March 2023

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In this issue:

  • Rebuilding Trust

  • Birding Tourism

  • Invitation to participate

  • Coming Soon - Water Bird E-book

  • Species Spotlight: Bald Eagle

  • Event Calendar

  • Share this Newsletter

Rebuilding trust in the Klamath Basin and Klamath River water conflict

-by Mary Williams Hyde

 

We almost had an agreement that would have been very helpful in managing our relentless struggles with drought and the devastating effects of climate change….not perfect probably, but it was a good start.  Hard won trust that existed, though fragile maybe, among more than thirty stakeholder groups who participated in the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement (KBRA) process evaporated as quickly as dust devils blowing across the playa when it was not approved at the congressional level. The trust that was built during almost fifteen years of facilitated meetings where groups in deep conflict learned to listen to and certainly care for each other was destroyed. Now, every lawsuit that is filed confirms that a stakeholder group in the Klamath River water conflict feels sure its interests can only be protected thru the courts…..that their neighbors will surely not be fair and will be selfish in dividing scarce water resources….and that their neighbors need to be forced to make much needed changes to their traditional way of using shared resources.  And the worst thing is State and Federal rules and regulations created when natural resources were much more abundant, and the ESA, may make it impossible to build trust, even if we want to, if they are not adjusted to meet current realities.

 

The reality is it will be more difficult than ever to build trust in our community now that it is so badly broken. But I think not impossible.  In fact I have learned about an incredible amount of projects all up and down the Klamath watershed that ARE TRUST BUILDING ACTIVITIES if we learn to view them that way….marshes, rivers and streams are being restored, ag groups are planning adaptations to their existing systems that will better utilize scarce water, and all interests are coming together to understand the devastation experienced by Native American cultures from settlement, and that protecting endangered fish and our Pacific Flyway birds is important to everyone. 

 

For my entire working life of more than fifty years I have been in the publishing/PR/marketing business. I am putting what remains of my  life energy into creating ways for different groups to tell their stories to the rest of the community as if we were all sitting at one big facilitated meeting. The Friends of Klamath Basin Birding web page has a “Good News" page that we are very proud of. Please check it out regularly as we are actively adding reports of restoration projects as we learn of them. (At the recent Winter Wings event we learned of several projects we did not know about that are really moving us forward!) We also ask if you know of a “good news" story that should be included, that you send it along or let us know.

 

Because I now work part-time for the Herald and News, I recently worked to create a Basin Ag News publication which will allow the ag community to tell their “good news” stories. Not wanting to leave out any other communities, please let me know if your group would like to explore funding and creating content for your own publication. Even if stakeholders find a way to sit down together again, this time, let us all understand the importance of having the entire community informed as important decisions are being made and trust is being built. Secret meetings do have their place for trust building, but, unfortunately, if the community is left out of the decision making process, they generally choose to not trust the end result as happened with the KBRA.

 

There is considerable information about community trust building to be found on the internet.  I cherry picked the following as an example:

 

Rebuilding Trust: Letting Go and Moving on

 

When trust is violated, whether or not it can be restored depends on how badly it was damaged and how much the person feels betrayed. Most often, the burned person wants to cut losses and end the relationship. However, if repairing the damage is your goal, then there are some critical steps to follow:

  • Acknowledge that there has been pain, betrayal, and or a loss of trust. Only then will the betrayer have a clear picture of what they need to do to set things right.

  • Resolve to let it out and let it go. This step involves an element of forgiveness. If the person who hurt you apologizes accept and move on. Revisiting the event in the future only brings back your anger and keeps you in emotional limbo. Acknowledge that it happened, make your feelings and expectations known, and then stop focusing on what damaged the trust. Instead, focus on rebuilding trust.

  • Know that things can never go back to the way they once were and keep your eyes wide open to future betrayals. The sad reality is that damaged trust cannot be restored to the previous state. People who fail to value trust enough in the first place more often than not continue that pattern in the future. This does not make the rebuilding effort a waste of time but does mean that the new trust will be different. You will be more sensitive to the prospect of another betrayal. Forgive yourself if doubt seeps in without real reason but don’t dwell on anticipating another breakdown.

 

Trust Defined

 

Mutual trust is a shared belief that you can depend on each other to achieve a common purpose and to:

 

  • Believe that someone or something is reliable, good, honest, effective, etc.

