--- Bruce Ehresman <[log in to unmask]> wrote: First of all, thanks to all of you birders who have > been helping identify birds on Whiterock Conservancy > land in Guthrie County! Thanks in part to the > results of your efforts, Iowa DNR is proposing that > Whiterock Conservancy land become part of the > proposed Raccoon River Savanna Bird Conservation > Area (BCA). This area includes land along both > sides of the Middle Raccoon River from Coon Rapids > to south of Springbrook State Park. Below is a News > Release announcing a public information meeting that > will address why this area should become a BCA. > Please come to the meeting if you can. Thanks! > > Bruce Ehresman > Ames > > *************** > Oct. 10, 2006 > > MEETING SET TO DISCUSS PROPOSED BIRD CONSERVATION > AREA > > COON RAPIDS * The public is invited to a meeting to > discuss the proposed designation of an area of > public and private land encompassing a 20 mile > stretch of the Middle Raccoon River in Guthrie and > Carroll counties as a state Bird Conservation Area > (BCA). The meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m., > Tuesday, October 24, at the City Council Chamber in > the Coon Rapids Municipal Building, 123 3rd Street, > Coon Rapids (corner of Main Street and 3rd). > > Creating Bird Conservation Areas is a high priority > for the Iowa DNR. "The proposed Raccoon River > Savanna BCA is a unique area offering a variety of > habitats to a host of declining bird species, said > Bruce Ehresman, biologist with the Iowa DNR's > wildlife diversity program. "From grassland birds > like bobolink and grasshopper sparrow, savanna > species such as red-headed woodpecker and barn owl, > to woodland species like bald eagle and wood thrush. > The Middle Raccoon River and its surrounding uplands > provide a perfect setting for what could be Iowa's > tenth Bird Conservation Area," he said. > > The BCA concept is focused on all-bird conservation > at a landscape scale, and the program's success is > dependent on partnership between public agencies, > private conservation organizations, and private > landowners. Each BCA consists of at least 10,000 > acres consisting of one or more core areas of > permanently protected bird habitat surrounded by > large areas of privately owned land that also is > good bird habitat. > > The main core area for the proposed Raccoon River > Savanna Bird Conservation Area is a large tract that > Whiterock Conservancy will manage long-term "to > preserve and enhance the area's natural resources > through protecting and restoring diverse native > habitats," Ehresman said. The land is now owned > temporarily by Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation > while Whiterock Conservancy's incorporation is being > approved. > > "The DNR is excited about a partnership with > Whiterock Conservancy and other area landowners. > This is a great example of how habitat can be > well-managed for birds without extensive government > ownership of land," said Doug Harr, state > coordinator for the wildlife diversity program. > > Harr and Ehresman, along with the area's Wildlife > Management Biologist Ron Munkel, encourage anyone > interested in bird conservation, bird watching, and > improved natural resource management to join them > for this informative public meeting. > > For more information, contact Harr at 515-281-4815 > or Ehresman at 515-432-2823 > > > > --- > This mailing list is sponsored by the Iowa > Ornithologists' Union. Membership available on-line > at http://www.iowabirds.org/iou/membership.asp. > ----- > Birding channel recommendation for FRS/GMRS radio > use: > Primary selection; channel 5/0 , alternate > selection; channel 6/0 > You are currently subscribed to ia-bird as: > [log in to unmask] > To unsubscribe send a blank email to > [log in to unmask] > __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - To get off the IOWA-TOPICS list, send any message to: [log in to unmask]