| Summary: | Bexar Tracks began with Vol. 4, no. 1 (January 1986). It continues Newsletter (Bexar Audubon Society). NEWSLETTER OF THE BEXAR AUDUBON SOCIETY SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS Showdown lime for the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge SEF 2 2 995 Editor's note: This is not just another Alaska issue. The values of all conservationists are being challenged on this one. We need pressure on the Senate and on President Clinton. Here's a letter from our guy on the spot. August 18, 1995 Dear Fellow Auduboners: I'm writing today because I need help from friends nationwide to save the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Having had the honor to serve with Audubon ill. Alaska for some 17 years now, I have to tell you that the grand spectacles of nature that we have worked so hard to get protected here over the years are being threatened like never before. Leading the charge is the Alaska congressional delegation: Senators Ted Stevens and Frank Murkowski, and Congressman Don Young. Their target is the Arctic Refuge! Through an obscure back door political maneuver in the federal budget process, the Alaska politicians are using their new-found' political muscle to silence public debate on the issue and force President Clinton to open the refuge's coastal plain to full-scale oil and gas development. Their resolution il1 the 1995 federal budget uses speculative income projections from leasing the refuge as a way to balance the federal budget. In reality, such income would be a drop in the budget bucket. The truth is, Alaska's politicians want to give both domestic and foreign oil companies easy access to refuge oil. After all, there could be a lot of money to be made. And why do they want to avoid open public debate? Because that's where they lost on the issue before. And that's where they would lose the debate again. A recent national poll commissioned by the The Wilderness Society shows that 70 per cent of the American people polled said the Arctic Refuge should be protected rather than used to generate oilleasmg revenue to reduce the federal deficit. I believe Americans are smart enough to see what's really goil1g on. After getting the export ban on North Slope oil lifted, the delegation has set the stage to desecrate a national treasure on behalf of special interests, to sell oil to foreign consumers at fire sale prices. It really comes down to a choice of values. Audupon has a long history of involvement in and familiarity with the Arctic Refuge. We supported its establishment in 1960 by President Eisenhower "to preserve unique wildlife, wilderness, and recreation values." Through the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act of 1980 we worked with Congress and thous~nds of Americans to get the refuge more than doubled in size and a portion included il1 wilderness. Then from 1987 to 1992 we participated in an exhaustive reevaluation of whether or not the Arctic Refuge should be opened to oil and gas development. As you know, after thorough examination of facts on both sides of the issue, the American people sent Congress a resounding NO! Don't develop the Arctic Refuge! , Ongoing wildlife studies have simply confirmed earlier findings that the coastal plain constitutes the biological heart of the refuge. Bio1og,is;tr)~1?J> t~-J~ me just this month that.92 percent of calv-ing by the some 150,000 strong Porcupine caribou herd this last spring was concentrated in.the so-called 1002area, that section of the coastal plain proposed for leasing. And last fall, more than 300,000 snow geese that we share with Canada, stopped to feed on the coastal plain before proceedil1g on their long migration to wmtering grounds in the south where they are enjoyed by millions of Americans. Biologists have found the geese extremely sensitive to human disturbance during this critical part of their life cycle. No reputable wildlife biologist that I know feels that placing an industrial oil complex in the heart of the refuge's coastal plain habitats will not seriously disrupt StJ.Ch spectacles of nature so important to so many people. In fact, they predict serious declines in caribou, muskox, wolves, wolverines, grizzly bears and a host of migratory birds should full-scale oil development be allowed. But the biggest loss of all would be the refuge's unparalleled wilderness values. It's a myriad of wildlife in a grand wilderness setting that makes the Arctic Refuge special to conservation- minded Americans. As Auduboners and as mericans committed to the conservation of birds, other wildlife and their habitats, especially those in national wildlife refuges, we sm1ply cannot stand by and continued on page 4 BEXAR AUDUBON SOCIETY P. 0. Box 6084, San Antonio, TX 78209 210-822-4503 Chapter of the National Audubon Society The Chapter's primary goals are to promote species and habitat conservation, and environmental education in the community. OFFICERS AND BOARD President Vice President Treasurer Secretary