Articles

by Cheron Ferland, Wildlife Biologist, US Forest Service

It was several years ago that I first heard about a particular wildlife conflict—one which I assumed occurred infrequently. I saw a photo of a Saw-whet Owl standing in the bottom of a recreation toilet—yep, down in the nasty slurry. By recreation toilet, I mean the ones that you find in national forest and national park trailheads and campgrounds. Somehow that owl was rescued from the unsavory environment. I have retrieved many distressed raptors in my day, but thankfully have never had to execute that type of retrieval. At the time, my impression of the situation was that it was probably very unusual and unlikely. Then I heard about a Barn Owl showing up in another recreation toilet, and a duck in another. And then I read an article called Bird Death Pipes by California Audubon that documented the deaths of 200 birds that were found in one 6” wide x 10’ tall pipe! LCAS President Maeve Sowles highlighted this very issue in her From Our President column in the April 2012 issue of The Quail. 

So as I thought about it more, I realized that wildlife—not just birds, but also reptiles, amphibians, and small mammals—view hollow pipes as potential nesting sites or sources of refuge. They are often curious or seeking shelter or nest sites, and once they enter an open pipe, it is often impossible for them to get out.

I write this at the end of January when the volatile situation at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge is just winding down. I feel sorrow that the illegal actions of the occupiers led to a life lost. I feel optimistic that this land which belongs to the public will once again be available for all to enjoy. I feel grateful that the people of Harney County will be free from the distress caused by the occupation and will again be able to interact with their many supporters as people flock to the refuge this spring. I feel comforted that the skies and waterways around the refuge will soon be filled with the graceful swoop of thousands of migratory birds despite the many (often foolish) activities of us human animals.

I cringed when I heard this fringe group say they were going to “take back” the land for the people, because it turns out that the people already have it. Each year, the refuge is visited and enjoyed by thousands who bring tourist dollars into the area. Management at the refuge is based on a plan resulting from the collaboration of members of the native Paiute tribe, ranchers and other community members, government workers, and scientists, among others. Some of the restoration projects are lauded for their potential to not only improve habitat, but also support the local community.

Debbie Schlenoff                                541.685.0610                             dschlenoff (at) msn.com

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With the arrival of fall, I’m thinking about raincoats and umbrellas and walking in the rain under the canopy of the verdant Northwest forests. Conservationists too are often thinking about umbrellas. 

They are understandably concerned about getting the most coverage for their efforts. One way to do this is to identify ecosystems in need of protection and then target large regions, so that all the inhabitants of a region are sheltered under the umbrella of the conservation plan. Another strategy is to identify an umbrella species and put in place protections that would benefit not just that threatened species, but also other species that co-occur with it. Given the common but unfortunate short-term approach to economic gain, the political landscape, and the competing uses for land, this umbrella approach can be an efficient strategy for protecting the most species possible with limited resources.

Debbie Schlenoff                                541.685.0610                             dschlenoff (at) msn.com

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Members of Lane County Audubon Society care about birds, other wildlife, and their habitats. We strive to keep up with environmental issues and take action when possible to promote conservation and enjoyment of wild places. We submit comments on environmental impact statements and management proposals. We write letters or sign on to letters with other organizations concerning projects and proposed legislation. In this month’s column, I’d like to update you on some of the issues we’ve taken action on.