest priority species
A sophisticated yet easy to use tool for evaluation of the status, threats and conservation actions for WHSRN and other sites with high biodiversity
Programs for cattle ranchers in South America to improve the financial return for their beef while providing habitat for the Buff-breasted Sandpiper
Three years of statistically valid monitoring for northbound migratory Red Knots, an endangered species.
The first –ever workshop for rice growers, extension agents, and conservationists in South America to explore collaborative approaches to shorebird conservation in rice growing fields.
About Shorebirds Shorebirds are a biologically distinct group of small to medium-sized birds generally with long legs, long bills and pointed wings. Shorebirds can be found at the shores of oceans and lakes, in grasslands and marshes, and even in dry uplands.
About Manomet Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences is one of the nation’s only independent non-profits dedicated exclusively to carrying out environmental research. Originally founded nearly 40 years ago as the Manomet Bird Observatory, its scientists have been bringing together environmental stakeholders—communities, individuals, universities, government agencies, and businesses—to develop cooperative, science-based policies and management strategies. Dedicated to conserving the natural world for the benefit of wildlife and human populations, Manomet scientists work to conserve forest, wetland, marine, and agricultural habitats, as well as birds and wildlife populations throughout the Western Hemisphere.
About the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network The Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN) is a voluntary, non-regulatory coalition whose mission is the conservation of shorebird species and their habitats across the Americas. Created in 1985 as a visionary approach to addressing shorebird conservation needs, WHSRN today consists of 68 sites in nine nations and over 21 million acres. Working in conjunction with hundreds of landowners, land trusts, corporations and national governments, WHSRN is the only hemisphere-wide conservation program focused on protecting shorebirds. WHSRN’s Executive Office is a key program of the Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences, Manomet, Massachusetts, USA. For more information, please visit www.whsrn.org
About the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) A nonprofit established by Congress in 1984, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation sustains, restores and enhances the Nation's fish, wildlife, plants and habitats. Through leadership conservation investments with public and private partners, NFWF is dedicated to achieving maximum conservation impact by developing and applying best practices and innovative methods for measurable outcomes. Since its establishment, NFWF has awarded nearly 9,500 grants to over 3,000 organizations in the United States and abroad and leveraged – with its partners – more than $400 million in federal funds into more than $1.3 billion for on-the-ground conservation. For more information, visit www.nfwf.org.
Arctic Wings, Birds of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, has won a National Outdoor Book Award in Design and Artistic Merit.
The National Outdoor Book Awards (NOBA) is the outdoor world’s largest and most prestigious book award program. It is a non-profit, educational program, sponsored by the NOBA Foundation, Association of Outdoor Recreation and Education, and Idaho State University. The purpose of the awards is to recognize and encourage outstanding writing and publishing.
According to Award judges, “Arctic Wings establishes a new benchmark in the art and literature of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. This is not only a book of exceptional photography, but it also includes solid and factual information, along with a series of essays by noted biologists and conservationists. Topping off this stylish, impressively designed book is an included CD of the birdsongs of the refuge.”
Arctic Wings, a joint project by The Mountaineers Books and Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences, is a celebration in word and image of the birds that have journeyed to the Refuge and back every year since time immemorial. Edited by Arctic Refuge Scientist Stephen Brown and with a Foreword by Jimmy Carter, this book of over 200 color images from award-winning nature photographers Subhankar Banerjee, Steven Kazlowski, Michio Hoshino, Arthur Morris, Mark Wilson, and Hugh Rose, shares an intense drama of birth and renewal. Through essays by noted biologists and conservationists including David Allen Sibley, Debbie Miller, Mark Wilson, Robert Thompson, Sarah James and Kenn Kaufman, Arctic Wings reveals the vital importance of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to world bird populations and the consequences of allowing oil exploration within its boundaries. All of us, no matter where we live, are connected to these northernmost breeders. A bird perched in our backyard during the winter, or a flock passing overhead, may represent some of these amazing Arctic travelers.
In sharing the news of this sought-after award, Publisher Helen Cherullo of The Mountaineers Books expressed her “great appreciation to all who made this book extraordinary.”
About the Editor Editor Stephen Brown, Ph.D., is Director of Shorebird Science for the Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences. He was the lead author of the U.S. Shorebird Conservation Plan and maintains a research program in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
Based in Manomet, Massachusetts, The Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences is one of the nation’s oldest independent environmental research organizations. Manomet uses science to bring people together and guide them in the development of practical strategies that improve conditions for wildlife, habitats, and people.
Manomet Scientist Recognized for Forest Conservation Leadership by Maine TREE Foundation and Maine Forest Service
John Hagan of Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences Honored as 2007 Recipient of Austin H. Wilkins Forest Stewardship Award
The Maine Department of Conservation and Maine Tree Foundation recently awarded the 2007 Austin H. Wilkins Forest Stewardship Award to John M. Hagan, Director of the Forest Conservation program at Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences, based in Brunswick, ME.
In making the award, Maine Governor John E. Baldacci cited the success Hagan and the Manomet Center have had in getting the state’s environmental groups and forest industry to work collaboratively to protect Maine’s 17 million acres of forest lands.
“This award is a great tribute to the Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences and to John Hagan personally,” Governor Baldacci said. “By successfully calling attention to declines in Maine’s late successional and old growth forests and the potential impact on both the environment and economy of Maine, Hagan has made significant contributions to the stewardship of Maine’s forests.”
“John Hagan stands out for his capabilities as a scientist and for his commitment to the health of Maine’s forest resources,” said Sherry Huber, executive director, Maine TREE Foundation. “He and the Manomet Center have shown true leadership in bringing together landowners, environmentalists and the government to protect and preserve the forests in Maine.”
The Austin H. Wilkins Forest Stewardship Award, sponsored by the Maine Department of Conservation and the Maine TREE Foundation, recognizes an individual or organization that has made an extraordinary contribution to the stewardship of Maine’s forests.
“I hope our work has shown that unilaterally pursuing either an environmental agenda or an economic agenda for Maine’s forest is an outdated model,” Hagan said. “Integration of these values is where the challenge lies for all of us. And I’ve come to see that Maine forest stakeholders have much more in common than they realize.”
As Director of Manomet Forest Conservation Program since 1997, Hagan has led numerous initiatives that bridge the environmental goals and economic goals of groups and individuals with a vested invested interest in the future viability of forests in Maine and throughout New England.
One recent initiative took place in Augusta on June 27 when Manomet, with the Maine Forest Service and Environment Northeast, hosted a conference, “Fighting Climate Change with Carbon Offsets: What is the role of forestland in New England.” More than 140 participants from state, local and federal government agencies, the forest products industry and numerous non-profit conservation organizations discussed strategies for leveraging the natural ability of trees to sequester carbon dioxide, the major greenhouse gas, from the atmosphere.