Board Member Board Member Board Member Board Member Board Member Board Member Board Member Susan K. Hughes Harriet Wiygul Bill Sain Anita L. Reeves Walter Barfield Claire Drenowatz Jim Garriott Patty Leslie Pasztor Katie Nava-Ragazzi Richard Pipes Bill Woller 532-2332; fax 532-2023 534-7505 408-7731 308-9254 736-0355 599-4168 695-9520 824-1235 804-1226 281-2452 696-3186 COMMITTEE CHAIRS Birdathon Conservation Education Hospitality Membership Natural Initiatives Outings Programs Publicity Ways S Means Bexar Tracks Editor Marge Lumpe Richard Pipes Betty Minyard Harriet Wiygul Dan S Kristy Davis Harriet Wiygul Patty Leslie Pasztor Chris Dullnig Susan K. Hughes Bill Sain Claire Drenowatz 545-1822 281-2452 344-6128 534-7505 609-5678 534-7505 824-1235 828-4017 532-2332 408-7731 599-4168; fax599-3545 CompuServe 73232,506 Bexar Tracks is your newsletter. We welcome your contributions. Next paper (hard copy, fax) deadline 9/23, electronic (diskette, email) deadline 9/29. Please send fax or email to Claire Drenowatz, as above; diskettes and hard copy should be sent to BAS, P. 0. Box 6084, San Antonio, TX 98209. Bexar Audubon Society ge11eral meetings are . held on 3rd Thursdays at 7:30 pm, at the Ruble Center, 419 East Magnolia; board meeti11gs usually 2nd Thursdays at 7:00. Iutroductory memberships to NAS, including AUDUBON Magazine, cost only $20. Great gift. Send check to BAS (payable to.NAS) at P. 0. above. Note chapter code W19, and name address, and phone number of new member. 800-659-2622 210-733-8306 210-227-6143 800-453-SMOG September 1995 USEFUL NUMBERS: NAS Actionline Rare bird alert number. To report local water waste. To report smoking vehicles (License #, date, time & location of sighting are requested). BENEATH THE GAVJ:l The highlight of August for me was preparing for the meeting of the Rangeland Environmental Issues Forum. Along with Dr. Jim McMullan, representing the South Texas Farm & Ranch Club, I agreed to speak at the meeting, representh1g "environmental" interests on behalf of Bexar Audubon, on Common Ground: Aligning Agricultural and Environmental Interests. (See article on page 5.) WARMING UP Jim is the fourth generation of his family to ranch on the same land in Crockett County. After graduath1g from A&M Vet School and serving a stint in the Air Force, he has practiced veterinary medicine for about thirty years-mostly part time-while raising cattle, sheep, a~1d goats in Crockett County and cattle in Guadalupe County. COMMON GROUND We agreed that there were four key interests that draw us together: wildlife, biodiversjty, habitat, and clean water. Related issues, however-the ones that provide the greatest challenges, perhaps-focus on economic impacts. These are areas we can work on together to develop new alternatives and creative ideas that will make it feasible to protect these four key interests. OPTIONS FOR PROTECTION Some of tl1e alternatives discussed included recreational uses of land, managing wildlife to provide hunting revenues, the "bird and breakfast" concept, providing tax relief for pt:otecting wildlife habitat, and seeking estate tax changes that will permit large tracts o fland to be kept coherent, rather than caush1g tracts to be broken up and sold off as "ranchettes" in order to pay inheritance taxes. The habitat fragmentation that often results has serious impacts on wildlife as well as ranch management options. WORKING TOGETHER I am eager to work together with Jim and other members of the South Texas Farm & Ranch Club, the Ag Extension Service, and related landowner organizations in our area to get past the hyperbole, focus on our common interests, and put some programs in place to help us all-and the wildlife and habitat we all care about. , We have many mechanisms for promoth1g this collaborative spirit among our groups and members: positive communication; actively investigating allegations, alleviating concerns, and dispelling fears and myths; forming coalitions and parhi.erships; developing educational services and strategies; and promoting incentives and rewards for good stewardship of the land. PROPOSITION 11 MUST PASS One way we can all work together right away for the benefit of wildlife and habitat is to talk with our friends and neighbors, write letters to the editor, and get out the vote in November to support adoption of proposition No. 11 (HJR 72). ' This reads as follows: "The constitutional amendment to allow open-space land used for wildlife management to qualify for tax appraisal in the same manner as open-space agricultural land, subject to eligibility limitations provided by the legislature." 