[mou] [Fwd: House Passes Kind Bird Conservation Act]

[Karen Schik]

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>            *IMMEDIATE RELEASE*
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>            *May 17, 2006*
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>            *Contact: Stephanie Lundberg*
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>            *Phone: (202) 225-5506 *
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>            *House Passes Kind Bird Conservation Act*
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>            */Strengthens Efforts to Sustain Bird Populations & Habitats
>            Essential to Environment & Economy/*
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>*/ /*
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>*Washington**, DC* - Yesterday, the House passed legislation 
>authored by U.S. Rep. Ron Kind (D-WI) to improve protections for 
>America's migratory bird population.  Kind's bill (HR 518) 
>reauthorizes and makes improvements to the Neotropical Migratory 
>Bird Conservation Act (NMBCA), which serves as framework for 
>conservation partners to work cooperatively to preserve and protect 
>neotropical migratory birds and the habitats along their migration 
>routes.
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>"The Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act has a proven track 
>record of reversing habitat loss and advancing conservation 
>strategies for the broad range of neotropical birds that populate 
>America and the western hemisphere,"  stated Rep. Kind, who was 
>recently recognized as the Conservation Legislator the Year by the 
>U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.  "The public-private partnerships 
>along with the international collaboration this bill provides are 
>integral to preserving vulnerable bird populations and achieving 
>conservation goals critical to our environment and economy."
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>Kind's legislation improves the NMBCA by broadening the scope of 
>continental migratory bird conservation efforts to include Canada as 
>an international partner.  The bill also strengthens the federal 
>matching grant program to support bird conservation and habitat 
>restoration throughout the western hemisphere, where more than five 
>billion birds of 500 different species spend the winter months. 
>Grants provided by this act have gone to conservation partners for 
>projects that protect, research, monitor, and manage neotropical 
>migratory bird populations and their habitats.
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>In 2005, the Audubon Society named Congressman Kind a Congressional 
>Hero for his unwavering support for the protection of America's 
>migratory birds.  "Most Americans share Congressman Ron Kind's 
>conservation values, and through his inspiring leadership of 
>legislation that protects America's vulnerable bird life, he has 
>earned their trust and admiration," said John Flicker, President of 
>the National Audubon Society. "This wouldn't have happened without 
>Ron Kind; he is truly an Audubon Conservation Hero."
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>Apart from the inherent ecological value, a thriving migratory bird 
>population has widespread economic benefits. Birds not only protect 
>crops and forests by feeding on insect pests; they are a significant 
>component of nature-based recreation, which has increased in the 
>U.S. at a rate of 30% annually since 1987. Nationally, nearly 70 
>million Americans spend more than $20 billion each year 
>participating in bird-related recreation, making birding one of the 
>fastest growing outdoor recreational activity in many parts of the 
>country. Hunting continues to be a major form of recreation 
>generating $3.9 billion per year of economic activity.
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>"A thriving migratory bird population is essential to our 
>environmental and economic well-being," stated Kind.  "From farming 
>to hunting and birding, migratory birds are a large part of the 
>economy in western Wisconsin and nationwide.  Given the widespread 
>benefits of this bill, I can say without reservation that this 
>legislation is not just for the birds."
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>Added American Bird Conservancy President George Fenwick, "Thanks to 
>Congressman Kind's leadership, this bill will provide real 
>on-the-ground conservation potential for some of our nation's most 
>valued migratory birds."  American Bird Conservancy (ABC) is a 
>nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving native wild birds and 
>their habitats throughout the Americas.
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>--
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>Rod Negus
>AHPCRC
>612-337-3434
>rdn@ahpcrc.org
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>
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________________________________
Karen Schik
Restoration Ecologist
Friends of the Mississippi River
360 North Robert Street
Saint Paul MN  55101

Phone	651/222-2193 ext 15
Fax	651/222-6005

http://www.fmr.org
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