About Manomet Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences is one of the nation’s only independent non-profits dedicated exclusively to carrying out environmental research. Originally founded 37 years ago as the Manomet Bird Observatory, its scientists have been bringing together environmental stakeholders—communities, individuals, universities, government agencies, and businesses—to develop cooperative, science-based policies and management strategies. Dedicated to conserving the natural world for the benefit of wildlife and human populations, Manomet scientists work to conserve forest, wetland, marine, and agricultural habitats, as well as birds and wildlife populations throughout the Western Hemisphere. For more information, please visit www.manomet.org.
About the Maine TREE Foundation The Maine TREE Foundation was founded in 1989 to provide Maine people with good, accurate information about the state’s forest resource. The Maine TREE Foundation is an independent, private, non-profit environmental education organization with a focus on the forest. The Maine TREE Foundation educates and advocates for the sustainable use of the forest and the ecological, economic, and social health of Maine’s forest community. For more information, please visit www.mainetreefoundation.org.
About the Maine Department of Conservation (and Forest Service) The Maine Department of Conservation is a natural resource agency whose bureaus oversee the management, development and protection of some of Maine's most special places: seventeen million acres of forestland, 10.4 million acres of unorganized territory, 47 state parks and historic sites and nearly 1,000,000 acres of public reserved land. Created in 1973, the Department of Conservation's mission is to benefit the citizens, landowners, and users of the state's natural resources by promoting stewardship and ensuring responsible balanced use of Maine's land, forest, water, and mineral resources.
The Maine Forest Service works to ensure that the trees and forest lands of Maine will continue to provide benefits for present and future generations of Maine people by: developing, advocating for, and promoting activities that encourage the sound long term management of Maine's forest resources; protecting Maine's forest resources from the effects of fire, insects, disease and misuse; and providing accurate, relevant, and timely information about Maine's forest resources. For more information about the Department of Conservation, visit www.maine.gov/doc.
On June 27th Manomet hosted a conference called Fighting Climate Change with Carbon Offsets: What is the role of forestland in New England? This conference was just a part of Manomet's work on forests and carbon offsets, funded by the Merck Family Fund and the Davis Conservation Foundation. Over 140 participants from across New England gathered in Augusta, Maine to discuss how forests can be used to offset atmospheric carbon emissions. Participants were from diverse backgrounds including state, local, and federal government agencies, the forest products industry, and numerous non-profit conservation organizations
Trees are natural (and free) scrubbers of carbon dioxide, an atmospheric gas contributing to global climate change. Because trees sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, forest land could play a significant role in offsetting carbon dioxide emissions. Participants learned about carbon markets (where carbon credits are traded as a commodity) and the complexities of using forest land for certified carbon offset programs. The emerging carbon offset markets may provide an opportunity to maintain or even enhance forest cover in the U.S. benefiting both landowners and biodiversity. The conference was great success and positioned Manomet as a provider of information in an emerging and rapidly changing field.
It’s 12:01 a.m., May 12, 2007 and Manomet friend and volunteer, Ian Davies, is up and off into the darkness of the New Jersey wilderness. His mission is to identify as many birds as he can in twenty-four hours. Why, you ask? Ian trekked out in the middle of the night not only for the sheer enjoyment, but also as part of the 2007 New Jersey Audubon World Series of Birding (WSB)!
For those who don’t know, the WSB is a charity event aimed at raising money for both the NJ Audubon Society and the charity of the team’s choosing. Ian chose Manomet and he and his team raised over $1,000 through pledges and contributions in support of Manomet’s bird research and conservation programs.
Ian and three other young men he knew through an ABA youth conference, Luke, Ethan and Kai, formed a team to compete in this year’s series, and with a total of 180 species identified over the hectic twenty-four hour period, the team (named the SKUAZ) came in second out of all youth teams, and 14th out of all 123 teams. The team’s captain had mapped out an eastern and western route through the state with index cards alluding to species that would be found in certain “hot spots” along the route.
“We got lost for a short while and lost some time,” said Ian, “but had an overall great time. We started at Great Swamp NWR with our first bird, a Veery, identified by flight call.” Only 40 of the 180 total species were visually identified, the rest were identified by sound. Each team is on an honor system and 95% of the birds must be seen by all four members, while the remaining, “dirty birds,” need only be seen by two members.
Throughout the day, during short drives to new sites in order to look and listen for more species, the team snacked on Go-gurt and sandwiches of bread, cheese and mustard…no time for gourmet meals when you need to get to your final bird of the day, a greater Scaup. The group even came across a Black Bear with her three cubs along their path.
Lastly, Ian reported, “One of the highlights was spotting a Curlew Sandpiper amidst about 12,000 other shorebirds. We also spotted Golden-winged Warblers…one of which sang the Blue-winged Warbler’s tune. It was a great experience, my first with the World Series of Birding, and I can’t wait to do it again with the same team next year.”
(The author of this story, Jason St. Sauver, is a member of Manomet’s banding station staff for the Spring 2007 banding season.)
Ian Davies and his team of birders are looking forward to participating in the upcoming World Series of Birding. The team has decided to donate proceeds from pledges to Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences.
Manomet Volunteer “Bander” Leads World Series of Birding Team to Support Bird Conservation
Ian Davies, a volunteer with Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences’ bird banding program, and his teammates are determined to break a record in the World Series of Birding. Ian’s team will head to New Jersey where the Series will take place, from May 9th through May 13th, with the big 24-hour marathon day on May 12th. Similar events will be held all over the globe, rallying birders to identify, by sight or sound, as many species as possible within 24 hours. Through this event, Ian’s team is hoping to raise funds to help support the bird conservation work of Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences. The organization’s efforts in bird research and conservation spans nearly four decades. Key accomplishments have included developing national plans for Waterbirds and Shorebirds, establishing the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network, and operating one of North America’s oldest land bird-banding programs.
Ian, a 15-year-old homeschooler and resident of Manomet, has been a volunteer in Manomet’s banding program for three years. He believes in the importance of the organization’s mission enough to not only help out on his own free time, but also to raise funds to enable the research to continue. “Birds have a very important role in our planet’s overall ecosystem,” says Ian. “They are indicators of change, kind of like canaries in the coal mines. It’s good to be part of an event that will help stop their declining populations and to save their habitats.”
Ian’s team, “The Skuas” (named after a seabird and long-distance migrant), includes: Luke Seitz from Maine, Ethan Kistler from Ohio, and Kai Reed, who is also from Massachusetts.
The World Series of Birding competition started in 1984, when Roger Tory Peterson himself led the winning team in tallying 201 species in 24 hours. Ian says his team would be “thrilled to get anywhere close to that number.” For more information about the World Series of Birding please Click Here
“We’re ready to go” says Ian. “We would love to break a record. We’ll give it our best shot!”
