Maine Audubon Perspective

HUGE News!

Summer 2005

I missed the first report on National Public Radio that April morning, but when I opened my e-mail at work by 8 a.m., an alert Maine Audubon staff member had already forwarded it. “HUGE news!” read the subject line.

I’ll say.

From the bayous of Arkansas had come an announcement of confirmed sightings of the ivory-billed woodpecker, a species last seen in 1944 in this country and thought to be extinct.

If you haven’t heard the full story behind the news—unlikely for Audubon members, I realize—here’s a summary.

Six decades ago, destruction and fragmentation of bottomland forests throughout the southern United States led to the ivory-billed woodpecker’s decline and
believed extinction, despite the work of individuals, some affiliated with Audubon, to save its habitat. Then, last year, a group of biologists intrigued by a report from a recreational birder undertook an intensive search for the bird in the Cache River and White River national wildlife refuges in Arkansas. They made several sightings, and captured a male ivory bill in flight on video. To give conservation groups and government agencies time to purchase land to protect the bird’s
habitat, they kept their discovery quiet until the morning of April 28.

Throughout the world that day, phone calls and e-mail flew among Audubon staff and supporters, conveying a storm of excitement summarized not so scientifically by
a jubilant Frank Gill, senior ornighologist at Audubon: “This is huge. Just huge. It is kind of like finding Elvis.”

That afternoon, more great news arrived at Maine Audubon headquarters, by way of a call from a Scarborough, Maine resident and avid birder and bird-art collector. Eddie Woodin was so moved by the astonishing news of the ivory bill that he pledged a $10,000 matching grant to Maine Audubon’s annual Birdathon.

He said the news of the day highlighted the worth and promise of Maine Audubon’s mission to conserve Maine’s wildlife and wildlife habitat. We are grateful for his
generosity and proud of this tribute to our work.

It’s unfortunate that by nightfall that day the United States Senate didn’t think like Mr. Woodin. Instead, it failed to protect wildlife habitat in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge by voting 52-47 for a federal budget that allows oil drilling in the refuge. Both of Maine’s senators voted with the majority, despite their past support for protecting the refuge.

Maine’s budget—so far—contains much better news for wildlife. Although it’s facing cuts as Habitat goes to press, the budget lawmakers passed in March recognizes that Maine’s Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife needs reasonable resources to safeguard the wildlife so valuable to Maine’s character and economy.

The budget would fund five new positions on behalf of nongame-wildlife work neglected for years due to insufficient funding. Maine Audubon has worked extensively in support of this goal.

In further good news from Augusta, Governor
John Baldacci signed into law on May 20 a bill What more fitting tribute giving government agencies and Maine’s landowners to this survivor than new options to work together to protect important decisive action wildlife habitat from coast to forest. Maine Audubon to conserve wildlife? worked in support of this sensible legislation, too.

In a state with reason to be concerned about protecting and expanding its economic opportunities, clearly it makes sense to protect the natural resources
that some call Maine’s “golden goose.”

Ahead, the Maine Legislature has one more chance to make sure the record of its 122nd session sets a wise standard for protecting Maine’s great natural heritage:
it must still give Maine’s voters the chance to approve a land bond in November.

The bond would fund the Land for Maine’s Future Program, the highly successful statewide land-conservation program that has gone unfunded for more than a year. Without this program and the federal matching dollars it attracts, Maine stands to lose millions of acres of opportunity.

It shouldn’t take the survival of a species thought to be lost to history to call attention to the value of conserving land and protecting wildlife. But what more
fitting tribute to this survivor than decisive action to conserve wildlife?

Kevin P. Carley
Executive Director