95 PER CENT PRIVATE Ninety-five percent of Texas lands are privately owned. Wildlife, habitat, and biodiversity in Texas will be preserved and enhanced by working with the landowners: supporting programs that provide h1formation and education on ecosystem management approaches; helping to make it economically feasible to maintain habitat and to keep large tracts of land intact; and by continuing to inculcate a "culture of conservation" in all citizens of our state. · - Susa11 Hughes 2 Bexar Tracks ' Hawk Migration Reid Trip On September 16, we will head south to Hazel Bazemore County Park near Corpus Christi to view the spectacular fall migration of hawks. Literally tens of thousands of hawks, kites, and peregrine falcons can be seen in the sky at this concentration point on their southward migration. John Economidy, who presented our July program, and other expertss from around the state, will be on hand that day to estimate the numbers of these birds. Last month, we advised that we'd rent a van for the trip, but all callers so far have indicated they'd rather make their own arrangements. Let us know soon if you need a ride, and we can still rent a van if it's needed. We will leave from the Ruble Center (419 East Magnolia) parking lot, east side, at 7 am. Bring binoculars, liquids, and lunch. Call Pattie Leslie Pasztor for reservations at 824-1235. Beneficial Bugs Interested in identifying and encouraging beneficial insects in your garden? Then attend the September meeting of the Native I;'lant Society of Texas, San Antonio Chapter, when Christina O'Connell wt.Il tell you how to do just that. Uon's Field Clubhouse, 2809 Broadway at Mulberry, 7 to 9 pm, Tuesday, September 26. Garqge Sale The Bexar Audubon Fall Garage Sale has been postponed until November, to take advantage of the festivities in the King William Area. Meantime, clean out the garage . and that closet you can't close and save all the good st~ff for the BAS sale. Bexar Tracks LOCAL NEWS AG Meeting-and Outing--in Houston The Houston Audubon Society will host the fall meeting of the Audubon Council of Texas (ACT) October 7-8. There will be fun, fellowship, and entertaining activities on some tiny natural treasures in the big city. Activities will begin at 7:30 Saturday morning at the Houston Arboretum and Nature Center in Memorial Park. All three meals are provided on Saturday, including a pasta dinner in downtown Houston near historic Allen's Lan:ding. A slide presentation, "Nature at Your Doorstep," will be given by naturalist author John Tveten. John will be happy to autograph his books on Texas birds, Houston wildflowers, and coastal Texas, and the Arboretum wili'have them for sale in their shop for early Christmas shoppers. Sunday offers a choice of half-day field trips to either Brazos Bend State Park or to the Smith Point Hawk Count. Thenyou are ·free to return home or extend your visit through Columbus day to explore High Island, Anahuac, and/or Bolivar. Other options are a visit to Houston's Museum of Natural Science Butterfly House and IMAX theater, or G~lveston's Moody Gardens Rainforest and 3-D IMAX. The registration fee for the planned activities is $35, and any unused funds will be donated to ACI: To reserve your space, mail your check to Houston Audubon Society, Attn. ACT, 440 Wilchester, Houston, TX 77070-7329. Include your PRINTED name, address, phone number, and choice of field trip. We recommend early motel reservations at one of the following: Ramada Inn, 7787 IH 10 Holiday Inn, 7611 IH 10 Rodeway Inn, 5820 IH 10 La Quinta, 8017 IH 10. Telephone inquiries to Houston Audubon Society office at 713-732-1639. September Meeting: Texas Horned lizard The Texas Horned Lizard is a critter which evokes fond childhood memories for most people who grew up in South, Central, and West Texas. Once easy to find-and capture-today their numbers have declined dramatically in urban environments. They are not gone, however. At the September 21 meeting of the Bexar Audubon Society, Melissa Montemayor will discuss her work with horned lizards at the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department's · Chaparral Wildlife Management Area in Artesia Wells. Her research involved captl1ring the lizards, implanting PITs (passive integrated transponders), then releasing and later recapturing them for the purpose of determining their population dynamics, habits, and habitats. Montemayor is presently district enviromnental specialist with the Texas Department of Transportation in Laredo. She is president of the Texas Chapter of the Horned Lizard Conservation Society in Austin. Who should 11tte11d1 Those interested · in threatened and endangered species, reptiles, arid habitat, habitat · protection, or field biological research are encouraged to attend. Student'! are especially welcome. Co11servatio11 Committee: Come at 6:00pm for a joint meeting of the Bexar Audubon Sol;iety and Sierra Club Conservation Committees. Specifics: Bexar Audubon Society monthly meeting, Thursday, Sept 21. Refreshments will be available at 7:00. Come early to socialize. Meeting starts at 7:30. Free and open to the public. For more inf~nnation call822-4503. Locatio11: Ruble Center,419 East Magnolia. Nearest freeway exit is North St. Mary's; off Highway 281. Public Tra11sportatio11: VIA Route 5 (St. Mary's-McCullough-North Star Mall) to Magnolia Street. September 1995 ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES Showdooo on the Arctic Refuge - cot~ti11ued from fHlge 1 the Arctic Refuge that make life worth allow this raid on our nation's most living. c superlative wilderness refuge for Arctic · Thanks, friends! Your support and wildlife to succeed. involvement means a lot. Togefher we If this protected area falls, what na• can keep the wild in Alaska. Let's go to tiona) park or wildlife refuge in Amer- batt)~ to keep -the Arctic Refuge. wild ica is safe from the modern day plume ilnd free. hunters? Its fall could in fact start a The many conservation warriors domino effect unprecedented in the .who proceeded us and who got the history of the American conservation refuge e:;;tablished for o~r benefit-and movement. . ···that o(our.chil<;lren ~recounting on us. So please join me and conserva--·-. -· . ·sincerely, . . tionists in sister organizations through- . · . · D~ve Cline out America in writi_ng our U.S. :RegiomdVite.President Senators and Representatives, and Anchorage, Alaska· President Ointon now.~ need to urge · them to take forceful actiori to keep the Write to. you~ Senatom(U:S. Se!late; coastal plain of the Arctic Refuge closed Washingtot1, D<;: · 205~Q) and_ Rep_re-tooilandgasdeve1oeinent. sentatives (US House _ot Rep-re- This will allow -its myriad of wild- sentatives, Washington~. OC 20515) life to continue their age-old life ways in _urging them to,:vote_·against !:Jsin_i oil one of the most spectacular wilderness· leasing revemies from the Arctic Ref-settings left on earth. -. · uge to balance the federal bt~dget. Then too, the Gwitch'in lndi- Most importantly.write President ans-the caribou peopl~will be alJle . Clinton (The White Hou~e, Washing-to continue their lifew<J.ys in company tori, DC 205oo;· phone _202-456-6224; with the great intemalional Porcupine email president@whitehouse.gov) herd. And you and I arid 9ur. children urging him to use his executive powers will be able to share w~th ot~ets the joys to st.Qp this raid· on the Arctic National and wonders of nature ~ _portrayed in Wildlife Refuge. · · · San Arlt~ EnVironmental Pep Rally Music, fun, food:, -information- sifi.gingand skits, b_ut_there-wm also be come and partY: -~ : ~ _ -. · s~rious information and .opportunities · Sierra Club's ~Iaino 'Gto!Jp invites to sign u_p to be 1nvo1v~d in specific you to an Enviromi1entai Pejr.&aUy on topics. . . Tuesday, October i7, 1995, ~m 7-9pm. -·_ If you want flyers to post, or if you This is an effort to .geJ as many en~iron- can help~ call Tom Dukes at 828-3721. mentally aware San·Anto.rfians to- · We !lre -invith1g lhe press, and we gether at one tiine as -possi\>le, to want then) · ~() .see th~t mi!ny san An-celebrate our past succes5es ·and pre~ toilians·are cOI1cer~1ed:abol!t conserva-pare for future challenge.s. ·- <", _ :tion issues" Quite I)onestly, we need a Our main goal is to lnl:J>rave our ·big turnout from the et1vironmental ability to network with eachotlter"i!nd . COH\mUnity. ' to let the ~embers of one organ_~ation · · Spread the word- in· your organiza-le< lrn-about sii1l.Uar groups m tow~:ilnd tion, and pl~ase come-and bring a tl:te issues they.ad~ress. - - ' friend or two, to 'H\e- First Unitarian Entertain}nent wHl be provided by -Universalist Church, 7150 W. Loop 410, BilfOiiver, a na-tionally known eirviro11~ ~: -at. ~i1e· intersection of IH 10. It's on the mental troubado.ur_:._you'·re in for a .- ac~s -road, acro:;s- IH 10 from Cross-howling good tiin!:!: · . . road~M•dl. The cost is free <md snaekS will he : . - Attdy Balittsky, Presidmt provided. Hali of tl1e .eve'ning wil~ be . __ Alamo Group Sierra Club -~- "" ;. ' - September 1995 4 Project Vote Smart Here's an update on Project Vote Smart, from which you can get campaign contribution information on your congressperson, .and also their voting-records on any of twenty areas of interest. Just dip into the "104th Congress" section of Project Vote Smart's web site at http:/ /www.peak.org/vote-smart/ or gopher to gopher:/ /chaos.dac.neu.edu:70/ 11/p vsdata or call Project Vote Smart's Voter Research Hotline at 800-622-7627 and a volunteer researcher will tell you everything you want to know abotit your congressthings: their voting records, biographical details of service in Congress, performance evaluations by . 