Re: [cobirds] Re: Access to State wildlife areas

CoBirders, 

I am not a resident of CO. So I do not presume to tell you how to handle this. 

However, due to the subject matter of my next film for PBS, I have been in Colorado several times recently, and had noticed signage. Through studying this subject area, I am focusing on one state in particular which has Long had a constitutional basis for its state wildlife programs.

Generally, statistics have shown that hunting and fishing are both declining in terms of Wildlife area usage. Photography, birding and general Wlidlife watching are all increasing. This trend is nearly 50 years on going. 

Only a few states have sales taxes, or portions thereof,  which are specifically earmarked for conservation. Legislators annually find means to poach these funds too. So with declining hunting, there is also declining revenue. Fee increases can make up some of this, but as others have suggested above, "broadening the base" can help to keep fees lower for a resource which every person benefits from. Healthy environments make for healthier - everything.

Our society is undergoing complete transformation, and now is an excellent time to be counted. Birding is still very under appreciated for the awareness enhancing activity it is. Meanwhile, if you have a gun and a license, you effectively control a good portion of any states land use each fall.

As a life long birder, I can't tell you how many times I would have liked to taken a walk in an area where I did not have to wear blaze orange to just go birding for half a day without worry. Refuges are somehow synonymous with killing... Huh?

Habitat has and is being purchased through many organizations, Including USFWS, but also very effectively in particular by Duck's Unlimited. Meanwhile, birders squabble about bird ID. Time to see that the birds we love require habitat to live in, and that habitat may be a breeding area in the northern hemisphere and a wintering ground in the Neotropics.

It is time for us to take a hard look in the mirror, admit what has been effective and is still working, building coalitions, while we plan to save the natural world and its beauty, but only  if we want to be a part of what survives the Anthropocene.

The first step may be in being counted as wildlife area users, independently counted from other groups.

Timothy Barksdale,

Birdman Productions 

Choteau, MT

Mokane, MO

On Monday, July 13, 2020 at 9:53:00 PM UTC-5 Nick Komar wrote:



Mike I agree. I'm working on a CFO letter supporting this view.  I hope other organizations will do the same this week in advance of the Commissioner's meeting Thursday morning. 

Nick Komar

CFO President

On Jul 13, 2020, at 7:31 AM, Mike Hensley <miked...@gmail.com> wrote:



I actually think a watchers license that parallels the hunting/fishing license and whose cost contributes to the maintenance of SWA's is a great idea. It simultaneously broadens the base of people who are financially contributing AND provides a way to measure the number of people who are using SWA's for non-hunting/fishing purposes. Have any conservation organizations (Audubon?) proposed this change to state lawmakers?

On Saturday, July 11, 2020 at 11:39:16 AM UTC-6, Polly Reetz wrote:

Lots of discussion going on about the change in policy by Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) about accessing State Wildlife Areas.    While buying a fishing license, especially a senior license, is not a big financial burden for many birders, there is a general feeling, at least among the Audubon folks I've talked to,  that we want to be counted as wildlife watchers, not fishermen or hunters, so that CPW is more aware of this audience and listens to us on other policy issues.  

 

     No one has yet come up with a method to do this that doesn't result in a reduction in Colorado's  federal Wildlife Aid in Restoration grants which come from the excise tax on hunting and fishing equipment  (although we could argue that a lot of that money in fact does NOT come from hunters - you pay it if you buy a handgun too).    The Parks and Wildlife Commission is still discussing this question - it is on their agenda for Thursday morning, July 17 at 9:25 am.   You can listen in from the CPW website (About Us - Commission - Meetings).  And offer comments by email before the meeting.

   Suggestions have been: a wildlife watchers license, a maintenance fee dedicated to SWAs, a checkoff on the fishing or hunting license application for wildlife watchers/photographers so CPW can take count of us.... your ideas??   Send them to the Commission.  Some of this would take legislative action.

Polly Reetz

Denver Audubon COnservation Committee chairperson

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