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Statewide Conservation
Effort Benefiting Birds, People, and Michigan Communities
Kicks Off in Detroit
Important Bird Areas (IBAs) critical for birds and people
Trenton, MI -VIPs,
conservation leaders and community representatives gathered
in Detroit today to kick-off a campaign to recognize and
protect Michigan's Important Bird Areas (IBAs), sites
critical to the conservation of Michigan's birds and wildlife.
Nearly 100 IBAs across the state are part of a national
and international effort to safeguard habitat essential
for bird survival and for thriving human communities.
The Detroit River is a
cornerstone of the Michigan IBA effort, providing food
and cover for at least 29 species of waterfowl, 23 raptors,
and 31 shorebirds. This includes up to 7% of all Canvasbacks
in the world, which migrate from nesting areas as far
away as Arctic Canada to spend nearly six months on the
river during their non-breeding season. Substantial pollution
control and restoration efforts by governments, industries,
municipalities, and NGOs have drastically improved the
environmental quality of the river, also providing scenic
beauty, recreational opportunities, and clean water to
Detroit area residents.
"These sites are vital
to the birds, but they give us a whole lot more" said
Caleb Putnam, Michigan Important Bird Areas coordinator
for National Audubon Society. "The Detroit River IBA and
nearly 100 other sites across Michigan involve people
in protecting the health, beauty and economic vitality
of their own communities. As people help birds, they help
themselves."
"We have seen IBAs bring
economic benefits to their communities," said Jonathan
Lutz, Executive Director of Michigan Audubon. "What we're
doing here is bringing beauty, health, and cash to the
state of Michigan," continued Lutz. "IBAs aren't just
important to birds, they are a vital part of the Michigan
economy, attracting tourism dollars and providing jobs
through restoration, enhancement, and recreation."
Bruce Szczechowski, environmental
science teacher at Southgate's Anderson High School, recognized
the Detroit River's value to education and co-founded
the "Stream Team", a program engaging students in environmental
monitoring on the river. "Helping students to connect
with their environment and community is a vital component
of the education process, and Stream Team has helped hundreds
of kids understand the connection between a healthy ecosystem
and their quality of life," said Szczechowski.
Identified through a comprehensive
analysis, the Important Bird Areas of Michigan were selected
thanks to the input of a voluntary panel of bird experts,
referred to as the Michigan IBA Technical Committee. The
state's IBA network encompasses over 3.6 million acres
of habitat--including a million acres of water--all critical
for maintaining or increasing populations of wild birds.
"The designations are an important step in building public
commitment to protecting these essential areas and understanding
their benefits to our state," adds Putnam. "Today we celebrate
completion of the network of sites most critical to Michigan's
birds."
A sampling of other IBA
sites in Michigan includes:
Hillsdale County Henslow's
Sparrow private lands: An area of south central Hillsdale
County, entirely privately-owned, supports one of Michigan's
highest nesting densities of the state-threatened Henslow's
Sparrow, an indicator of high quality grasslands. This
area boasts a large amount of scenic open land which supports
numerous family farms and agricultural operations.
Isle Royale National
Park (Keweenaw County): This Important Bird Area features
over 130,000 acres of northern forests and wetlands and
hosts one of the state's largest populations of nesting
Common Loons and Merlins. It is an iconic symbol of Michigan's
expansive northern wilderness, and has some of the state's
highest numbers of Gray Wolves and Moose, attracting over
ten thousand visitors annually despite its remote location
in western Lake Superior. The park is owned and managed
by the U.S. National Park Service.
Maple River State Game
Area (Clinton, Gratiot, and Ionia Counties): A diverse
wetland complex and river corridor supporting one of Michigan's
highest nesting densities of the Prothonotary Warbler,
a striking golden-yellow songbird on Audubon's WatchList
of declining species. During spring and fall migration
the Rusty Blackbird, also a species in decline, uses the
extensive swampland and marsh by the thousands. The property
is sustainably used by birders, recreationists, and hunters
each year, and is owned and managed by the Michigan Department
of Natural Resources and Environment.
Raco Plains and Wilwin
Wetland (Chippewa County): An extensive ecoregion
stretching from Trout Lake to Raco composed of sandy soils
of jack pine and grassland. Several bird species of conservation
importance are present including the rare Spruce Grouse
and the Sharp-tailed Grouse. The endangered Kirtland's
Warbler nests on portions of the Hiawatha National Forest
within this Important Bird Area.
Saginaw Bay (Arenac,
Bay, Huron, and Tuscola Counties): An Important Bird
Area of global significance, this bay of Lake Huron supports
tens of thousands of migrating waterfowl each spring and
fall, including Tundra Swans, Redheads, Scaup, and other
species. It also hosts important nesting colonies for
terns, gulls, and night-herons, as well as a large raptor
migration of over 10,000 hawks, falcons, eagles, and vultures
each spring. Saginaw Bay also comprises a highly productive
system of wetlands along its roughly 100 miles of coast
which provide vital ecological services and recreational
opportunities for thousands of residents.
Western Lake Erie Basin
(Monroe County): Near shore portions of Lake Erie's
western basin play host to tens of thousands of waterfowl
during fall migration and winter including tens of thousands
of Tundra Swans. This IBA connects to the Detroit River
and Lake St. Clair to form a continuous corridor of habitat
stretching from Ohio to Algonac. The unique habitats of
western Lake Erie are managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources
and Environment, and others as part of the Detroit River
International Wildlife Refuge, offering exceptional fishing,
hunting, birding, and recreational opportunities. Lake
Erie has experienced a profound recovery in water quality
since the 1960s to the benefit of both bird and human
inhabitants.
"This newly recognized
network of Important Bird Areas highlights the outstanding
bird diversity found in Michigan, and will serve as a
blueprint for conservation in our great state," added
Putnam. "Audubon and our conservation partners look forward
to working with citizens and groups throughout Michigan
to conserve and protect these sites."
For more information about
Michigan's IBAs visit http://www.audubon.org/bird/iba/michigan/press.html
The Michigan IBA Program,
supported at the state level through a partnership between
the Detroit Audubon Society, Kalamazoo
Nature Center, Michigan Audubon, and the National Audubon
Society, is part of a global effort to identify and conserve
the world's most important areas for birds, and is coordinated
worldwide by BirdLife International. Since 1985, over
7,500 sites in nearly 170 countries have been identified
as Important Bird Areas. National Audubon Society is the
BirdLife International partner for the United States.
Now in its second century,
Audubon is dedicated to protecting birds and other wildlife
and the habitat that supports them. Our national network
of community-based nature centers and chapters, scientific
and educational programs, and advocacy on behalf of areas
sustaining important bird populations, engage millions
of people of all ages and backgrounds in conservation.
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