70 liberal to conservative organizations, who has paid for their campaigns, their telephone numbers and mailing addresses, their past campaign position statements, and lots of other stuff. They also have a more extensive research service for journalists, the Reporter's Resource Center (503-n7- 4000), that will actually do journalistic research for you. They are doing this all at no charge, folks, so use them! Project Vote Smart does not and willnotacceptanymoney from political; business or labor interests, so they depend on memberships to fund their effort. You don't l)aVe 1o · be a member to use their services, but you can be a member for just $35. Call the hotline for membership info. The Texas Vote Here's how the Texas delegation voted on an amendment to kill riders to strangle EPA enforcement powers: Voting for the amendment (this is the good vote): Wilson, Bryant, Doggett, Coleman, Jackson-Lee, Gonzalez, Frost, Bentsen, Green, E.B. Johnson. Voting against: Johnson, Barton, Archer, Fields, Stockman, Thornberry, Combest, Stenhohn, Smith, DeLay, Armey, Bonilla, Chapman, Hall, Edwards, Geren, de la Garza, Ortiz, Tejeda. Bexar Tracks . ENVIRONMENTALISSUES New Books National Audubon Society's North Americ~tt . Bird feeder Handbook (over 200,000 copie~ sold) will have a companion book called' The Bird Garden. Darling Kindersley, the publisher of these and other highly successful four-color illustrated books, plans torelease Bird Garde~ in the fall. Written by Steve· Kress, the editor of North American Birdfeeder Hand~ book (which is being revised and will debut at the same time as Bird Garden), this book shows you how to garden to attract birds and provides a comprehensive guide to which shrubs, vines, and ground cover will attract specific birds to any back yard. And Cornell_ Laboratory of Ornithology has announced publication of . their new Citizen's Guide to Migratory Bird Cmtservation, which provides the tools nece~ary to act on behalf of your favorite birds. It is loaded with great ideas for projects ai1q activities you can . do on your own or with a group of -. 'like_-minded conservationists. From how to write effective letters -· to the editor, to b~ck yard projects which will attract neotropical:tpigrants, to as$i.c;ting with federal and volunteer --· cenMJ.s programs, the new book will be · - of hi!lp to any bird lover. Individual guides $5.00; more than 5 guides are $2.00 each. Send check made payable to Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, and send to Martha Fis- . cher, CLO, 159Sapsucker Woods Road, ~ Jthaca, NY 14850. 1 Call607-~-2440, or email Martha . ·: ~ Fischer (mf26@co.rnell.edu) for more • · -~ information. . Quote of the Month From Ron Pucek, still planning to reopen his water-wasting catfish farm, ·- in protesting that the city has no authority to regulate him: "I think they're trying to get into a property-rights Issue here." And, of course, his rights are more · important than those of everyone else in the San Antonio area. . Bexar Tracks A Rancher's Viewpoint In his preliminary notes for our joint presentation at the Rangeland Environmental Issues Forum in Augus_t, which Jim McMullan shared with me, he wrote , "I try to ' ranch in order to sustain a clean, healthy ecosystem by using advanced grazing 'techniques and utilizing , a minimum amount of herbicides, pesticides, fertilizers, and heavy machinery." "As our lands become more ·crowded and our ag practices more intensive, ·changes both good and bad wil1 happen faster and more pro.fouridly. Technology · and creativity are needed now more than ever, and we need to utilize all that are available." Seeking Common Giound Jhti continued, "When we decided on our topic tonight, I asked myself, 'What is an environmentaliSt and do ranchers really need their ideas about what ranchers shoul,f"or shouldn't b~ doh1g?' "I got to thinking, when I was a kid, we rounded up Hve11tock often and spr~yed to prevent screwworms. We useg DDT, Lindane, BHC, Chlordane, and other stuff. We ~ven sprayed our own shirts and hats because of the horn flies. It didn't make us or the livestock sick, so it was all right. It killed a lot of . cats, but that seemed acceptable for some reason. Silent Spring "I don't ,remember the government or chemical companies going, to great effort to educate us about possible damage. But, after Rachael Carson wrote Silent Spring, things began to happen. It was several years before hnpacts on egg shell fragility, fish hatching, earthworm survival, etc. became significant "Environmentalists, most with no economic ax to grind or protect, led the charge and eventually the whole country ·realized the dangers that existed. Because of the latent toxicity and the fad that we weren't getting rid of screwworms, the sterile screwworm fly release program was developed. It proved successful and has been a model for non-toxic insect control methods since then. "The chemicals we used then are still available in many parts of the . world and will continue to be so until those countries develop an environmental awareness that will curtail them. Until then, chemical companies will make and sell them." W~ Are All Environmentalists "Everyone likes to think he is an environmentalist, but in qualified ways. Nobody wants to destroy forests, rivers, or rangeland, but I might accept a little more damage in an area that you might consider terrible and vice versa. Usually the an1ount of tolerance we'll accept is tied into management or economic principles," Jim assessed. A Final Note As an afterthought, one afternoon Jhn and I were talking about the fact that few ranchers knew much, if anything, about the Golden-cheeked War_ bler before the "crisis" last summer. We agreed that it is surely