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DTSTART;TZID=America/Denver:20250501T000000
DTEND;TZID=America/Denver:20250518T220000
DTSTAMP:20260421T070713
CREATED:20250411T181427Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250411T181442Z
UID:18285-1746057600-1747605600@phas-wsd.org
SUMMARY:Endangered Species Chalk Art Competition
DESCRIPTION:Endangered Species Chalk Art Competition \nThe competition will occur from Thursday\, May 1\, 2025 to Sunday\, May 18th. Friday\, May 16th is Endangered Species Day\n\nhttps://www.endangered.org/endangered-species-chalk-art-event/ \n\nPeople draw pictures of Endangered Species on side walks\, parking lots \, roads\, garage floors  etc.\nyou  take a photo of your chalk art and post to\nhttps://form.jotform.com/250779081878069\n\nThere are winners who get prizes.\n  You can however get chalk sets at WalMart\, Hobby Lobby and Family Dollar and likely other places.   There are very cheap sets\, but those tend to be in pastels\, that don’t resemble most wildlife colors. To get chalk that has deeper colors and has colors like wildlife\, you need to buy better chalk sets such as Crayola sets or mix plaster of Paris with tempera paints.\nCrayola chalk large set:\nhttps://shop.crayola.com/toys-and-activities/64-ct.-ultimate-sidewalk-chalk-collection-5120640000.html\nHow to make your own chalk:\nhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hUt5ecZC2M\n\nWe are not sure at which midnight in what time zone they are closing the competition. It might be in  closing at midnight in your time zone\, or in EST.  We have it ending at EST\, but it might end in your time zone.
URL:https://phas-wsd.org/event/endangered-species-chalk-art-competition/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Denver:20250515T000000
DTEND;TZID=America/Denver:20250615T235900
DTSTAMP:20260421T070713
CREATED:20250407T204536Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250407T204536Z
UID:18215-1747267200-1750031940@phas-wsd.org
SUMMARY:Climate Watch Spring Season
DESCRIPTION:Climate Watch Spring Season \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\n\n\nOur web page on community science efforts: \n https://phas-wsd.org/citizen-science/ \n 
URL:https://phas-wsd.org/event/climate-watch-spring-season/
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Denver:20250516T000000
DTEND;TZID=America/Denver:20250518T235900
DTSTAMP:20260421T070713
CREATED:20250515T142941Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250515T162833Z
UID:18843-1747353600-1747612740@phas-wsd.org
SUMMARY:SD GFP Parks Free Weekend: Free Entry & No Fishing License Required (May 16–18)
DESCRIPTION:SD GFP Parks Free Weekend: Free Entry & No Fishing License Required (May 16–18) \n  \n\n\n\n\n\nThis Friday through Sunday (May 16–18\, 2025)\, you can visit any South Dakota State Park for free. No entrance license needed! You can also fish without a license all weekend long throughout South Dakota! That’s right: it’s the perfect time to pack up\, head out\, and make the most of spring with a last-minute camping trip\, lakeside picnic\, or trail adventure. Lodges are open\, campsites are available\, and events are happening across the state. (Camping fees\, limits\, and regulations still apply.) \nFriendly reminder that the 2024 Annual Park Entrance License expires after Open House Weekend. Be sure to renew for unlimited visits all year long. \n\nCLARIFICATION – We have indicated weekend starts at 12:01 am and ends at 11:59 pm MT\, but we assume that each Park may have\, for security issues\,  it’s own unique rules about when its’ gates are open or closed on each day of the week.  If you are wanting to enter at odd hours\, check with the Park for its’ security rules.
