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DTSTART;TZID=America/Denver:20240515T000000
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CREATED:20240511T015343Z
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UID:12602-1715731200-1718495940@phas-wsd.org
SUMMARY:Climate Watch\, Spring/Summer season 5/15/24-6/15/24
DESCRIPTION:Climate Watch is Audubon’s biannual community science program that enlists volunteer bird-lovers across North America to tally for twelve target bird species \nClimate Watch – Summer Season – May 15th-June 15th\, 2024 Climate Watch \nClimate Watch is sponsored by the National Audubon Society (NAS) & takes place during two distinct seasons—winter (January 15-February 15) and summer (May 15-June 15). Below is the alert for any season (winter or summer) . \nLike the Christmas bird count this is a chance to help create “citizen science” for birds. Climate Watch focuses on these target species: Eastern Bluebird\, Mountain Bluebird\, Western Bluebird\, White-breasted Nuthatch\, Red-breasted Nuthatch\, Brown-headed Nuthatch\, Pygmy Nuthatch\, American Goldfinch\, Lesser Goldfinch\, Painted Bunting\, Eastern Towhee\, and Spotted Towhee. \nThese birds are easy to identify\, have an enthusiastic constituency\, and Audubon’s climate models for these species offer strong predictions for range shifts for us to test. In future years\, Climate Watch may include additional target species threatened by climate change. We believe that western bluebird and painted bunting are not normally in SD. All the other birds occur in all or parts of SD. \nVisit this page to see where these birds are in SD\, and which are near you: \nhttps://www.sdakotabirds.com/species_main.htm\nLocation Climate Watch focuses on areas of predicted change for these 12 species at each location across the continent. Audubon provides volunteers with online mapping tools with a grid of 10 km x 10 km squares showing species-specific predictions for each square based on the climate models. A Climate Watch Coordinator can help select your location and survey square. If you are participating on your own\, use the online maps to decide in which square to do your surveys. You will be able to see which squares are already “claimed”. \nHow to count Volunteers should first make sure to read through all of the materials including the full protocol manual. The Climate Watch protocol is different than any other birding program. Then using the planning done with the online maps\, volunteers survey appropriate habitat for the target species within a square and conduct 12 point counts of five minutes each within one morning\, then record the number and species of all birds seen or heard within 100 meters. Participants send the data to the National Audubon Society. \nHow data will be used  Audubon’s 2019 climate change report\, ‘Survival By Degrees\, – https://www.audubon.org/climate/survivalbydegrees – reveals that up to two-thirds of North American birds are vulnerable to extinction due to climate change. For example\, the beautiful Mountain Bluebird is vulnerable because in the vast majority of its summer range\, the climate conditions that this bird needs—temperature\, amount of rainfall\, and other environmental factors—will shift northward and eastward. This bird may be able to move into new areas over time\, or it may struggle to adapt. To test the report’s predictions\, Audubon has developed Climate Watch\, which aims to document species’ responses to climate change and test Audubon’s climate models by having volunteers in the field look for birds where Audubon’s climate models predict they will be in the 2020s. This information helps Audubon target our conservation work to protect birds. See the Climate Watch results page here to see our early reports and results from the data received by Climate Watch volunteers so far! \nLink to the Climate-watch program on the National Audubon Society web page \nhttps://www.audubon.org/conservation/climate-watch \nClimate watch instructions for participants \nhttps://www.audubon.org/news/participant-resources-climate-watch\nClimate watch for beginners webinar\, – this has much of the same info as our November meeting \nhttps://audubon.zoom.us/rec/share/xe9NAZTe6WVOf7fz2kbRAYAQMI66eaa8hCFL_fNZn0k3a8uNjHkvp4-EZzq7vlq_?startTime=1588186808000