true that the Warbler has been in this part of Texas for a very long time.,_it didn't just ;'showup." But I, for one, surely didn't know anything about songbirds when I was growing up in San Antonio, and Jim allowed as how all those little birds were "sparrows" as far as he knew. Ornithology was pretty much "doves, ducks, and dickey-birds." You know, as I think back, that really explains a lot. - Susa11 Hughes America's one of the finest coontries anyone ever stole . -Bobcat Goldthwaite 5 . • Seotember 1995 . MISCELLANY Electronic Audubon An Invitation . . . to subscribe to the National Audubon Society's online discussion area and e-mail list server, Audubon-L This new area is designed to let all of those with internet access, but who cannot join our very productive forum on Compu?erve, have a place to carry on discussions and learn about Audubon issues and programs. It will be an important addition to our communication capabilities, and will allow for greater chapter and individual member representation online from across the country. Audubon-L is not a moderated list but it is monitored to insure that response and input from NAS staff is both timely and complete. Subscription to the discussion area is completely open and neither subscription requests or postings will be given any prior review. To subscribe to the new discussion area simply send a message to majordomo@igc.apc.org and make the body of your message read: subscribe Audubon-L and leave the subject line blank. (If your service requires a subject line, use a single period.) Please consider joining our new Audubon list server! Audubon Forum On Compuserve The National Audubon Society has established a private Audubon Forum on CompuServe--one of the largest national online networks. This e-mail and bulletin board system is designed for Audubon members only. In honor of Rush and G. Gordon - Through this network, Audubon members, activists and chapter leaders, are able to capture fatt sheets, policy papers, and other information,exchange electronic mail with other users and Audubon staff, and post information or questions of interest to other users. CompuServe also provides easy gateway access to the Internet. The benefits to activists and chapter leaders can be enormous. The ability to capture or download newsletter articles, fact sheets, action alerts, Actionline bulletins and other issue-specific information will provide users with the information to respond to pressing environmental issues of the day If you are an Audubon member and would like to be a part of this Forum please send your name and address to forum@audubon.org and we will forward hard-copy CompuServe registration information directly to you. (Please specify Mac, Windows, or DOS.) If you are a 'member of CompuServe and a member of Audubon, silnply send your name, chaptenffiliation, and your CompuServe ID# to forum@ aud ubon.org and we will authorize your ID to have access to the private Audubon Forum. If you would like to joil1 the National Audubon Society, please get the membership enrollment information from info@audubon.org by using the subject: member. -Phil Schaeffer, Vice-President MRnagement Information Systems 212-979-3193; fax 212-353-0347 e-mRil:pschaeffer@audubon.org The fact that your voice is amplified to the degree where it reaches from one end of the country to the other does not confer upon you greater wisdom or understanding than you possessed when your voice reached only from one end of the bar to the other. -Edward R. Murrow September 1995 6 Connections Remember the stirring sight of Clinton and Gil1grich in New Hampshire, shaking hands and promising to appoint an independent commission (modeled after the base closure commission) to effect campaign reform? In an il1terview with Frank Sesno on CNN, Gil1gricl1 was remil1ded that the White House had recently written hiln a letter suggestil1g gettil1g started, and Sesno asked what was holding up progress. Gingrich launched into a tirade on all the sil1s of the White House, but didn't answer the question. When pressed, Newt said he was so busy with trying to save Medicare that he didn't have time for campaign reform yet. But that was the whole poil1t. By appointing a commission which rtxmld have the time, we wouldn't have to worry our oh-so-busy politicians. I was waitil1g for Sesno to ask Newt how he was able to find the time 'for his book tour, but he didn't ask. Why is it so hard to get Congres.c; moving on an issue which both parties have agreed is out of control? According to an article in Newsweek, here's one reason Bob Dole might not be anxious for reform. "Since 1993 Dole has flown 1R7 times on small private jets owned by US corporations, most of them with business pending before Congress . " It's all perfectly legal, and Dole does it more than anyone, accordil1g to the article. There's a side of big contributions whicl1 is rarely explored il1 the press. According to an article in Capital Eye, published by the Center for Responsive Politics, it's