Public lands are often said to be one of America's greatest ideas. But lately, the very concept of "public lands" has been made controversial by malevolent influences like the Bundy family and Koch brothers. To better understand our local public forests, come hear from historian Greg Walter about the history of our public lands, aka [...]
The state's Fish and Wildlife Commission voted Friday (2/9) to reclassify the seabird as endangered after a marathon daylong meeting in Portland at which our own Juliet Grable testified. More details on the meeting and actions taken therein can be found in this Oregon Live article.
(Note - The Medford paper has listed the WRONG LOCATION for this event. Please note that it continues to be Denman Wildlife Area. See you there Feb. 7). On Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2018, the First Wednesday Bird Walk will move to the Denman Wildlife Area, and all future walks will take place there. Walks begin [...]
RVAS Conservation Chair Pepper Trail is featured in the January issue of National Geographic. The article details his job at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Forensic Lab in Ashland, Oregon. This issue kicks off the magazine's "National Year of the Bird." Way to go Pepper!
As we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) this year, our core bird protection law is facing its most serious threat in a century of existence. Last month, the Trump administration released a legal opinion that it now interprets MBTA to only cover hunting and will no longer enforce incidental [...]
The Conservation Column By Pepper Trail The Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) is the world’s most comprehensive law protecting birds. Enacted in 1918 and revised several times since, it covers all North American native bird species with the exception of upland game birds (turkeys, grouse, and quail), making it illegal for anyone to [...]
Reported by Bob Quaccia. The 19th Annual American Dipper count on Ashland Creek yielded a slightly above average total of 5 Dippers. A lucky number of 13 observers hugged both sides of the creek for 1.75 miles stopping at every bridge to compare notes. The mild weather was a great improvement over last year’s snow [...]
Looking for something different to do this winter? Do you like raptors or want to learn more about them? If so, volunteer opportunities are currently available to help conduct wintering raptor surveys. The surveys will be conducted by volunteers and Sarah Norton, a graduate student at SOU. These surveys will help collect data for Sarah’s [...]
