[mou] paying to use state wildlife land

[wampy@att.net]

  I have no problem with organizations providing  funds for the acquisition 
of habitat like Ducks Unlimited, the Nature Conservancy etc.  But to suggest 
that the state collect fees from birdwatchers and use the funds to acquire 
habitat I do object to for the reasons set forth in my initial comments. 
Furthermore, to suggest as some have that funds derived from Duck Stamps or 
hunting licenses are for the purpose of habitat acquisition is inaccurate. It is 
for the purpose of regulation and the maintenance and support of the harvested 
species. I also fail to find it  persuasive in any way to suggest that 
birdwatchers pay a fee to the state for birdwatching because a private non 
profit corporation like Ducks Unlimited VOLUNTARILY contributes funds for 
habitat acquisition. That attempted analogy fails for that is comparing 
voluntary contributions from a private organization with an involuntary exaction 
from a governmental body. It compares apples and oranges. 
     If birdwatchers want, on a voluntary basis, to do something like Ducks 
Unlimited then the appropriate mechanism is through an organization like the MOU 
and I would be in favor of that. And frankly if birdwatchers want to protect and 
enlarge (and prevent the dimunition of) habitat, and it is clear that we have 
the numbers, then forming an organization like DU ,or expanding the objectives 
of the MOU ought to be undertaken. To attempt to do it through a fee imposed by 
the state is in my view not only a lazy approach, but one which is destined to 
be as inefective and unpredictible as the political winds that will manage the 
fees.
     The problem is much larger and more complex than just supporting efforts at 
land acquisition as I'm sure you understand. Clean air and water, dams logging, 
military bombing ranges to name just a few that come readily to mind also have 
an impact on birdwatching as do the environmental organizations that are 
involved in monitoring and protecting those resources and activities.
      I am familiar with the Ivory Bill and its habitat. Tim Gallagher and Bobby 
Harrison who were involved in the recent discovery served on my Board when I was 
president a few years ago of the North American Nature Photography Association
     Lastly, and unfortunately, I have to complain about Sharon Stiteler's 
mischaracterization of my earlier comments. There is nothing in  them to 
suggest,  as she says,"that because birder's aren't harvesting ducks they 
shouldn't have to help buy habitat..." nor was there anything in the totality of 
my comments from which to infer her mischaracterization.

--
Bernard P. Friel		
Web Pages: www.wampy.com	

 -------------- Original message ----------------------
From: Sharon Stiteler <sharon@birdchick.com>
> > Audubon, Nature Conservancy, National resources Defense Council,  
> > Wilderness Society, American Rivers,etc., etc.
> 
> 
> I appreciate some of those organizations and even belong to at least  
> one, but I wonder if any of those organizations are as efficient with  
> their money as the duck stamp program.  Less than 2% of the money  
> from duck stamps goes to administrative costs, the rest goes to  
> buying up habitat--that's over 98%.
> 
> I really am surprised at the notion that because birders aren't  
> "harvesting" ducks they shouldn't have to help buy up habitat so they  
> can have the right to watch birds for free.  You can watch birds  
> anywhere, great birds are in backyards, but we need those breeding  
> grounds in place to keep seeing them.  Duck stamps help support other  
> birds like warblers, rails, herons, egrets, raptors, owls, etc.   
> Right now, duck hunters have to buy a stamp, but their numbers are  
> going down.  If those numbers continue to decline, so will money for  
> buying up habitat and all the birders who feel that they can use the  
> resource for free won't have much resource left to look at, let alone  
> the birds that benefit from that habitat.
> 
> Sharon Stiteler
> Minneapolis, MN
> www.birdchick.com
> Bird/Wildlife Observation Specialist for www.eagleoptics.com
> 
> 
>