Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences Awarded Grant to Develop Solutions for Energy Needs and Wildlife Protection

Plymouth, MA, February 14, 2008 - Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences has received a $92,800 grant to develop management guidelines for reducing threats from energy development on coastal species of greatest conservation concern. The grant award was made by the Wildlife Conservation Society through its Wildlife Action Opportunities Fund. The support to establish the Wildlife Action Opportunities Fund was provided by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.

The project, part of a larger collaborative initiative funded at approximately $200,000, will support priority conservation actions in 16 Atlantic Coastal states of the U.S. It will position agencies for proactive management of energy development activities to protect wildlife and habitats. Manomet Senior Scientist and Director of Wildlife and Agriculture, Katharine Parsons, developed the project with state partners. A leader in the development of collaborative, science-driven solutions, Manomet will work with agencies and organizations in these states to develop, interpret, disseminate and use management information to protect priority species in the siting and maintenance of energy facilities (including wind turbines, tidal turbines, liquefied natural gas terminals, transmission lines, and utility rights of way).

This project will engage and sustain a series of project partners to ensure ongoing dialogue and guidance for maximizing the usefulness of information developed. A leader in coastal habitat protection, Manomet scientists have led national and hemispheric programs to conserve colonial waterbirds, seabirds and shorebirds. In addition, Manomet has tracked landbird migration along the Massachusetts coast since the late 1960s resulting in the country’s oldest continuously operated landbird monitoring program. Other long-term programs have focused on conservation of North Atlantic marine mammals and commercial fisheries sustainability.

"Green" energy development is an issue that wildlife management communities are being called upon to embrace. This project will build on the accelerating momentum of the issue and position state agencies to prepare meeting the challenges of energy needs and biodiversity protection.

"Manomet is delighted to have been selected for this collaborative project and to help develop sustainable approaches to meet society’s energy needs," said Linda Leddy, President of Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences. More information about Manomet's Wildlife and Energy Solutions Initiative can be found at http://www.manomet.org/energysolutions/.

About Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences
Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences is one of the nation's only independent non-profits dedicated exclusively to carrying out environmental research. Originally founded 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's work encompasses ecosystem services, climate change, large-scale hemispheric migration networks, and conservation strategies for landbirds, forests, wetlands, and agricultural habitats. For more information, please visit www.manomet.org.

Manomet's Wildlife & Energy Solutions Initiative
Manomet's Wildlife & Energy Solutions Initiative uses practical science to guide society's decisions around energy development. Our proactive approach aids American communities in making energy choices that are science-based and partnership-driven. It seeks to balance society’s energy needs and sustain wildlife populations and important coastal ecosystems under the scenario of a changing climate in the 21st century.

For more information, please contact:
Robert Kluin
rkluin@manomet.org
Phone: 508.224.6521, ext. 223