URL:https://phas-wsd.org/event/climate-watch-spring-summer-season/
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Denver:20240613T095000
DTEND;TZID=America/Denver:20240613T215900
DTSTAMP:20260414T190802
CREATED:20240314T225101Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20240614T000354Z
UID:12064-1718272200-1718315940@phas-wsd.org
SUMMARY:Deadline to comment on BLM's greater sage grouse RMP amendment's DEIS
DESCRIPTION:Deadline to comment on BLM’s greater sage grouse RMP amendment’s DEIS (3 volumes) is June 13th\, 2024.  They are giving us 90 days.  The time of day deadline is mountain time\, just before midnight on the 13th.\nWatch for updates on the time zone the midnight deadline will fall in. \nThe US Geological Survey found that the greater sage grouse population declined 80% between 168 and 2023. PHAS believes the proposed BLM RMO amendments need to be stronger. \nBLM says in it’s  press release: \n“WASHINGTON – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is announcing a draft plan to strengthen greater sage-grouse conservation and management on public lands\, informed by the best-available science and input from local\, state\, federal\, and Tribal partners. The draft plan is built on decades of partnership\, research\, and on-the-ground knowledge and experience in maintaining\, protecting and restoring healthy sagebrush habitats…. \nAlternatives in the proposal build on the most successful components of the plans that the BLM adopted in 2015 and updated in 2019. The draft plan incorporates new sage-grouse conservation science and lessons learned\, accommodating changing resources conditions while increasing implementation flexibility. The agency considered nearly 1\,900 comments gathered during an initial public scoping period and information shared by state\, local\, federal\, and Tribal partners in more than 100 meetings. There are 6 alternative and BLM prefers alternative 5. \nThe BLM will hold 13 public meetings to answer questions and take further comments on the draft alternatives and analysis. Information on public meetings will be posted in the events column on the main page of the BLM website. ” \nFor more info: \nhttps://www.blm.gov/press-release/blm-proposes-stronger-greater-sage-grouse-conservation-plans \nTo access DEISs: \nhttps://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2016719/570 \nWritten comments may  be submitted by email (BLM_HQ_GRSG_Planning@blm.gov) or physically at BLM Utah State Office\, ATTN: HQ GRSG RMPA\, 440 West 200 South #500\, Salt Lake City\, UT 84101.\n \nThe preferred method of comment is using the “Participate Now” function on this website: https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2016719/530\n\n. Commenters are encouraged to comment using only one of the available approaches.\nMore information on how to comment on this draft will be posted at https://www.blm.gov/sagegrouse \nHistory – The Obama Administration rewrote the national BLM plans for greater sage grouse\, then Trump Administration rewrote those\,  environmental groups sued over both versions and Judge Windmill enjoined the Trump Administration’s BLM plans.  The Biden  Administration has released their version.    To access DEISs: https://eplanning.blm.gov/eplanning-ui/project/2016719/570 \n\nQuote from Vol 1 of  Draft Resource Management Plan Amendment and Environmental Impact Statement – On States covered:\n“The BLM’s land management plans (collectively referred to as resource management plans [RMP]) include goals\, objectives\, and management actions for managing GRSG habitat on BLM-administered public lands in ten Western states (California\, Colorado\, Idaho\, Montana\, Nevada\, North Dakota\, Oregon\, South Dakota\, Utah and Wyoming). These plans include management for GRSG Habitat Management Areas to provide for conservation\,\nenhancement\, and restoration of GRSG habitat. GRSG also occur in Washington but have limited distribution on BLM-administered lands and are primarily influenced by actions on private lands. Therefore\, GRSG in Washington are not included as part of this plan amendment.”