URL:https://phas-wsd.org/event/sd-gfp-parks-free-weekend-free-entry-no-fishing-license-required-may-16-18/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Denver:20250516T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/Denver:20250518T140000
DTSTAMP:20260421T070713
CREATED:20250329T220939Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250329T221002Z
UID:18084-1747414800-1747576800@phas-wsd.org
SUMMARY:SD Ornithologist Union Biennial Spring Meeting
DESCRIPTION:SD Ornithologist Union Biennial Spring Meeting \nThis will be a tri-state joint meeting with our fellow birders from Iowa and Nebraska\, hosted the weekend of May 16-18 at the Salvation Army Western Plains Camp in South Sioux City\, NE. \n  \nThere is a fantastic array of field trips scheduled in all three states\, a Friday night poster session\, and a Saturday keynote by Nebraska’s Michael Forsberg (https://www.michaelforsberg.com/). Michael is a celebrated photographer\, author\, and conservationist who has dedicated over three decades to capturing and telling the story of wildlife and conservation in the Great Plains through his work. He has very recently published a new book\, Into Whooperland\, that tells the story of the endangered Whooping Crane. Copies of the book will be available during the meeting.\n\nFull details and online registration are available on the IOU website; the purple button to register is in the upper right. We are also pointing to this page from SDOU’s Next Meeting site. For those wishing to submit an abstract for the poster session\, there is information on the site about that as well.\n\n\n\n\nFriday\, May 16\, 2025\n\n\nWestern Plains Camp Dining Hall\n5:00 pm – 8:00 pm\nPoster Session\, Field Trip Signup and Social Hour\n\n\nWestern Plains Camp Dining Hall\n6:00 pm – 7:00 pm\nFriday Dinner: Taco Bar\n\n\nSaturday\, May 17\, 2025\n\n\nWestern Plains Camp Dining Hall\n6:00 am – 6:45 am\nBreakfast: Coffee and Donuts\n\n\nWestern Plains Camp Dining Hall\n6:45 am – 2:00 pm\nField Trips\n\n\nWestern Plains Camp Dining Hall\n2:00 pm – 3:00 pm\nAfternoon Programming\n\n\nWestern Plains Camp Dining Hall\n3:00 pm – 4:00 pm\nAfternoon Programming\n\n\nWestern Plains Camp Dining Hall\n4:00 pm – 5:00 pm\nBusiness/Membership Meetings\nAll Organizations\n\n\nWestern Plains Camp Dining Hall\n6:00 pm – 7:00 pm\nBanquet Dinner\n\n\nWestern Plains Camp Dining Hall\n7:00 pm – 8:00 pm\nKeynote Address\nMichael Forsberg\n\n\nSunday\, May 18\, 2025\n\n\nWestern Plains Camp Dining Hall\n6:00 am – 6:45 am\nBreakfast: Coffee and Donuts\n\n\nWestern Plains Camp Dining Hall\n6:45 am – 2:00 pm\nField Trips
URL:https://phas-wsd.org/event/sd-ornithologist-union-biennial-spring-meeting/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Denver:20250517T080000
DTEND;TZID=America/Denver:20250517T150000
DTSTAMP:20260421T070713
CREATED:20250312T183841Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250320T185123Z
UID:17890-1747468800-1747494000@phas-wsd.org
SUMMARY:International Bird Day Celebration for Western SD - Bird Bash at Bear Butte
DESCRIPTION:International Bird Day Event Celebration for Western SD \nThis event is at Bear Butte State Park – Bear Butte State Park Education Center\, Sturgis\, SD\, 8 am – 3 pm MT \nIt is organized/sponsored by Audubon Great Plains\, American Bird Conservancy\, Bird Conservancy of the Rockies\, Black Hills Raptor Center\, The Nature Conservancy\, SDGFP\, NRCS\, The Wildlife Society\, Northern Great Plains Joint Venture  and other organizations. \nCelebrate South Dakota’s migratory birds with us. All ages andexperience levels are welcome! Follow the signs and meet us for a fun filled day!  Learn about bird ID & mindful birding\, view bird crafts\,  participate in  bird activities and watch live bird presentation. \n 
URL:https://phas-wsd.org/event/international-bird-day-celebration-for-western-sd-bird-bash-at-bear-butte/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://phas-wsd.org/wp-content/uploads/Bird-Bash-at-Bear-Butte-FlierImage-scaled.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Denver:20250517T080000
DTEND;TZID=America/Denver:20250517T170000
DTSTAMP:20260421T070713
CREATED:20250503T025514Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250503T025514Z
UID:18567-1747468800-1747501200@phas-wsd.org
SUMMARY:Pennington County Master Gardener's Annual Plant share
DESCRIPTION:5/17/25 Pennington County Master Gardener’s Annual Plant share\, at 8am\, Walter Taylor building – Central States Fairground \nWe are not sure how long it runs have guessed at 8 am- 5 pm
URL:https://phas-wsd.org/event/pennington-county-master-gardeners-annual-plant-share/
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Denver:20250517T095000
DTEND;TZID=America/Denver:20250517T215900
DTSTAMP:20260421T070713
CREATED:20250508T055419Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250517T195253Z
UID:18651-1747475400-1747519140@phas-wsd.org
SUMMARY:Deadline to Comment on Grizzly Bear ESA listing Rule - USFWS
DESCRIPTION:Deadline to Comment on Grizzly Bear ESA listing Rule\, Sat May 17th\, 2025 \nFor info. visit \nhttps://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/01/15/2025-00329/endangered-and-threatened-wildlife-and-plants-grizzly-bear-listing-on-the-list-of-endangered-and \nThe USFWS writes \n“After a review of the best scientific and commercial data available\, we affirm that the currently listed grizzly bear population meets our requirements for consideration as a distinct population segment (DPS) under the Act and that the population remains likely to become an endangered species within the foreseeable future. However\, we find that clarification of the geographic areas included within the DPS is warranted. Therefore\, we propose to revise the listing by defining the boundaries of the contiguous U.S. grizzly bear DPS. The revised entity would include all geographic portions of the currently listed lower-48 entity that contain suitable habitat and where grizzly bears are currently found or are likely to be found in the future as populations recover. This