The MOU is a partner in producing Minnesota’s first Breeding Bird Atlas
(BBA), which involves a systematic survey of the breeding birds of
virtually all regions of every single county in Minnesota. The BBA will be
a valuable tool for natural resource managers and conservationists as they
work to maintain bird populations at healthy levels.
Much of the funding for the project is coming from the Environmental Trust
Fund. However, a change in some members of the committee that recommends
which projects to fund has put this funding at risk. Please read the
Action Alert below and email or call the House and Senate
Environment chairs and/or your legislators this week to express your
support for the BBA.
Thanks.
Ann Kessen
MOU President
Breeding Bird Atlas Action Alert
Minnesota’s Breeding Bird Atlas Project risks grinding to a halt! Please
write to legislators to urge them to fund the Breeding Bird Atlas with the
Environmental Trust Fund (Lottery money). Let them know that you value and
support the BBA and highlight your involvement with it.
Please write:
Representative McNamara ([email protected], 651-296-3135),
Senator Ingebrigtsen ([email protected], 651-297-8063,
your State Representative, and your State Senator
(http://www.gis.leg.mn/OpenLayers/districts/ - this is the link from which
you find your own Representative and Senator).
Feel free to use or modify this wording:
“I am writing to you to express my strong support for the third and final
phase of funding for the Minnesota Breeding Bird Atlas, from the
Environmental Trust Fund. This volunteer-driven project engages more than
600 citizens who fan out across our state every Spring and Summer to
document breeding birds.
Minnesota trails all the other states in the Mississippi River Flyway who
have completed their Breeding Bird Atlas and use it to effectively target
on-the-ground conservation actions. More than $600,000 from the
Environmental Trust Fund has already been committed to this six year
effort. A final investment of $330,000 is necessary to conclude the project
over the next three years.
Please appropriate $330,000 from the Environmental Trust Fund to complete
this vital bird conservation initiative.
Sincerely,
Thank you for taking action to support volunteer-led bird conservation in
Minnesota. Please forward this alert to your friends and family so that
they might join you in supporting Minnesota’s birds.
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