VOLUME 34, NUMBER 3 NOVEMBER 2002

FIELD TRIP: Evening trip to the country for viewing the Leonid meteor shower. Monday, Nov. 18. Barbara will have details.

The annual potluck dinner will be held in the fellowship hall at the Hilldale United Methodist Church at 1751 Madison Street (entrance to the fellowship hall and additional parking around back). Please bring plenty of food to share with others. We need main dishes, salads and desserts. We begin at 6:00 p.m.

Following dinner we will be educated and entertained by TWRA’s own Polly Rooker. Over the years Polly has given numerous programs for Wartioto Audubon. All have been fun and filled with great insights of a person who has spent her life in the outdoors.

*******************************************************

As birds of many species are in the midst of fall migrations, we are reminded again that our avian friends show a complete lack of respect for artificial political borders. Birds are traveling from the Arctic to Tierra del Fuego and stopping at various places in between. Unfortunately these migrations often lead to the demise of many birds, and threaten the very existence of endangered species. Habitat destruction, pesticides, hunting, air and water pollution, and human population increases combine to make each migration treacherous. Addressing conservation issues at home is important, however it is not enough. There needs to be greater communication and cooperation between countries. Many third world countries do not have money to devote to conservation, thus there must also be financial assistance. The Neo-tropical Migratory Bird Conservation Act, established 2 years ago to assist Latin American and Carribean conservation efforts, was funded at $3 million last year. Although this is a good start, it is easy to see that $3 million does not go far in protecting such a vast area. Fortunately private organizations such as the Nature Conservancy and the National Audubon Society are offering increasing assistance. If bird conservation is to succeed, further cooperation, research, innovations and money will need to be shared among countries with varied peoples, languages, values, and political agendas. I encourage you to educate yourself and others about this issue, offer support to private organizations involved, and encourage Congress to increase funding in the years to come.

*******************************************************

Sandy and Jerry Ulrikson traveled from Kingston, TN to give a fascinating program on the effort by many state (including TWRA), federal, and private agencies to re-establish an eastern population of migratory Whooping Cranes. Their focus was to raise awareness of the endangered cranes flight path over TN and the upcoming Crane Walk-a-thon and celebration (see Sept newsletter) fundraiser. Sandy and Jerry showed slides describing the reintroduction process, including costumed ultra light plane pilots leading these magnificent creatures from Wisconsin to the Chasshowitzka National Wildlife Refuge in Florida. Several Warioto members signed up for the walk-a-thon and/or made donations and the Warioto board voted to make a $100 donation to the Whooping Cranes Over Tennessee foundation. Our thanks go out to the Ulrikson’s for a great program and their commitment to the Cranes!

Debbie and Steve Hamilton prepare for their walk.

Polly Rooker, Non-game Biologist for TWRA will present the November program. In the spring of 2001, Polly Rooker started work on a new home in Cheatham County. While painting, installing ceramic tile and hardwood flooring she was welcomed to her new homestead, aptly named "For the Birds" by a number of the local natives. Come, see, hear and hopefully be entertained by all the Birds of Cheap Hill.

*******************************************************

Please extend your well wishes for a quick and full recovery to Annie Heilman, a long-time Warioto Audubon member. She has recently had surgery. We hope she is back to birding very soon!

*******************************************************

After the exciting October program on Whooping Cranes I decided to add an impromptu crane trip to our field trip itinerary. Tentative plans call for the Whoopers to be in East Tennessee in early November. Note: Anyone interested in making a run to the Hiwassee National Wildlife Refuge hoping to see the Whooping Cranes be sure to call me by Nov. 8 at 647-4956 and leave your name and phone number. When the date(s) of their arrival become more solidified I will call you with final details.

Additionally, the Leonid meteor shower field trip is scheduled for Nov. 18. We will meet in the McCord Parking lot at 7:30 p.m. for our journey into the country darkness away from all the light pollution. Be sure to dress in layers as the evening may very well become cooler and cooler. Also, I suggest that you bring lawn chairs or the likes. This field trip can be as long or as short as you care to make it.

*******************************************************

Remember the efforts of Audubon and other environmental organizations that prevented the passage of legislation by the senate that would authorize drilling in the Arctic Nation Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). Well, like one of those zombies in the movie Night of the Living Dead, its back. Because the House and Senate Energy bills differed, they must be reconciled in conference committee. This is a scary process in that a lot of wheeling and dealing can be conducted completely in secret and without debate. Representative Bart Gordon is the only member of the Tennessee delegation serving on this conference committee. It is important to let him know we still are opposed to any effort to drilling in ANWR. Ask him to oppose efforts by other house representatives to insert provisions allowing drilling in ANWR into the conference bill. Remind him that ANWR, including its coastal plain has extraordinary value as an intact ecosystem. Millions of birds nest, migrate through, or spend the winter in the Refuge. Their migrations take them to each of the 50 states, including Tennessee. Keeping this Refuge intact is critical for the survival of these birds. The Refuge also provides important habitat for the Porcupine Caribou Herd, polar bears, muskox, wolves, grizzly bears and other wildlife. I will not burden you with another reiteration of the facts that refute the proponents arguments in favor of drilling. It is important to note, however, that it will take up to 10 years for ANWR oil to be developed and delivered to the U.S. Toyota and Honda will begin selling fuel cell cars this winter and Nissan by the end of next year. This will add a 3^rd option to the already impressive lineup of automotive technology consisting of the hybrid Prius, Insight, Civic, and the all-electric RAV 4. Daimler-Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, and Volkswagen are among the other automakers committed to producing fuel cell vehicles within the next decade. Fuel cell buses are already in operation in several cities around the world including the U.S. Current hybrids get twice the fuel economy of comparable traditional combustion engines. Fuel cells, even when fueled by conventional fuels such as gasoline, will be even more efficient. In addition, all of these cars produce very low pollution emissions. So by the time any ANWR oil could contribute to U.S. fuel supplies, our needs could be dramatically reduced. This, despite the inexplicable reluctance of congress to promote this trend by passing legislation mandating increased fuel efficiency standards.

Another issue to be decided in conference committee is the Department of Defense exemptions from key environmental laws. You'll recall this bill includes the House-passed "Readiness & Range Preservation Initiative," a provision that gives DOD blanket exemptions from portions of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the Endangered Species Act, and also undermines protections for a wilderness area in Utah. As the President of the United States already has the power to grant government agencies - including DOD - relief from our nations laws and regulations when national security is at risk, there is simply no reason to grant any government agency special, blanket exemptions. Please contact your lawmakers and urge them to reject any effort to grant the Department of Defense exemptions from environmental laws.

*************************************************