  • Have confidence in (someone or something)

  • Believe that something is true or correct

  • Hope or expect that something is true or will happen

 

Adapted from Duane C. Tway and Susan Heathfield, www.humanresources.about.com/od/workrelationships/a/trust_rules_2.htm

© 2015 About.com

Birding Tourism

-by Loree Johnson

 

Let's talk about birding tourism. Not outdoor tourism or ecotourism, but tourism specific to birdwatching and bird photography. Some have dubbed it "avitourism" or "ornitourism," from the words avian and ornithology. While this segment of tourism has been around for years, it's been reported that pandemic lockdowns in 2020 spurred a widespread interest in birdwatching, as an activity done outdoors, alone or in small groups. Yet, now that lockdowns are over and people are free to pursue other activities in relative safety, the surge in birdwatching and bird photography has not evaporated. It seems that once you start paying attention to birds, it's hard to stop!

 

This particular segment of the tourism market is currently estimated to represent approximately $60 billion worldwide, and is projected to increase to more than $100 billion in 2032. Ornithology Tourism Market to surpass USD 100.2 bn by 2032

 

For some time, I've been observing how the Klamath Basin seems to be under-utilized and under-appreciated in terms of the abundance of birds in their natural habitat. We have a unique and valuable resource here--if we choose to protect it. While the area has long been a destination for birders and photographers, the explosion of interest in birding has unfortunately coincided with our wildlife refuges (world renowned for the numbers of wintering birds) being systematically dried up. It seems we are missing a key opportunity to bring a significant portion of those tourism dollars into our local economy. By failing to protect what remains of our natural wetland habitat, we are not only inhibiting our ecosystem in terms of water, weather, and wildlife, but also our local economy. Even local refuge management appears to have missed this trend. Making refuge access, management and maintenance decisions that are clearly more geared toward hunting than birding, while interest in hunting declines and interest in birding surges.

 

Here is a link to a study of Alaska that overlaid tourist dollars spent in rural communities with birdwatching activity. In two of the five regions of the state, birding tourism accounted for nearly half of all tourism spending. Small sight—Big might: Economic impact of bird tourism shows opportunities for rural communities and biodiversity conservation

 

Some areas in the U.S. and abroad are actively working to promote birding and wildlife tourism with ecosystem restoration and protection. They recognize and value the unique places in their areas that attract birds and they seek to capitalize on those resources. The annual birding festival in the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas regularly draws between 10,000 and 20,000 participants. Just do a Google search on Rio Grande Valley Birding or Big Bend Birding and you will find hundreds of opportunities to book packages including tours, lodging, food and entertainment, both during the festival and other times of the year. Maine, Nebraska and Louisiana are just a few that are following the lead of Texas in protecting habitats in order to bring more birders to their states.

 

At the recent Winter Wings Festival in Klamath Falls, I spoke with several visitors from out of the area who expressed disappointment in the viewing opportunities this year. Some were first-time visitors to the area, while others were return visitors who had come in previous years. The one thing they all told me was that it was unlikely they would return unless and until there is improvement in the habitat conditions (water) on our National Wildlife Refuges. Some people had unrealistic expectations, and resulting disappointment, due to an abundance of information out there about birds and birding in the Klamath Basin that has not been kept up to date. Join the Friends of Klamath Basin Birding Facebook page to see current birding information and photos. You can also post questions to the group and join in discussions about birds and birding in the area.

 

Although flooded farm fields can provide good supplemental, temporary habitat for migrating birds, they cannot replace permanent, protected wetland habitat. Birds require more than just water. They need the diversity of plant and animal life found in natural wetlands, as well as safe places to breed and nest. When it comes to wildlife viewing, public lands are a much better alternative to the often narrow, busy and heavily traveled roads adjacent to farmland.

 

In 2013, the Oregon Water Resources Board reached a final determination in the adjudication of water rights. Most of the attention was focused on the granting of senior water rights to the Klamath Tribes since time immemorial. But, many people are unaware that the determination encompassed all water rights and usage in the Klamath Basin. One of the many rulings made by the board gave our National Wildlife Refuges the lowest water rights. The only water for bird habitat is "returns," meaning excess runoff from irrigation. That decision has been disastrous for the birds, even in so-called "good" water years. Only Klamath Project farmers can right this wrong. In the absence of an all-encompassing water use agreement, such as the failed KBRA, I believe our best hope is smaller, separate agreements between water users.

 

At the risk of getting "run out of town on a rail," I would like to suggest an agreement between the Klamath Project and our wildlife refuges in which project farmers commit to providing a fixed percentage of their water allocation to the refuges, no matter how wet or dry the year. In recent years, I've seen reports of water allocations around 30% of normal. Using a simplified example, if farmers are only receiving 30% of what they need, how much worse would it be if that number was 27% or 24% based on 10-20% of the allocation being sent to the refuges? It seems that it would make a small, negative impact on the farmers, but could potentially make a huge, positive difference for the birds. I realize I over-simplified the math, and know there are logistical and technical challenges to be overcome, but you get the idea. While I'm not suggesting that birding tourism could add more to the local economy than agriculture, I am suggesting it could make a substantial impact.