the big contributors who testify when Congress considers bills. For instance, the farm bill is up for renewal, and "a key target is the cotton program . _. National Cotton Council repres~ntatives have testified at nine congressional hearings, far more than any other group." Not surprisil1g, considering their $206,000 in contributions to selected congresscritters. Bexar Tracks BIRD TALES How You Can Help Migratory Birds Birds that migrate between North · ' Volunteer for bird counts and America and Latin America are in . banding projects that give ornitholo- . trouble because ofhabitat loss and frag- gists valuable data. Find out which mentation at both ends of their range. ev;ents yotJ.r chapter participates ii1 or Some of the sharpest declines have · sponsors. For a directory of volunteer ' occurred not in the tropical rah1forest opportunities with federal agencies, but in the U.S. The problem may seem send $1 to Volunteer Directory, Ameri-too overwhelming for individuals to can Birding Association, P.O. Box 6599, tackle, but there are actually many ' Colorado Springs, CO 80934. things you can do. Buy the Migratory Bird lnforma- Provide water, food, sl1elter and tion Kit, co-produced by the National nesting habitat on your property. Audubon Society and the Smithsonian. Take care of your trees. Don't let It contains both background ~nd "how-them become so diseased or damaged to" information. Send $6.50 to: Migra-that they must be removed. If a dead · tory Songbird Coordinator, National tree presents no danger to power lines Audubon Society, 666 Pennsylvania or buildings, consider lettingirstand. It Ave. SE, Washington, DC 20002. will provide nesting sites and h1sects Get on the mailh1g list for the free for birds. · Partners in Flight newsletter of the Remember that birqs Neotropical Migratory Bird Project. H depend heavily on the . will keep you up to date on bird conser-protein in caterpillars, vation efforts and give you ideas for . grubs and other things you can do to help. Write to Peter insects. Don't Stangel, NatiOI1al Fish and Wildlife use pes- Foundation, 1120 Connecticut Ave. ticides . NW, Suite 900, Washii1gton, DC 20036. on your Urge your representatives, sena-lawn or any tors and state legislators to support in-plants fre- creased funding for migratory bird quented by projects and for cooperative projects birds. A prown that will promote sustainable use of spot in the grass isn't the end of' the natural resources in Latin America. world, but a poisoned grub could be -Sandra Parshall the end of the bird that eats it. J!airfax (VA) Audubon So_ciety Border Birding Bash The weekend of November 9-12 in Harlingen will see another Rio Grande Birding Festival take wing. Speakers and guides include • Brad McKinney on birding basics · and some insight on bh1.0cs; • John Tveten on butterflies; • F. P. Bennett on creath1g a birdfriendly landscapes in your yard; • Madge Lindsey of TPWD' on the Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail; • Kelly Bryan to help identify the players in the evening and dawn choruses and a whole lot more. Call 800-531-7346 for a registration packet and a lot of information. Bexar Tracks C\ ,, •• Compost Caution Sunflower seed hulls are allelopathic- they give off a chemical that kills or retards oth'er plants-and shouldn't be added to your compost heip. For the same reason, you should locate your sunflower feeders away from the lawn or garden, to prevent grass and prized plants fron1 being damaged by fallen seeds. Don't worry about the birds: sunflower seed:;; don't contain anything harn1ful to them. - Sandra Parshall Fairfax (VA) Audubon Society Editor's note: 'Course, if you've got some weeds you'd like to kill, , . ' · 7 Brits Brace for Invasion According to Bird Watcher's Digest, "Britain is bracing for a massive invasion of due~. Little, yellow, plastic ducks. In January of 1992 twelve containers of the children's bath toys washed off a cargo ship h1 the north . Pacific Ocean, and they have been paddling (well, floating, actually) toward Britain ever since. They are expected to start arriving in 1997. A few have already been beached h1 coastal Alaska, but the bulk are expected to follow a route through the Arctic, moved by ocean currents and 'drifth1g pack ice. Scientists are n1onitoring the movement [of the duck flotilla] as a way of fine-tuning models of ocean currents and ice movements. Those models are . p.sed in assessing weather, pollution, and fishing forecasts." World Festival of Birds Sociedad Conservacionista Audubon de Venezuela (Audubon Conservationist Society of Venezueala) will be coordinating Venezuela's World Festival of tlui'Birds 1995 the first week of · October in association with BirdLife. ' This year's theme is bird habitat conservation. NAS's Southwest Re- ,' gional Office h1 Austin has their news-letter (in Spanish only) announcing the event, and asking their members ,to organize events. For more h1formation contact (in English is fine) Sociedad Conservacionista Audubon de