Make A Pledge!
Ian is encouraging anyone who loves birds and nature to pledge a gift to Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences in time for the World Series of Birding event. Pledges that are received by May 9th will receive a Manomet Center pin. To pledge, contact Kathleen McKinnon at 508-224-6521 or at kmckinnon@manomet.org.
Thought to be one of the greatest threats to the planet’s ecosystems, global warming is caused by too many greenhouse gasses in the Earth's atmosphere, with the biggest impact from carbon dioxide (CO2). But how do we tackle this enormous problem? John Hagan, director of Forest Conservation at Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences (www.manomet.org), says forest management can play an important role.
Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences has received the North American Bird Conservation Initiative’s 2007 Bird Conservation Award. The first recipient to be chosen for this new award, Manomet is recognized for its unparalleled accomplishments in bird conservation as reflected in the principles of the North American Bird Conservation Initiative (NABCI) and national/international bird initiatives. In particular, the award is a tribute to Manomet’s efforts in fulfilling the vision of protecting and restoring the populations and habitats of North American birds by:
Initiating and broadening bird conservation partnerships.
Increasing financial resources available for bird conservation in the U.S. and wherever these species may occur during their life cycles.
Enhancing the effectiveness of those resources and partnerships by facilitating integrated bird management.
Facilitating integrated bird management through monitoring, research, modeling or habitat conservation work.
Manomet’s leadership in bird research and conservation spans nearly four decades. Key accomplishments have included developing national plans for Waterbirds and Shorebirds; establishing the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network; and operating one of the North America’s oldest land bird banding programs.
Kathy Parsons, Director of Manomet’s Wildlife & Agriculture program accepted this award on Manomet’s behalf at a NABCI meeting. Parsons has spent more than two decades advancing Manomet’s conservation work in support of birds and their ecosystems.
In presenting the award, Paul Schmidt, Assistant Director, Migratory Birds, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, said, “We are fortunate to have with us here tonight, the Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences to receive the group award. Over the past 35 years, scientists such as Stephen Brown and Kathy Parsons with Manomet Center have conducted avian research and monitoring programs that contribute to globally-significant bird conservation programs. Staff has actively participated in the North American Bird Conservation Initiative and contributed to the mission of all-bird joint ventures with a host of national and international partners.”
“This award honors Manomet’s long-standing, major commitment to the conservation of birds and the habitats on which they and society depend,” said Jeff Parrish, Vice President of Conservation Sciences at Manomet. “We are delighted to receive recognition for our contributions and appreciate the partners who help to make these programs and initiatives a success. But we will not rest on our laurels and are embarking on new and innovative initiatives to help society make science-based decisions to save nature for the benefit of birds and human communities alike.”
Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences’ President Linda Leddy was recently recognized in Boston Magazine’s popular feature: “The Next List 27: New Faces, Trends, and Ideas You Need to Know About.” The feature spotlights 27 Boston community leaders and icons in a variety of fields. Manomet has the exclusive honor of being the only environmental organization spotlighted in this feature.
International Earth Day Event Features Manomet Scientist
Stephen Brown, editor of Arctic Wings, will present highlights of his research expeditions in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge at the American Museum of Natural History on Sunday, April 22. The presentation is part of a program of artist presentations that will be featured at the Museum’s International Earth Day series. For more information, click here.
Arctic Wings: Birds of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
An evening with Stephen Brown Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences Wednesday, April 11, 2007 7:00 p.m. Kane Hall, Room 130 University of Washington campus, Seattle, WA Admission: Free
The ecosystems of the world are linked by birds, and nowhere is that more apparent than the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, where more than 190 species converge from six continents and all fifty states to nest and rear their young in a landscape fairly bursting with its seasonal visitors.
In Arctic Wings (Mountaineers Books, 2006), this convergence of waterfowl, raptors, shorebirds, gulls and terns, owls and songbirds is explored through images by award-winning photographers and notable biologists and conservationists.
On Wednesday, April 11, The Mountaineers presents a free lecture by Stephen Brown, Ph. D., editor of Arctic Wings and the Director of the Shorebird Research Program for the Manomet Center for Conservation Research. Brown will discuss the research on shorebird habitat conducted by the Manomet Center, and will touch upon policy issues that affect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Far from being scientific in nature and tone, this presentation is aimed at the layman, and includes many images of the birds of the Refuge and stories of Brown’s adventures while carrying out his research. Also making a brief appearance will be Martyn Stewart, nature sound recordist of Arctic Refuge bird songs.
This free presentation takes place in Room 130 of the University of Washington’s Kane Hall at 7 p.m. Brown will autograph Arctic Wings after the presentation, and copies of the book will be available for purchase at the lecture.
Arctic Wings is presented by The Mountaineers, The Mountaineers Books, and The Mountaineers Foundation. Sponsors include the UW Program on the Environment, The Wilderness Society, Sierra Club, Seattle Audubon Society, East Lake Washington Audubon Society, and The Burke Museum.
Newly Released Waterbird Plan Sets Course for Protecting Wading Birds, Marsh Birds and Seabirds
A partnership of organizations and individuals working to facilitate waterbird conservation in the Mid-Atlantic/New England/Maritimes (MANEM) region of the US and Canada has developed a regional waterbird conservation plan to be implemented during 2006-2010. Over 200 partners comprising the MANEM Waterbird Working Group have compiled and interpreted technical information on the region’s waterbird populations and habitats, assessed conservation status of these natural resources, developed strategies to ensure the persistence of sustainable waterbird populations in the region, and identified near-term priorities. MANEM partners include wildlife managers, scientists, policy makers, educators and funders.
The MANEM region consists of Bird Conservation Regions 14 (Atlantic Northern Forest) and 30 (New England/Mid-Atlantic Coast), and Pelagic Bird Conservation Regions 78 (Northeast US Continental Shelf) and 79 (Scotian Shelf). Seventy-four waterbird species utilize habitats in MANEM for breeding, migrating and wintering. Avian families include Gaviidae (loons), Podicipedidae (grebes), Procellariidae (shearwaters), Hydrobatidae (storm-petrels), Sulidae (boobies), Pelecanidae (pelicans), Phalacrocoracidae (cormorants), Ardeidae (herons), Threskiornithidae (ibises), Rallidae (rails), Laridae (gulls, terns), Stercoraridae (skuas, jaegers) and Alcidae (alcids). Partners in four subregions of MANEM selected 43 Focal Species for immediate conservation action.
The plan consists of technical appendices on 1) waterbird populations including occurrence, status, and conservation needs, 2) waterbird habitats and locations within the region that are critical to waterbird sustainability, 3) MANEM partners and regional expertise for waterbird conservation, and 4) conservation project descriptions that present current and proposed research, management, habitat acquisition, and education activities . Summarized information on waterbirds and their habitats provide a regional perspective for local conservation action. An Executive Summary and Abstract provide concise information in a popular format on near-term waterbird conservation priorities for the Mid-Atlantic/New England/Maritimes region of North America.
