05/04/10

REACHING BEYOND BORDERS FOR BIRDS:
Wisconsin Protects its Migratory Birds through Costa Rican Conservation Investment and Participation in South Wings

Madison, WI — This spring, millions of birds are returning to Wisconsin from distant winter haunts. Hungry and tired from thousands of miles of perilous travel, our birds can count on Wisconsin to provide the habitat they need. But that is not always the case south of the border, where more than half of Wisconsin’s 238 breeding bird species spend the winter. Throughout Latin America, deforestation and incompatible development are squeezing Wisconsin’s birds into ever smaller wintering grounds, threatening their long-term survival.

“Despite significant conservation efforts in Wisconsin, global bird populations continue to decline,” Charlie Luthin, executive director of the Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin noted. Loss of habitat, pollution and global warming threaten the birds that enhance our quality of life. “Our migrating birds spend only about half of their lives with us, so protecting them requires a ‘whole-lifecycle’ approach,” Luthin continued.

Recognizing the need to act internationally on behalf of Wisconsin’s birds, the Foundation has joined public and private partners at the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and Neenah Paper to safeguard important migratory bird wintering habitat on Costa Rica’s Osa peninsula. The three partners recently made a combined contribution of more than $60,000 to the non-profit Friends of the Osa.

“It’s a significant gift to our reforestation and habitat protection work,” noted Dr. Adrian Forsyth, president of the group’s board of directors, “and we are grateful for the support.” Forsyth continued, “the long term conservation of migratory songbirds is only possible because of such north-south partnerships.”

Jutting into the Pacific Ocean, the Osa peninsula harbors the last remaining old growth rain forest on the west coast of Central America. Enormous trees, some more than 1,000 years old, provide critical habitat for hundreds of species of birds, including 54 species that call Wisconsin home.
Eighteen of those species are state conservation priorities, three are listed as threatened and one is endangered.

According to Craig Thompson, regional land leader at the Wisconsin DNR, his state’s commitment to safeguarding the Osa peninsula was inspired by a national movement called Southern Wings — a partnership of conservation agencies that supports funding for projects to protect migratory bird habitat beyond state borders in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Southern Wings was launched in 2008 by the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies to conserve priority migratory bird species by monitoring the status of populations; restoring and managing migrant bird habitats; acquiring lands in critical core habitats; educating the public; and more. In addition to Wisconsin, Arizona, Arkansas, Iowa, Missouri, Oklahoma and South Dakota are active contributors.

“Within the next 20 years, more than 80 percent of land and its wildlife in Latin America and the Caribbean could be adversely impacted by development, putting critical habitat for migrant birds at risk,” Ron Regan, Executive Director of the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, said. “Southern Wings provides state fish and wildlife agencies with a funding mechanism to help conserve priority migratory bird species throughout their lifecycle,” he concluded.

Thompson, who coordinates Wisconsin’s participation in Southern Wings, said a precedent helped his state decide to join the initiative. “While this is the first time we’ve supported wintering habitat protection in Latin America for our declining songbird populations, the DNR has supported waterfowl breeding habitat conservation projects in Canada for nearly two decades,” Thompson said.
He stressed that no taxpayer dollars were used and noted that the Bell Family Foundation provided the DNR’s $23,600 contribution to the project in Costa Rica.

According to Luthin, the combination of corporate dollars, individual gifts, and contributions from the DNR demonstrates a new commitment to protecting Wisconsin’s migratory birds. “No matter how much good work we do for birds in the state, we can’t keep them here year-round,” he said. Luthin hopes this project will encourage others to get involved. “People now understand that the habitat loss is real and that we can’t really protect our birds without protecting their winter homes as well,” he added. “The threats are sobering, but the collective response has been inspiring, both here in Wisconsin and in other states” Luthin concluded.

Wisconsin manufacturer Neenah Paper has made a multi-year commitment to the Osa partnership. “Partnering with the Natural Resources Foundation, the DNR and Friends of the Osa is exciting because together we will have a direct impact not only on the Costa Rican rainforest, but on threatened and endangered species that also happen to call Wisconsin home,” said Byron Racki, director of marketing, fine paper at Neenah Paper.

“This is a big step for everyone involved,” Thompson said, “but most of all, it’s a big step forward for our birds.” The group is already making plans to offer additional support this year and potentially expand their efforts. “Ultimately, we hope to work with partners across the Western Hemisphere to help protect wintering habitat vital to the future of our birds,” concluded Thompson.

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The Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in Madison, Wisconsin. For more than twenty-four years, the Foundation has worked with citizens, businesses, non-profit partners and the government to promote the protection and enjoyment of Wisconsin’s public lands, waters and wildlife. Learn more and donate online at www.wisconservation.org.

The Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies is the organization that represents North America's fish and wildlife agencies, promotes sound management and conservation, and speaks with a unified voice on important fish and wildlife issues. Found on the web at www.fishwildlife.org.