Actually, there are people there. The idea that there were no people there was a misconception early on. The area is heavily used for hunting and fishing and other activities, and having been there I can attest to that.
Visiting the area is much like visiting Ottawa NWR or Crane Creek or even Hueston Woods. It's not quite as remote as you might think.
Now that being said, I will say that the area has benefitted from the fact that there has been little in the way of urban sprawl or development and that most of the land use would be classified as agricultural.
Initially, I thought that it was a good idea that birders not rush into the area to search for the Ivory-bill to tick off a life list, HOWEVER it's now been almost a year since the public announcement and two years since the original sighting was made and there has been no further conclusive evidence produced. I can't help but think that perhaps inviting more birders down to conduct a massive search within the 300,000 acres of habitat might not be a better way of searching.
Additionally, one of the incentives that is helping get the local communities behind Ivory-bill conservation down there is that there is a possibility for them to make money generated from eco-tourism; especially since quite a few of the communities are rather economically depressed down there. So if no one goes down there there will be less money coming into the communities and less incentive for them to care about Ivory-bill conservation efforts.
This is one of the best examples of the interface between science, conservation, and society and we should all be optimistic for success, but temper that with real-world practicality.
Casey
-----Original Message-----
From: Debra Bowles [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Wed 3/8/2006 6:07 PM
To: TUCKER, Casey; [log in to unmask]
Cc:
Subject: RE: Ivory-bill news!
Having lived for 50 years with the Ivory-billed as an icon for human lack of respect for terrain, I was one who wept upon the announcement of it's discovery which validates every conservation effort.
It had not occurred to me to think Cornell lied nor that money is being wasted.
My big concern is that the obvious reason the bird is there to begin with is that *there are no people.*
Think long and hard about that before you go rushing off to the site!
This takes us all back to square one and birding etiquette; and what science is all about; and who or what or how it really benefits.
Debra Bowles
-----Original Message-----
From: MU Ornithology Listserv (ZOO 408) [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of TUCKER, Casey
Sent: Wednesday, March 08, 2006 5:52 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Ivory-bill news!
Well, what I was given were “talking points” regarding the up-coming news (yes, even Audubon has our very own version of Scott McClellan…though I would like to think (hope) that Audubon’s media people are somewhat more competent than White House personnel. With that said, I should clarify that the “talking points” were developed jointly by USFWS & Cornell and distributed to partners, including Audubon.
Here’s a sample talking point I was given in reference to this up-coming news:
“· We will continue to manage the land in the area of rediscovery in a manner which would support recovery of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker. Such management is expected to be supportive of other species in the bottomland hardwood forest area, such as Black Bear, Swallow-tailed Kite and Swainson's Warbler and wintering waterfowl. In addition, habitat inventory work being done in support of the Ivory-bill will benefit other species by increasing our understanding of the current structure and composition of the forest.”
My overall personal feeling on this issue is that as long as there is habitat there is always hope. I would also encourage folks to go down and visit that habitat because it is an amazing place to go birding, and though I’m sure there are places that might be better, or similar, or more accessible to birders, I definitely think that it’s worth the visit irrespective of whether you see an Ivory-bill or not.
As Mike mentioned the feelings and view-points of folks run the gamut from everything from belief & hope to disbelief and denial, and it has been interesting to see those views and comments do complete 180’s, 360’s, and 540’s. I remember reading and hearing from many people who talked about literally weeping for joy when they read the news on Cornell’s web-site, and watched the various video downloads, who now talk about how Cornell lied and what a waste of effort and money it was to pursue such an endeavor.
Though I’m hopeful, I definitely think more & better science can be done and I think that’s what folks like Sibley and Jackson are trying to prompt with their papers.
Hope this helps,
Casey
Casey Tucker
Education Specialist
Audubon At Home
Audubon Ohio
692 N. High St., Suite 303
Columbus, OH 43215-1585
614-224-3303 (phone)
614-224-3305 (fax)
[log in to unmask]
www.audubonohio.org
CELEBRATE Audubon’s CENTENNIAL
I00 Years of Conservation
-----Original Message-----
From: MU Ornithology Listserv (ZOO 408) [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Mike Busam
Sent: Wednesday, March 08, 2006 5:23 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Ivory-bill news!
It's so secret that they're sharing the news with Audubon Ohio? ;-)
I can't wait for another frame-by-frame discussion of ornithology's answer to the Zapruder film. Maybe there was a second photographer that day behind a mossy oak; that would be interesting.
Someday, someone will write an hilarious book about this whole Ivory-billed mania--whether (hopefully) they find the species does exist, and even if they don't. Every few months there are dramatic announcements of "new" information, which seem to have revolved around "new" interpretations of the video; there are people who hope almost fanatically that the bird is still alive; others who hope with as much energy that it *isn't* because it reinforces their world view that everything is going to hell in a handbasket; people signing confidentiality agreements prior to being marooned for twelve to sixteen hour stretches atop platforms in the middle of deserted swamps; millions of dollars of funding transferred from other conservation and endangered species projects into the Ivory-billed search, with no new funding coming in to the other projects to pick up the slack, and that's just the beginning.
I hope the search is successful.
!Aye, carumba!
Take care,
---Mike Busam
West Chester, OH
----- Original Message -----
From: TUCKER, Casey <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Wednesday, March 08, 2006 4:49 PM
Subject: Ivory-bill news!
Hi All!
I have it, on good authority, that there will be some very interesting news generated within the next two weeks regarding the Ivory-bill woodpecker, and particularly regarding the evidence in the David Luneau video.
I can’t disclose a lot of information, other than to say that you’ll want to check out Science magazine either on March 10th or March 16th (sorry, but I don’t have specifics on the date) for a paper to be published in that journal, and that one of the authors on the paper is David Sibley.
That’s all I can disclose, but keep your eyes peeled in the coming days/weeks.
Enjoy!
Casey
Casey Tucker
Education Specialist
Audubon At Home
Audubon Ohio
692 N. High St., Suite 303
Columbus, OH 43215-1585
614-224-3303 (phone)
614-224-3305 (fax)
[log in to unmask]
www.audubonohio.org
CELEBRATE Audubon’s CENTENNIAL
I00 Years of Conservation
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