The MANEM Waterbird Conservation Plan is being implemented within the context and framework of the North American Waterbird Conservation Plan—a project of the Waterbird Conservation for the Americas Initiative. The MANEM Working Group welcomes participation from all those interested in waterbird conservation and management. Learn more about waterbird conservation in the region here. To contact the steering committee, email Kathy Parsons or Scott Johnston.
Click here for the Mid-Atlantic New England Maritimes (MANEM) region Waterbird Conservation Plan in PDF format.
New Research on Shorebirds of ANWR Published in The Condor
Each year, millions of shorebirds fly from their wintering areas as far south as the tip of South America all the way to the Arctic to nest during the short Arctic summer. Manomet has been working for 30 years to protect the most important stopover areas along their routes as part of the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network. However, one very special place is at risk in the Arctic, and new research just published by Manomet and other partners may help protect it.
The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) is the only part of Alaska’s North Slope that may be protected from oil development, but even this last remaining five percent of the rich coastal tundra is at risk. Recent plans proposed in congress would allow this wildlife area to be developed for oil and gas, with unknown but potentially significant impacts on nesting shorebirds. Manomet responded to this threat by launching the first study ever conducted of the number of shorebirds using the coastal plain for nesting. Working closely with colleagues in government, Manomet completed a survey of the entire 1.5 million acre area that is at risk for development, and the results were published as the lead article in the most recent issue of The Condor.
Manomet’s research shows that approximately 230,000 shorebirds use the Arctic Refuge coastal plain as a nesting area. That’s about 2% of the total number of shorebirds of these species thought to exist. Compared to the population of the United States, that’s like Boston, Detroit, Chicago, Denver, and San Francisco combined. Manomet now knows that the Arctic Refuge coastal plain qualifies as a site of International Importance under the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network criteria, which give this special status to sites hosting at least 100,000 birds. In addition, the Refuge qualifies for its large numbers of American Golden-Plovers, which are declining at a dramatic rate in the northeastern United States.
Manomet scientists are now hard at work surveying the coastal lagoons and barrier islands of the Refuge to determine how important they are for staging shorebirds preparing to return south each year, completing their epic annual migrations. Wherever shorebirds travel, Manomet will be there helping them survive and prosper by identifying and protecting critical sites.
To read the study results published in The Condor, click here.
Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences’ President Linda Leddy is honored in the March 2007 issue of Boston Magazine in a special feature: “The Next List 27: New Faces, Trends, and Ideas You Need to Know About.” The feature spotlights 27 Boston buzz makers and ascendant icons in a variety of fields. To read a text version of Linda Leddy’s profile, click here and scroll down until you find her story. Read the whole article (with photos and other sidebars) in the March 2007 issue, now on newsstands.
Bravos to Linda for being showcased and for Manomet having the exclusive honor of the only environmental organization featured in this new issue!
Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences Lectures Explore Environmental Issues
Birds of the Arctic Refuge, Avian Flu, and Pesticides are some of the topics to be explored through a Science & Society 2007 Lecture Series hosted by Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences. Presented by scientists who are experts in their field, these lectures are free and open to the community.
Arctic Wings: Birds of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Sunday, February 4, 2007, 2:00-3:00 PM
Manomet Scientist Stephen Brown will discuss his book, Arctic Wings: Birds of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and his research expeditions to Alaska’s North Slope. Arctic birds highlight the interconnectedness of the hemisphere as they complete epic migrations between the ends of the earth and illustrate the importance of halting global climate change before their habitats are destroyed. The presentation features stunning photographs of elusive arctic birds on their breeding grounds, and includes insights into new discoveries about their habitats and the conservation challenges facing them.
As Manomet’s Director of Shorebird Research and Conservation, Dr. Brown works on a wide variety of science and policy issues related to protecting this imperiled group of birds that literally cover the globe during their annual migrations. He was the lead author of the U.S. Shorebird Conservation Plan, which brought together wildlife managers and policy makers from all 50 states and several federal agencies, university researchers, and many other conservation groups to develop a coordinated strategy for restoring the declining populations of shorebirds. Stephen has an active research program in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, where his work helps to determine the impacts that oil development would have on nesting shorebirds.
Avian Flu: An Overview Wednesday, March 28, 2007, 10:30-11:30 AM
Headlines abound about a potentially dangerous pandemic known as Avian Flu. Hear from Trevor Lloyd-Evans, Director of Manomet’s Bird Banding Program, as he discusses avian flu and the facts and myths associated with this disease. Lloyd-Evans has worked as a bird scientist for 40 years and has compiled an amazing database of findings related to birds, their migrations, and their role as indicators of environmental change.
Lloyd-Evans directs one of North America's oldest and most extensive landbird banding programs which dates back to Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences’ founding in 1969. Through this program, Manomet has documented significant declines in many of the formerly common woodland and field species. Our efforts focus on using this information to guide habitat protection and land management programs throughout the Northeast. Through regular classes each spring and fall, the banding program also introduces children and adults from throughout southeastern New England to concepts of habitat protection, migratory species, and native plantings.
The Pesticide Trail Wednesday, April 25, 7:00-8:00 PM
Pesticides are widely used chemicals in our society, but are they safe? Katharine Parsons’ research into the effects of pesticides on wildlife has led to compelling conclusions. She will share highlights from her 10-year study and will discuss what each of us can do to promote a healthier environment.
Since the 1980s, Dr. Parsons has been studying the impact of pesticides on wildlife, focusing on long-term chronic effects, which are not addressed through current regulations. Her research shows conclusively that commonly applied pesticides are causing acute disease symptoms and mortality in wildlife. Manomet is now working with partners throughout Massachusetts and beyond to understand the human health effects of these chemicals, and to apply our findings to impact agricultural policies and practices.
The lectures will take place at Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences in Manomet, MA. Space is limited and reservations are required. To reserve your place and to get directions, please contact Marianna Mele at 508-224-6521, or mmele@manomet.org. Light refreshments will be offered.
The Science & Society Lecture Series is designed to inform the community about relevant environmental issues and to promote awareness of Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences’ role in addressing our society’s environmental challenges. The lectures are informal and interactive. Participant questions and discussions are encouraged.
Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences is one of the nation’s only independent non-profits dedicated exclusively to carrying out environmental research. Originally founded 37 years ago as the Manomet Bird Observatory, its scientists have been bringing together environmental stakeholders—communities, individuals, universities, government agencies, and businesses—to develop cooperative, science-based policies and management strategies. Dedicated to conserving the natural world for the benefit of wildlife and human populations, Manomet scientists work to conserve forest, wetland, and agricultural habitats, as well as birds and wildlife populations throughout the Western Hemisphere.
