Subject: Ducks Unlimited
Date: Aug 2 18:24:50 1999
From: Eugene Kridler - ekridler at olympus.net


Don Baccus is right about Ducks Unlimited. A lot of areas they bought
principally for ducks, provided excellent habitat for other birds, mainly
waterbirds and shorebirds. I assume some twitchers are of aware of that effort.
Also Don recommended Nature Conservancy, another good organization. Birds need
habitat. All requires money.

Politicians aren't afraid of public perceptions. What they're really afraid of is
the lack of money for their-quote-war chests-unquote- elections and reelections
and their perks, sad to say. Why is this present Congress refusing to appropriate
money from the Land and Water Conservation Fund for wildlife refuges.

Gene Kridler
Sequim

Don Baccus wrote:

> At 12:59 PM 8/2/99 -0700, David Chelimer wrote:
> >
> >----------
> >From: "David Chelimer" <chelimer at earthlink.net>
> >To: Tweeters <tweeters at u.washington.edu>
> >Subject: Ducks Unlimited
> >Date: Mon, Aug 2, 1999, 12:55 PM
> >
> >
> >A few years ago I succumbed to a hard sell and joined Ducks Unlimited,
> >buying the argument that my money was helping to acquire wetlands for
> >waterfowl habitat.
>
> ...
>
> >Is there any consensus among birders about Ducks Unlimited? Am I doing the
> >"right" thing the "wrong" way by sending them my money? Should I look at my
> >next mallard with pride or with shame?
>
> They do exactly what they advertise - help acquire wetland habitat
> for game species.
>
> As such, they are actively helping conservation causes.
>
> Some birders get upset at hunter conservation organizations. Personally,
> I look at results, and DU gets results. If you're interested conservation
> rather than opposed to hunting, DU's not a bad place to put money.
>
> If you're really upset up hunting, you can give to The Nature Conservancy,
> which also helps buy land.
>
> Not to mention the wide variety of other national organizations that tend
> to focus on public lands management issues. With a largely anti-conservation
> House and Senate in Washington DC at present (though they're a bit scared
> by the depth of public support for conservation on public lands), and the
> fact that it appears that Bush The Younger will be our next President, I'd
> say that these organizations will have a great near-term impact on practical
> conservation issues. This is especially true in the West, where the Feds
> own so much land.
>
> - Don Baccus, Portland OR <dhogaza at pacifier.com>
> Nature photos, on-line guides, and other goodies at
> http://donb.photo.net