On Tue, 13 Jun 1995, Eric Greenwood wrote:

> I'm attaching an article in WP 5.1 format you may want to consider. I wo=
n't
> be suprised if you can't read the file as these Internet mail systems are
> often not compatible. If it means anything, the attached file is MIME fo=
rmat.

Here's a text version of Eric's article. --Dan
=09Dan Victor, Seattle, WA <dvictor at u.washington.edu>
' tweeters =3D http://weber.u.washington.edu/~dvictor/
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
Creston Valley Wildlife Area


It was eight years ago that we decided to=20
combine a visit to relatives in Jasper with our=20
first birding trip in British Columbia. Up=20
until then, our only trip to watch birds,=20
prompted by an article in National=20
Geographic Traveller, had been to see the=20
humming birds of Ramsey Canyon in=20
Arizona.

Fortunately my birding records go back far=20
enough to help me remember this trip=20
through the interior. Ducks on the lakes in=20
Jasper National Park, Bluebirds and Thrush=20
on Kootenay Plains, Hooded Merganser and=20
Yellow-headed Blackbirds at Radium and=20
Pileated Woodpecker at Wilmer. For two=20
amateur birders this was just paradise. Then=20
we came through to the Kootenay River at=20
Creston and found a jewel; the Creston=20
Valley Wildlife Management Area, as it was=20
known then. For two days we explored the=20
area adding Forster=92s and Black Tern,=20
American Bittern, Wilson=92s Phalarope and=20
Great Horned Owl to our life lists. I can=20
remember thinking how lucky we were to=20
have discovered this place and also=20
wondering why I hadn=92t heard of it before.

Last year was my first visit back to Creston=20
since 1987 and I was as impressed with the=20
variety of birds as I had been on my first=20
visit. Being less of an amateur helped, but=20
my understanding of the importance of the=20
right type of habitat for both migration=20
stopping points and for nesting drew my=20
attention to the vital importance of the area=20
to the survival of bird populations. Duck=20
Lake, for example, is home to the only=20
known nesting colonies of both Black and=20
Forster=92s Terns.

This spring I returned once again to the=20
Kootenay River but not so much to view the=20
wildlife as to learn and understand the=20
significance of changes that are threatening=20
to damage, maybe destroy, the habitat that is=20
so important. The Creston Valley Wildlife=20
Area is not as well know as, perhaps, it=20
should be even though it is one of only two=20
Ramsar sites in British Columbia. There has=20
been some coverage of the funding cuts that=20
have taken place but not to the extent there=20
must be if this prime waterfowl area,=20
described by J.A. Munro, the ornithologist,=20
as "the largest and most important resting=20
and feeding ground for waterfowl in the=20
interior of British Columbia" is to be saved.

The area I talk of covers 7,000 hectares of=20
provincial land that consists of Duck Lake,=20
17 marshes plus a major river and adjoining=20
mountain slopes. This is 17 times the size of=20
Stanley Park. Over 100,000 migrating=20
waterfowl use the area and mammal=20
residents include deer, coyote, otter, mink,=20
beavers and muskrat. Over a hundred elk=20
frequent the area as do black bear, cougar=20
and moose. In the past, funding has been=20
provided by the federal and provincial=20
governments; $219,000 in 1981 reducing to=20
$180,000 in 1994. For 1995, the Canadian=20
Wildlife Service, the source of federal=20
funding, has cut its grant totally. In=20
response, the provincial funding from the=20
Fish and Wildlife Branch was reduced to=20
$55,000. With a projected income for the=20
year of $85,000 it will be necessary to lay off=20
all of the remaining staff and to cease=20
operations before the end of the fiscal year.

This is not just a case of an Interpretation=20
Centre closing its doors. Those employed by=20
the Creston Valley Wildlife Area are=20
responsible for the maintenance of culverts,=20
water control structures, dykes, pumps, and=20
bridges along with habitat management. =20
Without the necessary maintenance, water=20
levels will fluctuate by as much as nine feet=20
during the nesting period, devastating the=20
nesting populations. Large, shallow marsh=20
areas will become overgrown and lost to=20
wildlife. This could all happen within a=20
single year if low, spring runoff conditions=20
are experienced in 1996.

By the time you read this, the Interpretation=20
Centre, run by The Friends of the Creston=20
Valley Wildlife Area Society, will be closing=20
for the Winter months. It may not re-open=20
unless it receives the support that it=20
needs. It may be too late to plan a trip there=20
this year but please, put it on your list for=20
next. In the meantime you can help by=20
writing to the Environment, Lands and Parks=20
Minister in Victoria supporting the requests=20
that are being made to restore funding. If=20
you want to help more, please join The=20
Friends of the Creston Valley Wildlife Area=20
Society, their address is below. An=20
Individual membership costs $25.00 while a=20
Family membership is $35.00.

If we act now there may be a visitor centre=20
next year!

The Friends of the Creston Valley Wildlife=20
Area Society
Box 640
Creston, BC
V0B 1G0

(604) 428-3259 or
(604) 428-3260
=20