The Science & Society Lecture Series program is supported in part by a grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council.
WHSRN Awarded Major Grant to Foster Shorebird Conservation throughout the Western Hemisphere
Third Year for National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Support to Address Shorebird Declines by Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network
The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (Foundation) recently approved a $378,780 grant to the Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences (Manomet) to sustain the development and implementation of conservation programs that address the decline of shorebird populations throughout the Western Hemisphere.
The conservation activities will be conducted by the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN), a coalition of conservation organizations with 64 shorebird protected sites in eight nations of the Western Hemisphere. The Executive Office of WHSRN is a Manomet program. The Foundation funds will be matched by Manomet and other non-governmental organizations for a total investment of more than $757,560.
Several new hemispheric conservation initiatives will be implemented in this third consecutive year of funding for WSHRN, with a focus on strengthening partnerships, protecting key habitat, and applying tools that improve the scope and pace of habitat conservation at each site within the network.
Peter Stangel, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation's Eastern Partnership Office Director, noted that this grant represents a new approach for the Foundation's grant-making. "This third year of support for shorebird conservation activities through WHSRN epitomizes the Foundation's new strategic approach to bird conservation. Manomet and WHSRN are leaders in building partnership-based, comprehensive bird and habitat conservation programs, and we are very pleased to enter into this alliance with them."
“This award represents a continuing partnership between WHSRN and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation,” said Charles Duncan, director of the Executive Office of WHSRN. “The Foundation’s generous continued support will allow us to build on key initiatives carried out in our first two years of funding, and to develop and launch new ones vital for conserving shorebird species and their habitats across the Americas.”
This third-year grant will allow WHSRN to work with its partners to undertake the following efforts:
Stem losses and create a base for rebuilding populations of four shorebird species of high concern: Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Mountain Plover, Long-billed Curlew, and Western Sandpiper through land protection at Janos and Bahía Santa María, Mexico; Bahía Samborombón, Argentina; Depto de Rocha, Uruguay; and Lagoa do Peixe, Brazil;
Analyze threats to WHSRN sites, and develop conservation strategies and measures of success for abating these threats at a hemispheric scale;
Complete plans identifying key sites and spatially explicit on-the-ground actions to improve the conservation status of the most "at-risk" shorebird species;
Assess the abundance and use of habitat by Red Knots in Patagonia to identify key stopover sites for protection of this population;
Develop and disseminate research protocols to test hypotheses on causes for shorebird declines to serve as an authoritative common basis for action;
Increase the capacity of Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay to conserve migratory shorebird populations using rice fields during the non-reproductive season, through information exchange and inter-sector cooperation.
In the second year of research, the Manomet WHSRN program and its partners accomplished the following:
Protected 7,900 acres of key habitat for Long-billed Curlew and Mountain Plover in Mexico (both “species of high concern”);
Established agreements with ranch owners in Uruguay and Argentina to develop “shorebird-friendly” grazing practices on 18,000 acres to benefit wintering Buff-breasted Sandpipers (“high concern”), with additional outreach activities to other ranchers within the small wintering range of the species;
Continued monitoring of endangered Red Knots during their northbound migration of the coast of Patagonia to assess their population and condition;
Developed, tested and began implementation of a sophisticated “Site Assessment Tool” to evaluate the state, threats and conservation actions for shorebird habitats at WHSRN sites;
Completed conservation plans for four high-priority shorebird species, and have drafts in hand or in progress for an additional seven (representing two-thirds of all such species;
Reviewed and analyzed all published manuscripts that address factors limiting the populations of high priority shorebirds, with a manuscript in production.
About Shorebirds Shorebirds are a biologically distinct group of small to medium-sized birds generally with long legs, long bills and pointed wings. Shorebirds can be found at the shores of oceans and lakes, in grasslands and marshes, and even in dry uplands.
About Manomet Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences is one of the nation’s only independent non-profits dedicated exclusively to carrying out environmental research. Originally founded 37 years ago as the Manomet Bird Observatory, its scientists have been bringing together environmental stakeholders—communities, individuals, universities, government agencies, and businesses—to develop cooperative, science-based policies and management strategies. Dedicated to conserving the natural world for the benefit of wildlife and human populations, Manomet scientists work to conserve forest, wetland, and agricultural habitats, as well as birds and wildlife populations throughout the Western Hemisphere. For more information, please visit www.manomet.org.
About the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network The Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN) is a voluntary, non-regulatory coalition whose mission is the conservation of shorebird species and their habitats across the Americas. Created in 1985 as a visionary approach to addressing shorebird conservation needs, WHSRN today consists of 64 sites in eight nations and over 21 million acres. Working in conjunction with hundreds of landowners, land trusts, corporations and national governments, WHSRN is the only hemisphere-wide conservation program focused on protecting shorebirds. WHSRN is a key program of the Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences, Manomet, Massachusetts, USA. For more information, please visit www.whsrn.org.
About the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) A nonprofit established by Congress in 1984, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation sustains, restores and enhances the Nation's fish, wildlife, plants and habitats. Through leadership conservation investments with public and private partners, NFWF is dedicated to achieving maximum conservation impact by developing and applying best practices and innovative methods for measurable outcomes. Since its establishment, NFWF has awarded over 8,000 grants to nearly 3,000 organizations in the United States and abroad and leverage–with its partners–more than $340 million in federal funds, for a total of over $1 billion in conservation. For more information, visit www.nfwf.org.
Manomet Receives 4-Star Rating from Charity Navigator
Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences was awarded a “4-Star” rating by Charity Navigator, America’s premier independent evaluator of charities. According to Charity Navigator criteria, this rating indicates that Manomet “exceeds industry standards and outperforms most charities in its cause.”
Charity Navigator works to advance a more efficient and responsive philanthropic marketplace by providing information to charitable givers on over twenty-five hundred charities and by evaluating the financial health of each of these charities. The evaluations are widely used by making them easy to understand and freely available to the public.
Charity Navigator’s method of applying an objective, data-driven analysis to the charitable sector has been profiled and recognized by The New York Times, Business Week, and The Chronicle of Philanthropy. It has been described as the “site of choice” for accessing information needed to make smart giving choices.
To view Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences’ Charity Navigator rating and summary, click here.
Reflections on a Season of Banding: Fall 2006 (15 Aug. – 15 Nov.) at Manomet
Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris) 30th October 2006, Photo by Ann Graham
Western Flycatcher (Empidonax difficilis/occidentalis) 10th November 2006, Photo by Ann Graham
About 350,000 birds have been banded at Manomet to date. The spring and fall migration banding program started here at the (then) Ernst House porch in the fall of 1966. We are thus in our 41st year of data collection and education programs at this site. This fall we continued to run 50 mist nets on the same dates and in the same locations as the previous years, giving us an unparalleled comparison of range expansions and contractions, yearly variation of migration, survival and long-term population change.