 

To learn more about birding tourism and it's potential, check out these links:

Birding (Yes, Birding) Is a Multi-Billion Dollar Ecotourism Industry

Ornithology Tourism Market

New data show that birding mania isn’t just a lockdown fad

Coming Soon - Water Bird E-book

 

It's almost ready, and just in time for spring! After nearly a year and a half of work, "Common Water Birds of the Klamath Basin" is scheduled for release next month. This collaboration has been a labor of love between Shannon Rio of Klamath Bird Observatory and Mary Williams Hyde and Loree Johnson of Friends of Klamath Basin Birding. The book also features additional photos by Jack Noller.

 

Intended as a region-specific guidebook for beginning and experienced birders from age eight to eighty, it contains full color photos, fun facts and information for 64 of the most common waterfowl and other water bird species found in our area and the surrounding Great Basin habitat.

 

We are proud and excited to offer this entertaining and educational resource, free of charge, downloadable as an e-book (pdf), or as individual species fact sheets. Look for the official announcement and link in next month's newsletter!

 

Do you have something to say?

 

We have been receiving helpful and informative feedback to this newsletter. Maybe you would like the group to hear your perspective. We would be happy to publish it. If you would like to write an article for the newsletter, just reply to this one and let us know. We'd love to hear about it!

Species Spotlight: Bald Eagle

-by Loree Johnson

-Photo by Loree Johnson

 

The story of the bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) is one of struggle and resilience. This iconic bird, which is the United States national symbol, was once teetering on the edge of extinction. In 1940, congress passed the Bald Eagle Protection Act, which made it illegal to kill bald eagles. But, owing to widespread use of the pesticide DDT, which inhibited reproduction in birds, the number of bald eagles in the lower 48 states was down to just 417 nesting pairs by 1963.

 

The banning of DDT use in the United States in 1972, accompanied by habitat protection provided by the Endangered Species Act, enabled bald eagles to make a remarkable recovery. The bald eagle was reclassified from endangered to threatened status in 1995, by which time there were an estimated 4,500 nesting pairs in the lower 48 states. Today there are an estimated 317,000 bald eagles in the lower 48 states and the species is neither endangered nor threatened.

 

We in the Klamath Basin are fortunate to share a home with these birds. We can observe the hundreds that visit here during migration, as well as the many pairs that nest and brood here. Although bald eagle numbers have declined along with waterfowl numbers in recent years, there are still plenty of opportunities to see these majestic birds of prey in the wild.

 

The Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge is home to a female bald eagle that has been nesting in the same area for some fifteen years. She has had two or three mates in that time and just this year constructed her third nest. Local eagle watchers tell me that in her time here she has hatched and fledged twenty-four chicks. She is certainly doing her part to insure the bald eagle population thrives!

-Photo of 2022 eaglets at Lower Klamath NWR by Loree Johnson

With a wingspan of six to eight feet, a soaring bald eagle is a sight to behold. Bald Eagles build some of the largest of all bird nests, typically 5 to 6 feet in diameter and 2 to 4 feet tall. They are conscientious and dedicated parents. The mated pair share the duties of incubating the eggs, as well as caring for and feeding the chicks after they hatch. Unlike some other birds, bald eagles do not regurgitate to feed their babies. From the first day, raw meat is torn into small pieces and fed directly to the nestlings. After five or six weeks, the parents bring prey to the nest and the eaglets tear off pieces for themselves. During the three months it takes from hatching to flight, the chicks will be fed between one and six times a day. Obviously, eagles need abundant food sources to successfully reproduce.

 

Since the banning of DDT, the greatest threats to bald eagles (and other raptors) are lead and rodent poison. Wildlife Rehabilitation Centers, including our own Badger Run, treat dozens of birds each year for the effects of ingesting lead and poison. Sadly, many do not survive, even with treatment. Please be aware that the lethal amount of lead for an eagle is smaller than a grain of rice. Please do not leave carcasses shot with lead bullets where eagles and other raptors can feed on them. And please use methods other than poison to control rodents, including putting up owl nest boxes as discussed in our November 2022 newsletter.

 

Let's all do what we can to keep eagles healthy and safe and gracing our skies!

Event Calendar

 

(Please send us information about your birding-related events so we can get the word out!)

 

April 2023

12th - 20th

Vacation for Conservation - Brazil

Klamath Bird Observatory

Join KBO’s dynamic duo Director of Conservation Jaime Stephens and Board President Shannon Rio for a memorable 9-day trip to Brazil.

Funds raised from this trip will support KBO's intern exchange program.

Information and Registration

May 2023

20th

World Migratory Bird Day

10am - 4pm

Veteran's Park - Klamath Falls

USFWS fun and educational Event to celebrate birds. More details to come.

 

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