More than 350 state legislators from across the United States are urging President Joe Biden to create a national strategy to protect, restore and secure the country’s rich biodiversity for generations to come.
Rep. Alex Valdez, D-Denver, was among 22 Colorado lawmakers to sign a letter sent to the White House late last week. He said that as more species and habitats are lost, the risks to ecosystems that provide drinking water, food and even the air we breathe begin to worsen. .
“We’re seeing a massive impact, and frankly, we’re heading towards extinction for a number of different species,” Valdez said. “We have to do something about it, because we’re kind of part of that whole picture in a healthy environment.”
Scientists estimate that around one million species are threatened with extinction worldwide, a number well above historical standards and largely due to human activity. Climate change, habitat loss, pollution, invasive species and overfishing are considered the main disruptors of the ecosystem.
Robert Dewey, vice president of government relations and external affairs for Defenders of Wildlife, said it’s critical that the federal government work with state and local governments to identify strategies to tackle these top causes. He explained that the letter from state lawmakers was part of a growing chorus urging the president to address what he calls a biodiversity crisis.
“In the United States, the National Audubon Society estimates that three billion birds have gone extinct since 1970,” Dewey noted. “And last fall, the US Fish and Wildlife Service announced the extinction of 23 more species.”
Valdez supports the Biden administration’s America the Beautiful initiative, which aims to protect 30% of U.S. lands and waters by 2030. But he argued a more comprehensive strategy is needed to address the scale of the threats. complex challenges facing the biosphere.
“It’s not a political issue. It’s what we as human beings do every day,” Valdez stressed. “The president setting aside additional land for conservation is a good thing, but it doesn’t matter if we as humans don’t stop taking nature to such a high level.”
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The Colorado General Assembly passed legislation to fund wildlife road crossing projects across the state.
Rep. Julie McCluskie, D-Gunnison, said Senate Bill 151 has broad support from athletes and women, land and wildlife conservation groups and community leaders from both parts. She argued that safe passages work and pointed to a successful program developed in Summit County.
“Our safety crossings in Summit County have been able to reduce the number of wildlife and vehicle collisions by more than 92% in the five years since their initial construction,” McCluskie reported.
Every year, wildlife-vehicle collisions kill thousands of animals, costing more than $80 million in property damage and related expenses. The Safe Crossings for Colorado Wildlife and Motorists bill will use state funds to leverage matching federal dollars for a slate of ready-made projects, starting with stretches of roads and highways with high rates of collisions between wildlife and vehicles.
Outdoor recreation contributes over $62 billion to Colorado’s economy. But Colorado Parks and Wildlife has estimated that more West Slope mule deer are killed each year in collisions with vehicles than by hunting.
Rep. Perry Will, R-Carbondale, said the measure will help protect critical wildlife resources.
“We lose thousands of deer, elk, and other wildlife across the state every year,” Will noted. “This bill is important; we can save them and the safety of motorists. There are very serious wildlife accidents and collisions with vehicles on the roads.”
Colorado has been a leader in the West for wildlife crossing solutions. There are currently 64 bridges, culverts or tunnels and fencing projects to help keep animals away from traffic and safe passages. McCluskie said the measure will help preserve Colorado’s rich outdoor experiences.
“Nothing is more special in Colorado than our great outdoors,” McCluskie pointed out. “When we protect wildlife, we protect this very pristine, special, and unique part of our entire state and culture.”
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Saturday is World Migratory Bird Day, and bird experts say it’s a great time to be on the lookout for the types of birds you might not see every day in your community.
Up to 300 species of birds have been identified in and around the Gulf of Maine during migration season, and this year’s theme for awareness day is the impact of light pollution on birds.
Nicholas Lund, Advocacy and Outreach Manager for Maine Audubon, noted that approximately one million birds die every day from colliding with glass. At night, interior lights make the glass invisible to birds, and during the day it reflects their habitat.
“Birds don’t know what glass is,” Lund explained. “They accidentally fly into windows when attracted to lights, which can also disorient them when traveling or attract insects they are trying to eat.”
In addition to collision risks, disorientation can cause birds to spin in circles and deplete their energy resources, making them more vulnerable to predators.
Lund recommended turning off the lights at night during the migration, which now lasts until the first part of June and then again in September and October. He said if you can’t keep your lights off, light fixtures can help, and you can treat your window glass to make it more visible to birds.
Lund added that Saturday is the day chosen to celebrate migratory birds, with millions of birds flying into Maine each night from their wintering grounds in the south, looking for places to breed.
“The trees in your yard are going to be full of colorful songbirds,” Lund pointed out. “The shores and mudflats will be full of moving shorebirds, the skies full of raptors. I mean, it’s migratory bird month, that’s for sure.”
Lund pointed out for those who want advice, birders and experts are conducting walks across the state — including at Fields Pond near Bangor on Saturday, as well as all this week and next at Evergreen Cemetery in Portland.
Also on Saturday, staff naturalist Doug Hitchcox will host a “Big Day”, trying to find as many bird species as possible from Bangor to Kennebunkport.
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Work continues on a proposed power line system that would cross Iowa from Wisconsin, even as court battles unfold over the project. Conservation groups say the line would affect the Upper Mississippi National Fish and Wildlife Refuge.
Earlier this year, a federal judge struck down plans to run the Cardinal-Hickory Creek power line through the refuge. But the energy companies at the head of the project are appealing this decision.
Mike Senatore, vice president for conservation law for the group Defenders of Wildlife, said locals should pay attention to the potential impact if the recent ruling is overturned.
“This particular refuge is a globally significant birding area,” Senatore said. “It has significant floodplain areas. This will have an impact that will potentially increase the effectiveness of predators.”
Senatore noted that this project also involves a potential land swap between the companies and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which he says could set a dangerous precedent.
Project officials say they are in compliance with federal and state laws and say the work is replacing old power lines in the protected area with a less intrusive configuration.
Howard Learner is president and executive director of the Environmental Law and Policy Center, which represents groups challenging the power line project. He expressed concern that construction continues to advance along other sections of the road, even though legal issues are still being decided.
“They keep spending money and plowing and building to the edges of a refuge that they’re not allowed to cross,” Learner said. “And it’s a waste of taxpayers’ money, and it creates a huge amount of unnecessary environmental and property damage.”
Last month, the Iowa Utility Board denied a request to halt some construction work. Meanwhile, opponents are urging the Biden administration to reject the land swap and force companies to seek alternatives.
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