Formal education programs at Manomet were based on migration banding, local ecology and conservation biology. Onsite programs for schools were greatly increased this year as school and parent concerns about exposure to mosquito-transmitted diseases faded. Visiting groups included members, scouts, schools, universities and adults from the local community. Informal presentations included those given to members, visiting scientists, visiting birders, and people who just walk in!
New Bandings
2,005
Repeat Captures
1,483
TOTAL HANDLED
3,488 of 77 species
This autumn, an average number of birds was banded, a great improvement over the weather-induced low numbers this spring. An apparently successful catbird breeding season led to many birds banded early, a slow September, then a flurry of late migrants in late-Oct/early-Nov., continuing much later than normal this year. The fall seed and berry crops seemed connected with the generally low numbers of migrants from mid-Sep. through late-Oct. Seeds (especially oak, beech and maple) were almost non-existent here in 2006; early berries below average, but late fall berries fairly abundant. Our busiest days were 05 Sep. (109 captures), 22 Aug. (103 captures), 23 Aug. (99), 31 Aug. (95), 31 Oct. (94), 30 Aug. (93) and 07 Sep. (93). It was encouraging that 4 out of the 5 species which were banded in greater numbers this fall, when compared with the last 10 years, were Neotropical migrants (Willow Flycatcher, Veery, Swainson’s Thrush, Hermit Thrush and Wilson’s Warbler). The four 10-year lows were Black-capped Chickadee (no movements – lowest ever fall total of 27 new bandings), Brown Creeper, Yellow Warbler (zero for the first time) and Yellow-breasted Chat. New bandings were led by catbirds:
The Eastern Bell’s Vireo we banded on 24th Oct. 2005 was accepted as a new species for the Commonwealth. This fall we banded an almost incredible second individual on 8th Sep. Better - a Western Flycatcher was banded, photographed, measured and released on the very late date of 10th Nov. If accepted by the rarities committee, this would also be a first for Massachusetts. Other exciting captures included our second Painted Bunting ever on 30th Oct. after a huge Atlantic storm reaching south to Florida and the Caribbean Sea; also our second Clay-colored Sparrow ever on 25th Sep.
We recorded more notable recaptures from previous seasons this fall than usual: a Blue Jay first banded 04 Sep. 2001 (at least 6 years old); a Gray Catbird banded 29 Aug. 2000 (6 years old); a Black-and-white Warbler banded 27 Aug. 2001 (at least 6 years old); a 4-year old Blue Jay; a 4-year-old Black-capped Chickadee and an unusual 69 other birds between 1 and 3 years old.
Many, many thanks to all the volunteers who helped make the fall migration banding and education season of 2006 such a success. We are also greatly indebted for financial support of these programs to Manomet members, the William Drury Memorial Fund, Malcolm Oakes Memorial Fund, Burr Hardon Intern Fund, Rosalie Cheney Fiske Education Fund, Melita Seipp Howland Conservation Science Endowment, Charles Stanhope Adams Nature Research Foundation and the Helen Haber Memorial Fund. Ann Graham (Oakland, CA) and Scarlett Howell (Ocala, FL) were the lead banders this fall, assisted by Tyler Maikath (Mashpee, MA), with many weeks of help from Ian Davies (Medford, MA). We will miss this skillful, enthusiastic and hard-working team.
The bird in the accompanying photographs (by Ann Graham) was netted at dusk (16:15) on 10th November 2006 during the normal fall migration banding studies at Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences, Manomet, Plymouth County, MA. It gave no calls of any sort during handling or after release, vanishing into our scrubby forest habitat, not to be seen since despite considerable efforts.
Brief Description: Overall greenish olive upperparts and head, dull yellow from throat to belly with some juvenal plumage dull white feathers remaining on central belly and upper tail coverts (still actively completing juvenal to first basic molt). Eye-rings yellow with distinctive tear-drop shape at posterior. Maxilla black, inside of mouth buttercup yellow, mandible flesh pink below grading to orange/yellow at tip and edges. Legs dark gray. Anterior and posterior wing bars buffy yellow, similar. Skull less than ½ ossified.
Measurements: Wing chord 69.54 mm, tail 59.76 tip square, difference 9.78, wt. 13.4 gm. Bill length – exposed culmen 11.43, fr. center nares 8.82; width at center nares 5.89, at anterior nares 5.73; depth at anterior nares 3.97. Longest primary (P) – longest secondary (S) = 11.3, longest P – P6 = 3.49, P10 – P5 = -1.37, P10 – P4 = 2.54, P9 – P5 = 6.69, P6 – P10 = 7.6. Emargination on anterior web of P6, 7, 8, 9.
Based on the published literature we identified this bird as either Pacific Slope Flycatcher (E. difficilis) or Cordilleran Flycatcher (E. occidentalis). Comparison with study skins in the Manomet collection is consistent with this identification. Any and all comments are welcome (to tlloyd-evans@manomet.org) before this record is officially submitted.
WHSRN Website Takes Flight! New Online “Hub” Created for Network’s 64 Hemispheric Sites
The Western Hemispheric Shorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN) is pleased to announce the launch of its newly completed web site, www.whsrn.org.
The primary goal of the web site is to build communications capacity to protect a vital chain of international ecosystems. A Spanish language version of the site is under development.
“We are proud to announce our new web site,” said Charles Duncan, WHSRN’s Director. “The breadth of the network, its numerous sites, partners, and hemispheric reach make the new web site a valuable communication and community-building tool. We would especially like to thank our supporters for providing the vision and funding to make this new web site a reality.”
WHSRN’s mission is the conservation of shorebird species and the preservation of their habitats across the Americas. Created in 1985 as a visionary approach to addressing shorebird conservation needs, WHSRN today consists of 64 sites in eight nations and over 21 million acres. Working in conjunction with hundreds of landowners, land trusts, corporations and national governments, WHSRN is the only hemisphere-wide conservation program focused on protecting shorebirds. WHSRN is a key program of the Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences. Click here to visit the WHSRN website and learn more.
In the September/October 2006 issue of WildBird Magazine, the publication's Advisory Board member Peter Stangel explores the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network's vital importance to shorebirds and their key habitats. Click here to read a PDF version of this article.
Red Knot Designated for Endangered Species Act Protection
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (hereafter, “the Service”) has designated the Red Knot, Calidris canutus, as a candidate for Endangered Species Act protection. This action does not change the protection afforded the Red Knot under the Endangered Species Act, but it does open new opportunities for protection and additional funding.
