Year of the Bird and Klamath Bird Observatory’s Community Education Program
*** News Release: September 24, 2018 ***
Contact: John Alexander, Executive Director, Klamath Bird Observatory, 541-890-7067, jda@klamathbird.org
2018 is the Year of the Bird. To celebrate Ashland-based Klamath Bird Observatory’s Community Education Program is fostering a deeper love for birds and a better understanding of bird conservation and its importance. KBO’s Community Education Program is part of the World Migratory Bird Day education campaign. This year World Migratory Bird Day celebrates 2018 as the Year of the Bird. As such, KBO Education Programs are focusing on the actions we all can take to help birds, 365 days of the year. Every day is World Migratory Bird Day at KBO.
KBO’s board president Shannon Rio has a passion for teaching about birds. Rio explains, “I have always loved birds, and the more I learn about them the more I understand that there is an urgent need to protect birds and their habitats.” Under Shannon’s leadership, Klamath Bird Observatory’s Community Education Program strives to teach people about birds. Shannon believes that the more we know about what we love the more we will be able protect what we love — birds.
Rio has created KBO’s Talks and Walks. Talks and Walks offers a series of classroom lectures and follow-up field trips that teach community members about birds, science, and bird conservation. Talks and Walks focus on a variety of subjects including bird identification, photography, citizen science, and conservation success stories. One of the program’s recent themes focuses on the value of the United States Wildlife Refuge System. Over 100 years ago, the Refuge System was created to protect habitats that are critical to the survival of migratory birds during their entire annual cycles (that is, breeding, migration, and over-wintering periods). Many KBO Walks and Talks highlight the nearby Klamath Wildlife Refuge Complex, one of our country’s oldest and most important set of migratory bird refuges.
One way everyone can help is to support the protection of migratory bird habitat and the science the drives bird conservation. KBO offers a unique Conservation Stamp Set that directly benefits bird habitats and conservation science. The two-stamp set includes: The Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp (the Duck Stamp) and KBO’s Conservation Science Stamp. The Federal Duck Stamp is among the most successful conservation tools ever created. Duck Stamp sales contribute directly to habitat conservation on our National Wildlife Refuges. KBO’s Conservation Science Stamp builds on this success by bringing additional support and attention to their regional science-driven conservation efforts. By purchasing this set of conservation stamps, together, birders and hunters send a powerful message — “We believe conservation of non-game birds, gamebirds, and endangered species is a priority for our society.”
To learn more about and participate in Klamath Bird Observatory’s Community Education Program, or to purchase a Conservation Stamp Set, visit www.klamathbird.org. Also, on October 7th, KBO is holding their Wings and Wine Gala at Grizzly Peak Winery in Ashland, Oregon. Please join the KBO Community for this World Migratory Bird Day event and raise your voice for science-driven bird conservation.
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About Klamath Bird Observatory:
Klamath Bird Observatory advances bird and habitat conservation through science, education, and partnerships. We achieves bird conservation in the Pacific Northwest and throughout the migratory ranges of the birds of our region. We developed our award-winning conservation model in the ruggedly beautiful and wildlife-rich Klamath-Siskiyou Bioregion of southern Oregon and northern California. Emphasizing high caliber science and the role of birds as indicators of the health of the land, we specialize in cost-effective bird monitoring and research projects that improve natural resource management. Also, recognizing that conservation occurs across many fronts, we nurture a conservation ethic in our communities through our outreach and educational programs. Visit Klamath Bird Observatory at www.klamathbird.org.
About World Migratory Bird Day:
Word Migratory Bird Day (WMBD), formerly known as International Migratory Bird Day, is an educational campaign that is celebrating its 25th year in 2018. WMBD celebrates and brings attention to one of the most important and spectacular events in the Americas – bird migration. WMBD is coordinated by Environment for the Americas, a non-profit organization that strives to connect people to bird conservation. As a part of WMBD as many as 700 events and programs are hosted annually to introduce the public to migratory birds and ways to conserve them. Through WMBD the conservation community combines our voices into a global chorus to boost the urgent need for the conservation of migratory birds and their habitats. In 2018 World Migratory Bird Day celebrates Year of the Bird and the actions you can take to help birds, 365 days of the year. For more information about WMBD visit www.migratorybirdday.org.
About Year of the Bird:
In 2018, we mark the centennial of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, the most powerful and important bird-protection law ever passed. In honor of this milestone, more than 100 organizations and nature lovers around the world are joining forces to celebrate the “Year of the Bird” and commit to protecting birds today and for the next hundred years. Year of the Bird is 12 months of storytelling, science, and conservation aimed at heightening public awareness of birds and the importance of protecting these critical species. Each month of Year of the Bird has a call to action — a simple but meaningful way individuals can help birds. By harnessing the collective passion and expertise of bird lovers around the world, we can champion causes for birds and inspire more people to work towards proven solutions. For more information about Year of the Bird visit www.nationalgeographic.org/projects/year-of-the-bird.
