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Entries from February 2010

Graham Chisholm writes about Tejon Ranch Conservation Agreement in the S.F. Chronicle

February 28th, 2010 · by gfrost

Audubon California Executive Director Graham Chisholm writes today in the San Francisco Chronicle about the Tejon Ranch Conservation Agreement that set aside for permanent protection up to 240,000 acres of spectacular California wildlands:
For decades, the 270,000-acre Tejon Ranch was California conservationists’ Holy Grail – and our greatest worry. Thanks to a landmark conservation agreement between environmental [...]

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Tags: Audubon California · Bird Habitat · Bird conservation · Conservation research · Graham Chisholm · Important Bird Areas · Tejon Ranch

Heartwrenching story about dangers of lead to birds

February 26th, 2010 · by gfrost

Following this week’s press coverage of the recent announcement of new legislation that we’re sponsoring to ban lead shot in state wildlife areas, a friend of Audubon California wrote to tell us that he heard the story. In his email, he recounted a harrowing story of what lead can do to birds. Here’s the email:
I [...]

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Tags: Bird Habitat · Bird conservation · Conservation research · Endangered Species Act · Pollution · State Policy

Ballot initiative to fund state parks draws big interest

February 26th, 2010 · by gfrost

Great article in Santa Cruz Sentinel today regarding how the State Parks Initiative is inspiring a lot of people to get involved. Lots of people volunteering to gather signatures, etc. The article also features Audubon California.
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Tags: Audubon California · Bird Habitat · Bird conservation · California State Parks · State Policy

Feds granted weeklong extension on Sage Grouse listing decision

February 26th, 2010 · by gfrost

A federal judge gave the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service another week to make its decision on whether or not to grant Sage Grouse protection under the Endangered Species Act. The extension was granted due to the unexpected death last weekend of Service Director Sam Hamilton. Sage Grouse populations have declined rapidly in recent years, and the bird has [...]

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Tags: Alternative energy · Bird Habitat · Bird conservation · Conservation research · Endangered Species Act · Federal Policy · Global Warming · Important Bird Areas · National Audubon Society

USFWS wants an extension on Sage Grouse decision

February 25th, 2010 · by gfrost

Word today that the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service is looking for an extension on its deadline to decide whether or not to list the Sage Grouse under the Endangered Species Act.
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Tags: Audubon Watchlist · Bird Habitat · Bird conservation · Conservation research · Endangered Species Act · Federal Policy

Birds aplenty at the San Joaquin River National Wildlife Refuge

February 25th, 2010 · by gfrost

Cool little video from the Merced Sun-Star of birds at the San Joaquin River National Wildlife Refuge.
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Tags: Bird Habitat · Bird videos · Birding · Video · Wildlife photos and video

Birders help preserve habitat

February 25th, 2010 · by gfrost

Great column in yesterday’s Stockton Record by Peter Ottesen about birders from the San Joaquin Audubon Society and Fresno Audubon Society visiting the Grasslands of Merced County to enjoy the spectacle of birds on the property. Ottesen notes how birders — through their appreciation of nature — promote conservation of habitat areas such as these.
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Tags: Audubon Chapters · Bird Habitat · Bird conservation · Birding

CEQA assault held off, for now

February 25th, 2010 · by gfrost

The first of four identical bills recently introduced into the State Legislature that will effectively dismantle California’s bedrock environmental protection law failed to make it out of its first committee hearing yesterday. SBx8 42 would, like the other three bills, give an anonymous Sacramento appointee the ability to exempt 25 projects per year from environmental laws [...]

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Tags: Audubon California · Bird Habitat · Bird conservation · State Policy

Sacramento high school students get hands-on lesson in habitat restoration

February 24th, 2010 · by gfrost

Students from Grant High School in Sacramento yesterday took part in a habitat restoration project near Winters as part of a partnership between Audubon California and the Center for Lang-based Learning. We took a lot of photos and video, but until we get all that sorted out, check out the great article in today’s Sacramento Bee.
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Tags: Audubon California · Bird Habitat · Bird conservation · Conservation research · Landowner Stewardship · Nature education and activities

Law introduced to ban lead in state wildlife areas

February 24th, 2010 · by gfrost

Earlier this month, Audubon California asked the California Department of Fish and Game to restrict the use of lead shot on state wildlife areas. This morning, Assemblyman Pedro Nava announced that he is introducing new legislation that would accomplish the same thing. Audubon California is a co-sponsor of the legislation.
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Tags: Audubon California · Bird Habitat · Bird conservation · State Policy

Show your support for San Joaquin River restoration

February 24th, 2010 · by gfrost

Audubon California is one of many leading conservation organizations supporting the ongoing restoration of the San Joaquin River, the state’s second largest river. And now you can show your support, as well, by visiting the San Joaquin River Partnership’s website and adding your name to the river’s many supporters.
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Tags: Audubon California · Bird Habitat · Bird conservation · Important Bird Areas · State Policy · Water issues

Guns are now permitted — but not necessarily welcomed — in national parks

February 23rd, 2010 · by gfrost

That’s the headline for the L.A. Times’ coverage of a new law that goes into affect on Monday permitting guns in all National Parks. We note it here because one of the many concerns being raised about the law is the potential for increased wildlife poaching, something for which Audubon California has little tolerance.
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Tags: Bird Habitat · Federal Policy · Nature education and activities

California’s environmental regulations under broad attack

February 23rd, 2010 · by gfrost

Imagine if someone wanted to build a chemical plant on your community’s only wildlife area – or heck, next to your kid’s elementary school – and they told you that you wouldn’t ever have any say in the matter. You could never get a chance to ask about what this project would do to air [...]

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Tags: Audubon California · Bird Habitat · Bird conservation · Endangered Species Act · Local Policy · State Policy

Lead poisoning blamed in condor deaths in Arizona

February 23rd, 2010 · by gfrost

The Los Angeles Times today reports that three California Condors have died in Arizona due to ingesting poison lead ammunition from carcasses left behind by hunters. As you know, Audubon California lead the effort to ban the use of lead ammunition from California’s condor range for this very reason. But, obviously, lead ammunition is still [...]

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Tags: Audubon California · Audubon Watchlist · Bird Habitat · Bird conservation · California Condor · Conservation research · Endangered Species Act · Federal Policy · Pollution

Video of recovered Brown Pelicans taking flight

February 22nd, 2010 · by gfrost

With all the bad news around Brown Pelicans, we were glad to stumble across this YouTube video of recovered birds being released back into the wild earlier this month by the folks at the International Bird Rescue Research Center in San Pedro. The footage comes courtesy Ron Kilgore at KNX radio in Los Angeles.

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Tags: Bird Habitat · Bird conservation · Bird videos · Birding · seabirds