“The Service’s decision acknowledges the need to protect the Red Knot, but stops short of proposing the bird for protection under the Act,” said Marvin Moriarty, Northeast regional director for the Service. “We have long been concerned about the status of Red Knots, but we have hope for the future of the species. The strong conservation actions initiated by the states of New Jersey and Delaware have reduced threats to Red Knots at their migratory stopover in Delaware Bay. The most recent numbers of Red Knots there and in their South American wintering grounds remain similar to 2005 numbers, indicating that the declining population trend may have stabilized.”
Protection of the Red Knot was found to be warranted but precluded by other, higher priority activities. This means the proposal for protection is deferred while the Service works on protection for other species that are at greater risk. The finding requires subsequent annual reviews until either a listing proposal is published or a “not warranted” finding is made based on new information.
Independently, a Conservation Plan for the Red Knot is being finalized as part of the Western Hemisphere Reserve Network's (WHSRN) NFWF-funded project to define the conservation strategies, sites and needed action for shorebird species of highest concern. The finalized plan will be posted on the conservation plans page at WHSRN’s website once peer-review is completed. The plan is based on the Status Assessment submitted to the Service last June and its authors include researchers from the US, Canada, England, Australia and Argentina. The lead author, Larry Niles of the New Jersey Endangered and Non-game Species Program, hopes the conservation plan will aid the Service and the states in developing research and conservation priorities that would speed the recovery of the Red Knot.
Manomet recently conducted a training workshop on shorebird capture and handling techniques for state and federal agency personnel who are collaboratively conducting efforts to collect Avian Influenza (AI) samples from wild birds. The training was designed to help enhance bird capture and handling techniques and subsequently to hopefully broaden the scope of wild bird species being live-sampled for AI.
The workshop, which was held at Manomet’s facility south of Plymouth, involved a combination of classroom and field training with instructors under Manomet’s migratory bird permit. The field training component of the workshop was held on Plymouth Beach.
Senior scientists and trainers for this workshop, Betsy Mallory and Brian Harrington, are certified by the North American Banding Council as banding trainers. Their experience includes shorebird and landbird mist netting, cannon and rocket netting for shorebirds and waterbirds and related biometric techniques. Over the years, Mallory and Harrington have conducted banding training sessions throughout the United States, Central and South America for a variety of NGOs, State and Federal agencies, academics and land managers.
About 350,000 birds have been banded at Manomet to date. The spring and fall migration banding program started here at the (then) Ernst House porch in the fall of 1966. We are thus in our 41st year of data collection and education programs at this site. This spring we continued to run 50 mist nets on the same dates and in the same locations as the previous years, giving us an unparalleled comparison of range expansions and contractions, yearly variation of migration, and long-term population change.
Formal education programs for over 400 people were based on migration banding, local ecology and conservation biology. Onsite programs have had a wide diversity of audiences this spring. Recent groups included members, schools, universities, bird clubs, adult education, and scouts and guides. Informal presentations included those given to members, visiting scientists, the press, visiting birders, and people who just walk in!
Enclosed with this letter are the spring 2006 totals for initial and repeat banding captures, graphed daily totals and a comparison with recent springs.
New Bandings
841
Repeat Captures
539
TOTAL HANDLED
1,380 birds of 68 species
As in farming, fishing and sailing, spring bird migration depends on the weather. Spring 2004’s nine-year high numbers were attributed to unusually persistent westerly winds from mid-May onwards. These winds drifted nocturnal landbird migrants to our east coast location. In spring 2005 we were lucky to reach low-average numbers banded, due to persistent NE winds and rain in late-April and throughout much of May. Spring landbird banding 2006 suffered from essentially continuous NE winds and rain, while our ideal would be fair weather and SW winds to drift migrant landbirds E to our shore. Consequently, we captured fewer birds per net hour (a measure of comparative effort) than any spring except the low of 1999. Underlying this year’s weather effect is a long term decline in all migrant birds, spring and fall, since we started to band in 1970.
Our busiest days were 05 May (183 captures, 158 new bandings), 17 May (117 captures), 08 May (79) and 18 May (65). When compared with the last 10 springs, 1 species (cowbird) was banded in record high numbers; 5 record lows (see enclosure). The most abundant new bandings were:
Gray Catbird (as usual!)
221
American Goldfinch
25
White-throated Sparrow
111
Blue Jay
24
Common Yellowthroat
37
Cardinal and kinglet numbers stayed low for the second spring after the harsh winter of 2004/05, and we captured no mockingbirds, thrashers or Carolina Wrens this whole spring. We might expect all of these species (except thrasher) to bounce back in the next few seasons if winters stay warm(ish). The warm SW winds of the night before May 5th demonstrated that birds were there if the wind did not blow them away from the coast. On that one day, we banded 71 of the season’s 111 whitethroats, 15 of 18 Swamp Sparrows and 14 of 22 Hermit Thrushes. Unusual captures for Manomet included single Acadian and Willow Flycatchers, 12 Alders and 8 Willow/Alders banded under the old aggregate name of Traill’s Flycatcher. The real bird of the spring was a most unusual bilateral gynandromorph Eastern Towhee with its left side showing black male plumage and its right side brown female plumage. The male wing was 6mm longer than the female wing, which makes sense because male towhees are bigger than females!
A very impressive 125 recaptures from previous seasons included an 8-year-old cardinal and an equally old chickadee. The oldest Blue Jays were 6 and 7; one catbird 7 years old and three 6-year-olds; a grackle was at least 6. Our oldest Orchard Oriole was banded as a full adult male in June 2003, making him 5 or older, while the oldest Eastern Phoebe was at least 4. Why was 2006 such a good year for returning breeders?
Many, many thanks to all the volunteers who helped make the spring migration banding and education season of 2006 such a success. We are also greatly indebted for financial support of these programs to Manomet members and the following sources:
Arctic Wings: Birds of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Edited by Stephen Brown, Ph.D.
A celebration in word and image of the birds who return each year to the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to nest—and how they link us all to the health of the Arctic ecosystem
A Buff-breasted Sandpiper running along a barrier beach in the Carolinas is only mid-way in an annual journey of incredible magnitude—one that takes it from nesting grounds in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to winter quarters on the pampas of South America. The Yellow Wagtail begins life in a willow thicket in the Arctic but winters in Indonesia, where its return each year signals rice farmers to begin their annual planting. Each spring more than 190 species of birds converge in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge from six continents and all fifty states to nest and rear their young, linking ecosystems across the globe.
