Redwood Region Audubon Society

Announcements for December 2002

CBC Reminder

You can participate in the 103rd Audubon Christmas Bird Count by counting birds at your feeder, allowing counters access to your property, or joining a counting crew. Five counts will be held in or near Humboldt County.

Thank You, Birders & Pledgers

The RRAS fall Birdathon, held October 1-13, raised over $1000. The proceeds will be split 75-25 with the Northcoast Environmental Center. RRAS would like to recognize the following participants: Jan Andersen, Fred Beaudry, Jim & Donna Clark, Elias Elias, Jean George, Luke George, Jeanne Hammond, Rob Hewitt, Sue & Tom Leskiw, Chris Ralls, Rebecca Pierce Ralls, Jay Sooter, James & Jean Van Bonn, Margaret Varga, and Gretchen Ziegler.

Donations of Goods & Services Sought for Silent Auction

For the third year, RRAS will be holding a Silent Auction at its Annual Banquet. This event has become the major fundraiser for our chapter.

If you work in a business, ask your employer to donate a gift certificate or merchandise. If you are an artist or photographer or needlecrafter, give a piece of your work. Offer to lead a birding trip or cook a dinner. Donate books or gently used optics or other field supplies. There are many types of services and objects on which people would be willing to bid, so don’t be shy or uncreative!

Please contact Sue Leskiw at 442-5444 to make a donation or if you would be willing to contact businesses on our behalf. All donors will be recognized at the banquet on February 15 and in the Sandpiper as well as receive thank-you letters.

White Sharks Topic for Annual Banquet February 15

Peter Pyle, Farallon biologist at the Point Reyes Bird Observatory, will speak on the PRBO White Shark Project. The RRAS Annual Banquet will be held at the North Coast Inn, 4975 Valley West Boulevard, Arcata. The banquet will feature a buffet dinner, a silent auction, and awards presentations. A no-host social hour from 6-7 p.m. will be followed by dinner at 7 p.m. and the speaker at 8 p.m.

The Farallones are recognized as one of the best places in the world to study White Sharks in their natural environment. PRBO has been monitoring shark populations since 1968. The speaker grew up in Hawaii and has studied seabirds throughout the Pacific. His interest in landbirds led to authorship of the definitive banding guide for identifying passerines. Peter’s other research interests include bats, butterflies, and cetaceans.

Tickets are on a sliding scale from $25 to $35 and must be purchased in advance. Checks should be made payable to RRAS, with “Banquet” in the notation line, and mailed to PO Box 1054, Eureka 95502, to arrive no later than February 5. Through the courtesy of RRAS board member Jay Sooter, you have the option of paying by credit card. Call 707- 444-8001 (or 800-824-1555) between 10:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

Reminder: Scholarship Applications Due January 30

Applications for a $100 scholarship to a K-12 student or classroom and a $150 travel grant to an HSU student must be received by Thursday, January 30. Both awards will be presented at the RRAS annual banquet on February 15.

The K-12 scholarship is awarded for projects related to local habitats or species, conservation, or other environmental topic. The travel grant will help a student to attend and present the results of his/her research at a scientific meeting. The research presentation must focus on the ecology, conservation, or evolutionary biology of birds, with preference given to research conducted on birds in northern California.

Submit applications to: Louise Bacon‑Ogden, Scholarship Chair, 123 F St, Eureka, CA 95501; phone 445‑8304 or 445‑1822; e‑mail sftb@juno.com.

Conservation Committee - November 15

The Conservation Committee met at the Golden Harvest Cafe in Arcata at noon, November 15, 2002.  Hal Genger, Barbara Kelly, Melvin McKinney and Jim Clark were present. Items for discussion continued from the last meeting were:

City of Eureka PALCO Marsh:  A complaint was made to the Humboldt County Division of Environmental Health (DEH) about the nuisance conditions at the PALCO Marsh. Several campsites were located with associated trash and human fecal material.  No action is known to have been taken by DEH to direct the city to abate the conditions.  A “sweep” of the area west of Broadway removed 24 campers and some debris but cleanup of the most offensive material has yet to occur.

South Spit: Attendance at the Coastal Commission Meeting in San Francisco on December 11 to support protection of the south spit is encouraged.  Our main concern is that permitted use of vehicles on the wave slope will damage other areas unless enforcement is improved.

Mariculture Monitoring Committee:  The next meeting will be December 11, 2002 at 10:00 a.m. at the Harbor District Office.  Jim Clark will report on this meeting at the next Conservation Committee meeting.

Samoa Development:  The proposal to redevelop the town of Samoa no longer includes an R.V. park on natural resource zoned land. As of this writing, there has been no development plan or EIR.  We hope that RRAS will be able to provide positive input into the planning process for this development when an application is made.  Stay tuned.

New Business:

Old Little Lake Industries property:  Jim submitted a draft position statement on the development of this property for discussion and the committee agreed that it should be submitted to the RRAS Board of Directors for approval, and then sent to Arcata City Manager, Dan Hauser, if approved.

Humboldt County General Plan:  Jim reported that the Community Development web site is out of date and does not provide for public input.

King Range:  A new management plan for the King Range Conservation Area is being drafted.

Beach and Dunes Committee:  It appears that the Beach and Dunes Committee is evolving from a stakeholder group that agencies were invited to take part in to an agency group that some stakeholders may be invited to take part in.  The Committee is concerned about this development.  Resource agencies should coordinate in management of Humboldt County’s beaches and dunes, but stakeholders and interested citizens should have an autonomous group that presents policies from a non-agency perspective.

Marine Life Preservation Area task force: Hal Genger is the environmental representative on the Marine Life Preservation Area task force and I am his alternate.  I will present some basic RRAS objectives for MLPAs to the board for approval.

Next Meeting:  December 20, 2002, 12 noon, Golden Harvest Cafe, Arcata.  Please e-mail items for the agenda to Jim Clark at <jimdonna@humboldt1.com> one week in advance.

-- Jim Clark

Redwood Region Audubon Society welcomes the following new members and subscribers:

Arcata – Stephanie Clemens, Carol Vander Meer
Bayside – Joel Armin Hoil, Marilyn Underwood, Carol Ann Wilson
Eureka – Elizabeth Lucero, Richard Stein
McKinleyville – Eve & Rick Miller
Trinidad – Larry Karsteadt

We look forward to seeing you on field trips and at our monthly programs.

 

Redwood Region Audubon Society
P.O. Box 1054, Eureka, CA 95502
Last updated April 2003 by L.L. Long