D.F.O. Monthly Meeting RMBO: Conserving Birds and Their Habitats Monday, October 26, 2009
Longtime Karval, CO, rancher Russell Davis was skeptical when his son attempted to persuade him to attend a workshop on bird conservation presented by the Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory (RMBO) in partnership, and with funds provided by the Colorado Division of Wildlife (CDOW). It was already hot that spring of 2002, and Davis had plenty of work to do on the ranch. The last thing he needed was a bunch of environmentalists telling him how to run the family ranch. Davis’s son was persuasive, however, and Russell was one of many landowners who gathered around a hay wagon that served as a stage for RMBO’s Tammy VerCauteren and representatives of CDOW, the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, and other partners. The speakers talked about the importance of local ranches and farms as habitat for birds and other critical wildlife. They discussed ranching and farming practices that could improve habitat with little impact on production. In some cases, new practices might even increase production. By the end of the meeting, Tammy knew the workshop was a success when Russell Davis indicated that he had been converted from being a skeptic. He subsequently worked with RMBO and agency partners to put up a fence to better manage his cattle along Horse Creek. He wanted to keep the trees for good calving and the USFWS Partners for Wildlife Program wanted to see a cottonwood gallery along the creek to support migratory birds and resident wildlife. Since then, Davis has opened his ranch to Mountain Plover research and encouraged his neighbors to work with RMBO and partners on habitat conservation projects. Most recently he has taken steps to enter the family ranch into a perpetual conservation easement with CDOW. The Davis story is one example of RMBO’s full-circle approach to bird conservation. At DFO’s October meeting, RMBO Executive Director Tammy VerCauteren and Board Chair Chuck Hundertmark will offer an interactive presentation on the current work of the observatory. Founded at Barr Lake State Park in 1988 as Colorado Bird Observatory, the organization has grown rapidly into a regional force in bird conservation. The observatory’s Science Division works with federal and state land management agencies to provide data needed to make decisions that support preservation of critical habitat and conservation of bird populations. Recognizing that much critical bird habitat is in private ownership, the Stewardship Division works to help landowners adopt management practices that conserve or enhance wildlife habitat. The Education Division works with schools and other groups to ensure that the commitment to bird conservation will transcend generations. Finally, because critical winter habitat for many of our birds lies south of the border, RMBO’s International Division works with biologists in Mexico to extend bird monitoring, stewardship and education work to Mexico. Tammy VerCauteren holds a B.S. from Michigan State University in Wildlife Management and while working on her M.S. at the University of Nebraska she studied Sandhill Cranes. She started with RMBO in 1999 and is currently the Executive Director. Chuck Hundertmark is a long time board member with RMBO and currently serves as the Board Chair and supports RMBO in ways too numerous to list. In addition to he is working as the Region #13 coordinator for the Colorado Breeding Bird Atlas II project. Check out RMBO online at www.rmbo.org and come to the October meeting prepared to test your knowledge of Colorado and regional birds. There will be fun and interactive quizzes on bird identification along with information about RMBO and its important contributions to bird conservation. November 23, 2009 Join DFO to hear Biologist Greg Levandoski discuss his research in Northern Mexico on the distribution and abundance of wintering birds in Chihuahuan Desert grasslands. Greg has conducted avian research in the Bering Sea, in Caribbean thorn forests, and in 10 western states. This should be another interesting lecture! December 2009 NO DFO MEETING. Please plan to participate in the Denver Christmas Count and/or one of the many other Christmas Counts around the state! The Denver Field Ornithologists monthly meetings are held in Ricketson Auditorium at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science in City Park. These meetings are free and open to the public and occur on the 4th Monday of each month August through April (except December). Park on the north side of the museum and walk around and enter through the museum's west door. Plan to arrive by 7:15 p.m.; DOORS OPEN BY 7:00 AND ARE LOCKED AT 7:30 P.M. If late, you can enter through the security/volunteer door, but this does create problems for our hosts at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Colorado Field Ornithologists: http://www.cfo-link.org/ Colorado County Birding: http://www.coloradocountybirding.com/ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Colorado Birds" group. To post to this group, send email to cobirds@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send email to cobirds+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.as/group/cobirds?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