Venezue-la, Clemencia Rodner, APDO 80450, Caracas 1080-A, Venezuela. . · They are also the s'ource for great information on where to go birding in Venezuela, and they have developed bird lists for several of Venezuela's national parks. We could have run your article, instead of any of these, on the birds in your back yard, if you•d sent it. Maybe next month? September 1995 FALL PLANNING CALENDAR * Bexar Audubon Event § More Information Inside RECURRING EVENTS First Saturday at Friedrich Park, guided gen-eral natural history hike, free. 698-1 05 7 for reservations. Second Saturday at Friedrich Park sponsored by Bexar Audubon. Details below. Second Saturday: Beginners Bird Walk at Alamo Heights Nature Trail. For details, call Georgina Schwartz of San Antonio Audubon Society at 342-2073. Fourth Saturday: Birdin~.,at Mitchell lake with Ernie Rooney. Meet at l at 8:00am. SPECIAl Sept 9,16,23,30,0ct2, March 2, Friedrich lnter~retive Guide Training. Become a Fried-rich ark Tour Guide, six weeks of training, Saturdays 9-12:30. Mary at 698-105 7 to enroll. SEPTEMBER 9 Second Saturday: Insects of Frie-drich Park. Hike with Dr. Summer Dana and learn the wonders of the insect world. S2 donation re-quested. 698-1 05 7 for reservations. 12t BAS Board meeting, 7:00 14 12:05-12:30, Brown Bag lunch Program, Debbie Reid on Wildflow-ers, Schultze House, 5 14 HemisFair Park, Bonnie Hammett 229-9161 for info. 16t§ BAS outing. Hawk Watch! Hazel Bazemore County Park, Corpus Christi. Patty leslie Pasztor for reser-vations 824-1235. 21+ BAS General Meeting, Ruble Center. Texas Horned Lizards. 22-23 TNRCC 5-state conference, lnfomart in Dallas, Buildin9 a Shared Vision for Enuironmental Education. lnvita-tion only. Jim lsleib 512-239-00 I 0 for invitation packet. Congress is back and pressure is on to pass all budget bills before the end of September. The problem is the hidden attacks on the environment contained in those bills. Many have passed the House, but not the Senate. There's still time. Protests are mounting across the country, now that people realize what's at stake. Mail US Senate, Washington, DC 2051 0; US House, Washington, DC 20515; Capitol switchboard 202 -224-3121. Finally, tell President Ointon you support vetoes of any bill damaging to the environment. Call202-456-llll mail Washington DC 2051 0; email president@whitehouse.gov. Printed on acid-free, 50% post-consumer waste paper. 26 Native Plant Society, 7:00, Lion's Field Clubhouse, Christina O'Connell on Beneficial Insects. OCTOBER 6-8 AlA San Antonio's Committee on the Environment's Environmental De-sign Charrette 7-8§t Audubon Council of Texas meeting in Houston. 8t BAS Outing, Butterfly Migration on the Frio River. Patty leslie Pasztor 824-1235. 12t BAS Board Meeting. 7 pm. 14+ Second Saturdat at Friedrich Park. Birds of Prey- ive eagles. hawks and other raptors from last Chance Forever. $2 donation requested. 698-1 05 7 for reservations. 19t BAS General Meeting, Ruble Center, 7 pm. 28 Halloween Hike at Friedrich Park with naturalist and storyteller David McKelvey. Hear wild creature calls and hair-curling tales. S4 adults, $2.50 <5yrs. 698-1057 reserva-tions. NOVEMBER 9-12 2nd annual Rio Grande Valley Bird-ing Festival. 800-531-7346 for more information. lit BAS Outing at San Antonio's Walker lake, archaeolofist AI McGraw. Texas Dept o Highways. 9-12:30. Patty leslie Pasztor 824- 1235. DECEMBER 2t BAS Outing, Fall Color at Cibolo Wil-derness. Other conservation organizations: please add Bexar Audubon to your mailing list if we're not already on it, and we'll be glad to include your events in our calendar each month. Bexar Audubon Society. Inc. P. 0. Box 6084 San Antonio. TX 7 8209 Address Correction Requested World of Audubon James Taylor Hosts World of Audubon Special The awesome power and beauty of the Colorado River as it flows through the Grand Canyon is one of America's most evocative and majestic sights. When musician James Taylor learned that Martin Litton-writer, en-vironmental activist and avowed "river rat" -was planning to take his boat through the Canyon, he decided to join him for this breathtaking expedition. The latest World of Audubon spe-cial, Colorado River Adve11ture, follows Taylor, son Ben, Litton and company on their exciting 18-day, 277-mile odyssey down the river by wooden dory. Taylor's songs-including the first song he ever wrote but never recorded, Roll River Roll-reverberate through the Canyon. As they run the rapids and explore cliffs and caves, Taylor and Lit-ton also examine the tough issues con-fronting the West and the future of its precious water supply. For the last half-century, Martin Litton has stood at the forefront of nearly every environmental battle in the West. Before environmental con-cerns had entered th~ public con-science, Litton was writing about endangered areas in the West. Colorado River Advmture will pre-miere Sunday, September 14 9:05 pm (CDT)and repeat three times. Non-profit Organization U. 5. Postage Paid Sill Antonio. TX Permit #590 .
|
|---|