Arctic Wings is a spectacular tribute to the birds that have journeyed to the Arctic Refuge and back every year since time immemorial. Conceived by Stephen Brown, Director of Manomet’s Shorebird Conservation Research Program, in collaboration with photographer Subhankar Banerjee (author of Arctic National Wildlife Refuge: Seasons of Life and Land in 2003), Arctic Wings features a foreword by Jimmy Carter, and 200 color images from award-winning nature photographers Subhankar Banerjee, Steven Kazlowski, Michio Hoshino, Arthur Morris, Mark Wilson, and Hugh Rose. Chapters cover the life histories of bird species from every major group including loons and waterfowl, raptors, shorebirds, gulls and terns, owls, and songbirds, and highlight the vital importance of the Arctic Refuge for world bird populations that connect all of us, no matter where we live, to these northernmost breeders.
Authors include David Allen Sibley, reflecting on the grand dance of avian migration and the sense of time and place on the earth that it provides; Debbie Miller, describing how songbirds’ perilous journey from the Arctic and back connects the world’s peoples; Mark Wilson, sharing his story of discovery while canoeing the refuge’s Canning River; Stephen Brown, chronicling the awe-inspiring global migrations of arctic-breeding shorebirds; Robert Thompson and Sarah James, relaying the historical relationship between birds and Native cultures; and Kenn Kaufman connecting the Arctic with the places we love to watch birds. Arctic Wings comes with a 60-minute CD of birdsongs recorded in the refuge by Martyn Stewart of www.naturesound.org, including the mating calls of many species heard only in the arctic.
“We hope that Arctic Wings will help generate awareness of the importance of the Arctic Refuge for nearly 200 species of birds, and the links between this remote pristine wilderness and our own backyards. No matter where we live, our favorite seasonal migrants and winter residents may include some of these amazing Arctic travelers,” says Brown.
Recently Dr. Brown and colleagues at Manomet, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and other agencies completed the first study of breeding shorebirds and waterbirds throughout the coastal plain of the Arctic Refuge. Their research showed that coastal wetland and riparian habitats in the refuge, the region oil companies propose to open to development, qualify as a site of International Importance in the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network, meaning that annually it is used by 10% of the biogeographic population or 100,000+ shorebirds. Current research aims to document the importance of river deltas along the Beaufort Sea, where shorebirds feed in large numbers to gain essential energy reserves needed to undertake their epic southward migrations.
These extremely important shorebird habitats in the Arctic Refuge represent only 5% of the tundra along the northern coast of Alaska, but it is the only coastal area currently protected from development. If oil development is allowed in the Refuge, it will significantly impact 14 species of shorebirds with a seriously declining population. Six of these species are designated “high priority” in the U.S. Shorebird Conservation Plan, which means that they are already at risk of extinction due to small population sizes. “We hope that Arctic Wings will reach a broad cross section of the millions of people who enjoy bird watching,” says Brown. “Bird watchers have the potential to make a tremendous contribution to the effort to permanently protect this one small but essential region of coastal habitat in the Arctic Refuge that is essential to the survival of many birds we all enjoy.”
Arctic Wings Birds of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Stephen Brown, Ph.D., Editor
The Mountaineers Books 176 pp., 200 color photos Includes a CD of bird sounds from the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge $39.95 hardcover ISBN 0-89886-975-7 $27.95 paperback ISBN 0-89886-976-5
About the Editor
Stephen Brown, Ph.D., is Director of the Shorebird Conservation Research Program for Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences. He was the lead author on the U.S. Shorebird Conservation Plan and he conducts on-going research in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. For more information about his work, see www.shorebirdworld.org.
To donate to Manomet’s Arctic Refuge Research project, click here.
Arctic Wings: Birds of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge was recently featured on the acclaimed television news program Greater Boston. On the program, Stephen Brown, lead editor of Arctic Wings and Manomet senior scientist, discussed the book with Greater Boston's Executive Editor and Host Emily Rooney.
Arctic Wings has been described as "A celebration in word and image of the birds who return each year to the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to nest—and how they link us all to the health of the Arctic ecosystem." To read more about the book, click here.
Greater Boston combines feature reports and in-studio interviews, providing a fresh approach to and in-depth analysis of timely news, politics, and public affairs issues of local interest.
Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences Awarded Grant to Conduct Water Quality Study
Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences has been awarded a grant by the Massachusetts Environmental Trust for a three-year study of water quality in vernal pools. Manomet will conduct its research in the 73 towns and cities included in the Charles River and Taunton River watersheds.
Vernal pools—seasonally flooded depression wetlands—provide extraordinary habitat values for some of Massachusetts’ most rare and vulnerable vertebrate wildlife. By virtue of their widespread distribution in a variety of watersheds and landscapes, vernal pools also provide a matrix of “windows” through which to view and evaluate the status of freshwater resources in the state. Depression wetlands potentially sequester contaminants occurring in surface run-off that have been applied locally to the environment, or have been transported atmospherically or hydrologically. Information on pollutant loads and sources, and development of chemical protection strategies benefit a broad constituency of resource managers, regulators, and the general public.
The Charles and Taunton River basins were selected for assessment and outreach because of their importance to water protection efforts in eastern Massachusetts. Both watersheds have effective watershed associations that have provided leadership for water resources protection within partnerships of the region’s municipalities, state agencies and NGOs. The Charles and Taunton River watersheds exemplify much of eastern Massachusetts as these areas struggle to protect water resources in the face of increasing urbanization.
The protection of vernal pools is a critical element in the state’s overall strategy to protect water and water resources. Vernal pools are broadly distributed throughout the state. All collect surface run-off from surrounding upland landscapes, and many connect directly to groundwater supplies via a seasonally elevated water table. In addition, vernal pools support unique and vulnerable wetland-associated wildlife. In recognition of their role in performing key wetland functions (e.g. flood storage, provision of critical habitat), vernal pools have been relatively well-studied, have received legislative protection, and have attracted the Massachusetts public to a broad-scale, voluntary wetlands protection campaign. Despite this attention and the development of an array of tools and infrastructure for their protection, vernal pools, and the water resources they represent, remain at risk because of the lack of knowledge and strategies to protect against point and non-point source pollution.
Manomet Center’s project seeks to develop a critically-needed ecotoxicological knowledge and expertise base to protect vernal pools and their associated water resources from point and non-point source pollution. Using the strong foundation of information and infrastructure for vernal pool protection that already exists in Massachusetts (including an inventory of nearly 30,000 potential pools identified through aerial photos), Manomet proposes to meet the following objectives: 1) assess the impacts of urbanization contaminants (including metals, pesticides, fertilizers, road salt) on selected vernal pools (approximately 120) in eastern Massachusetts; 2) identify pollution sources and protection strategies; 3) develop Best Management Practices to reduce toxic exposures and improve water quality; and 4) jointly develop and implement with education partners an outreach plan to promote water resources conservation through the protection of vernal pools.
The project will improve water resources and other environmental assets of the state by 1) increasing understanding of the pollutant sources and impacts to water quality and associated wildlife in vernal pools, 2) identifying protection strategies and Best Management Practices to optimize water resources associated with vernal pools, and 3) i