\n=====================\nIt is suggested that folks from South Dakota or North Dakota and  Montana ask for 10.2  inch residual grass height after grazing by livestock is completed\, as our sage brush are smaller than other western sage brush and the sage grouse need the extra help from taller grass for cover.\n===========================\nOPINIONS OF NGOs\nWestern Watersheds Project\, Center for Biological Diversity\,American Bird Conservancy\, Advocates for the West\, — joint opinions of Biden’s BLM’s recommended amendments: https://www.westernwatersheds.org/2024/03/conservation-groups-give-a-thumbs-down-to-biden-administrations-proposed-sage-grouse-plan/\nAmerican Bird Conservancy opinions-\nhttps://abcbirds.org/preventing-a-greater-sage-grouse-vanishing-act/\n\nAlliance For Wild Rockies opinions\nhttps://allianceforthewildrockies.org/sage-grouse-collaborative-conservation-effort-an-on-going-disaster/\n\nNational Audubon Society’s opinions – https://www.audubon.org/news/choosing-plan-save-greater-sage-grouse\n\nCourt house news service article on BLM DEIS:\nhttps://www.courthousenews.com/conservationists-slam-federal-proposal-for-greater-sage-grouse-protection/\nNew York times article BLM DEIS:\nhttps://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/14/climate/sage-grouse-protection.html\n====\n\nPrairie Hills Audubon Society web page on greater sage grouse (we are parties to litigation driving this rewrite).\nhttps://phas-wsd.org/sage-ecosystem-campaign/\n===============\nON-LINE PRE-FABRICATED LETTERS\n=======\nCenter for Biological Diversity on-line Form letter:\nhttps://act.biologicaldiversity.org/rPSpp0z6-0CTls9dR4lTEw2?sourceid=1009613&utm_source=action&utm_medium=email&contactdata=0S94puVuWbjySSQjoztjYDAcr+HmE5P4j7yWogkT435FN1wkdwhDXzqRQUAg0jsc0qOwE6yEyRCgzWnxbPSlk+0GnKAIN1pAbyteXG9+ucrHDpw0S2HWhN9vCHX7AzLAl9REyK211kt8QE5fmkwgZRMowZ0YyI7N0bEIR1QTUO14knUbV79IsVpsdrkZtyq6NPlHV93p5tNxdzHAxCYW6%2f4g4WdfJQ0nXvQBjFM8w11O5BBtKcWesh4%2f2UEa6gTZ&emci=2bddef71-3212-ef11-96f3-6045bdd9e096&emdi=af00c2fb-4414-ef11-86d0-6045bdd9e096&ceid=73046\nNational Audubon Society’s on-line Form letter – https://act.audubon.org/a/sage-grouse-habitat?ms=chapter-V02\nAmerican Bird Conservancy on-line Form letter\nhttps://act.abcbirds.org/a/take-action-greater-sage-grouse-comments?ms=web_story_sagegrouse_gen_thankyou_txt2&_gl=1*1i703x1*_ga*ODY5MDIxNDE4LjE3MTcyMDU1NTM.*_ga_02MTVGNQSR*MTcxNzIwNTU1NC4xLjAuMTcxNzIwNTU1NC42MC4wLjA.*_gcl_au*MTY4NzU3NjI5MC4xNzE3MjA1NTUx\nDefenders of Wildlife\nhttps://act.defenders.org/page/68792/action/1?supporter.appealCode=3WDE2408B1XX1&utm_medium=email&utm_source=engagingnetworks&utm_campaign=061024_Sage-GrouseA2D_Nondonor&utm_content=061024+Sage-Grouse+A2D+-+Nondonor&ea.url.id=2610769\n+++++++++++++++++\nWATCH OUR MEETING ON THIS\n=========================\n\nPrairie Hills Audubon Society’s June 10th\, 2024 meeting on greater sage grouse & BLM’s rewrite of Resource Management plans. Erik Molvar of Western Watershed Projects speaking \n  Zoom Cloud storage link\nhttps://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/kvl71QwPzr2KYCTavym9skTwXg65gdRWjVdRAMi9sdaiZv5rsvfFYMdBBSwudxnn.xxlb4ySuNgqE9_qK\nPasscode: 9s=&9guS\n===================================== \n\nThe BLM held eleven (11) in-person open-house and two (2) virtual public meetings to provide information on the BLM’s current greater sage-grouse planning effort. All these meetings included a presentation on the planning effort and opportunities for questions about the planning effort and the Draft RMPA/Draft EIS. The meetings were scheduled in the following locations:  \n– Tuesday\, April 9 – Virtual meeting  \n– Thursday\, April 11 – Billings (MT)  \n– Tuesday\, April 16 – Reno (NV) \n– Wednesday\, April 17 – Craig (CO) and Lakeview (OR)  \n– Thursday\, April 18 – Cheyenne (WY)\, Boise (ID)\, and Ontario (OR)  \n– Monday\, April 22 – Rock Springs (WY)  \n– Tuesday\, April 23 – Worland (WY) and Salt Lake City (UT)  \n– Wednesday\, April 24 – Casper (WY) \n– Thursday\, April 25 – Virtual meeting  \nAdditional details on the times and locations/venues for these meetings was to be provided at least 15 days before the meeting. 
URL:https://phas-wsd.org/event/deadline-to-comment-on-blms-greater-sage-grouse-rmp-amendments-deis/
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