Mostly Cloudy / 24° FEditorial: Birds are warning us to act immediately
Published 10:49am Monday, March 15, 2010Monday, March 15, 2010
The 2010 U.S. State of the Birds Report is a powerful wake-up call.
It concludes we must all tackle the threats of a changing climate – not just for the birds but for our own good as well.
As Audubon President Dr. Frank Gill said from New York Thursday, “We must not tolerate the loss or even the decline of birds that this report shows to be at risk from climate change. The vulnerability of species from the Black-footed Albatross to the common Nighthawk reminds us of how vulnerable we are, too.
“Fortunately, people can still make a difference for these birds and for the future. We can restore and protect the critical habitats that will help vulnerable species to weather challenges of a changing climate. We can demand the local and legislative changes that can shrink our contribution of climate-altering emissions. The birds are telling us we must act now,” Gill said.
“This groundbreaking report must be a rallying cry for the millions of people who care about birds and nature. It took countless citizen and professional scientists to gather the data that made the report possible and it will take even more committed people to address the peril it reveals.
“Together we can alter the future, just as Audubon has done for more than a century. We’re grateful to be among so many concerned organizations united in compiling this vital report and in charting a healthier course for birds and for people, too,” Gill said.
We commend Secretary Ken Salazar and the Department of the Interior for leading the way in identifying the climate threat to birds, wildlife and our environment, and for leadership in helping wildlife adapt to a changing climate.
Glenn Olson, Donal O’Brien Chair for Bird Conservation, National Audubon Society, said, “There is tremendous power in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and so many dedicated conservation groups coming together to gather and translate complex scientific data into an understanding of what is happening to the birds and to the world we share.
“The science says it all: some of the most beautiful but vulnerable creatures in the world are in real trouble. And that’s helping us see that we are, too.
“The dangers to these birds reflect risks to everything we value: our health, our finances, our quality of life and the stability of our natural world. But if we can help the birds weather a changing climate, we can help ourselves.”
Across America, nearly 500 Audubon chapters are working close to home to protect and restore the habitats essential to helping birds and other wildlife to endure the unprecedented challenges that come with a changing climate.
People of every background, political persuasion and walk of life are calling for tough action to shrink the emissions that make this crisis worse every day.
In addition to Aububon, there are millions more bird lovers and other groups such as the Nature Conservancy working together
This report is their call to action.
If you love nature and care about the health of our planet, there is no time to lose.
This isn’t just about birds.
This editorial cited NOT ONE fact indicating that “climate change” has had anything to do with a change in bird populations. Habitats are becoming smaller, that it true, as urban areas expand, and that needs to be addressed, but how? Let’s take a look at something. Detroit is becoming a hollowed out shell of a city. The suburban cities are-or at lease were-growing as the city itself has died. There are hundreds of acres in that city that are now either inhabitable or torn down. There is talk of turning much of that land into farm land again. That would attract the return of birds like the red winged blackbird, among others that typically enjoy a rural setting.
Emissions are not affecting bird populations, urban expansion is. The Audobon society did studies in the sixties that have been shown today to be mostly fiction, as they were only to push an agenda of conservation that is unrealistic. We hae to make the assumption today that “Green” is the new “Red,” asking for draconian regulations from government that hinder industrial growth, and promote a standard of living akin to the 18th century.