area includes all of Washington and portions of Idaho\, Montana\, and Wyoming. The contiguous U.S. grizzly bear DPS would retain threatened species status. This proposed rule would promote conservation of the grizzly bear by ensuring that the listing under the Act explicitly reflects the areas where grizzly bears currently occur and are likely to occur in the future. Clarifying that the listing does not include areas outside of the grizzly bear’s historical range will assist as recovery proceeds. We are also proposing to revise protective regulations for the grizzly bear issued under section 4(d) of the Act.” \nThe Federal Register Notice says: \n “Written comments:FWS will accept comments received or postmarked on or before March 17\, 2025. Comments submitted electronically using the Federal eRulemaking Portal (see ADDRESSES \, below) must be received by 11:59 p.m. eastern time on the closing date.” \nDespite what it says in the Federal Register\, they closed the comment period on the 16th\, as I tried to submit comments on 17th and it would not allow such. This must be a violation of law. Before writing test the portal to see if they fixed the glitch. \n=========================== \nHere is link to an on-line\, petition by WildEarth Guardians – you must sign it by the 16th.  https://action.wildearthguardians.org/page/66070/petition/1?ea.url.id=3578617 \nHere is a quote from WildEarth Guardians: \n“After rejecting delisting petitions from Wyoming and Montana\, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service is now proposing a rule that would narrow and weaken current protections for grizzlies. Now is the time to speak up and support grizzly bear recovery! \nThe agency is proposing to increase bear killings\, reduce protected areas\, and weaken restrictions to appease commercial livestock operators. Instead\, we should prioritize coexistence and non-lethal conflict prevention. \nWe need to keep all safeguards in place until the science shows grizzly bears are fully recovered\, and until the states have adequate rules in place to ensure grizzly bears will thrive for future generations.” \nTell the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: Protect grizzly bears under the ESA! \n  \nHere is a link to Western Watersheds Projects article that criticizes the rule proposal: \nhttps://www.westernwatersheds.org/2025/01/u-s-fish-wildlife-service-maintains-federal-protection-for-grizzlies-but-new-rule-raises-questions-on-long-term-recovery/ \nRead both of these & you can create a comment letter \n=================================== \nADDRESSES:\nComment submission: You may submit comments by one of the following methods: \n(1) Electronically: Go to the Federal eRulemaking Portal: \nhttps://www.regulations.gov. In the Search box\, enter FWS-R6-ES-2024-0186\, which is the docket number for this rulemaking. Then\, click on the Search button. On the resulting page\, in the panel on the left side of the screen\, under the Document Type heading\, check the Proposed Rule box to locate this document. You may submit a comment by clicking on “Comment.” \n(2) By hard copy: Submit by U.S. mail to: Public Comments Processing\, Attn: FWS-R6-ES-2024-0186\, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service\, MS: PRB/3W\, 5275 Leesburg Pike\, Falls Church\, VA 22041-3803. \nFWS request that you send comments only by the methods described above. FWS will post all comments on https://www.regulations.gov. This generally means that FWS will post any personal information you provide them (see Information Requested \, below\, for more information). \nAvailability of supporting materials: Supporting materials\, such as the species status assessment report\, are available at https://www.fws.gov/​species/​grizzly-bear-ursus-arctos-horribilis or at https://www.regulations.gov at Docket No. FWS-R6-ES-2024-0186.
URL:https://phas-wsd.org/event/deadline-to-comment-on-grizzly-bear-esa-listing-rule/
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://phas-wsd.org/wp-content/uploads/Screen-Shot-2025-05-17-at-7.47.19-AM.png
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Denver:20250517T215000
DTEND;TZID=America/Denver:20250517T215900
DTSTAMP:20260421T070713
CREATED:20250416T211834Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250508T063439Z
UID:18374-1747518600-1747519140@phas-wsd.org
SUMMARY:Deadline (5/17/25) to comment on USFWS rule change on Endangered Species
DESCRIPTION:Our statement that the deadline   to comment on USFWS rule change on Endangered species \nis 5/17/25 was wrong – it is really May 19th\, 2025. We were off by 2 days. \nThis is an extremely bad rule proposal & must be opposed. \n\n\n\nFor more than 40 years\, the harm definition has protected endangered species by prohibiting acts that result in significant habitat modification or degradation that results in actual death or injury to a species. This prohibition has been absolutely critical to saving species from extinction. It has prevented cutting of old-growth forests where spotted owls nest\, stopped development in Florida panther habitat\, and so much more because the largest driver of extinction — both in the United States and around the world — continues to be human-caused habitat destruction and degradation.\n\n\n\nRescinding the Definition of “Harm” under the Endangered Species Act – PROPOSING AGENCY: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service\, Interior; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration\, Commerce \nFor Federal Register Notice \nhttps://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2025-06746.pdf \nQuote from the Agencies: \n“The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) (collectively referred to as the Services or we) are proposing to rescind the regulatory definition of “harm” in our Endangered Species Act (ESA or the Act) regulations. The existing regulatory definition of “harm\,” which includes habitat modification\, runs contrary to the best meaning of the statutory term “take.” We are undertaking this change to adhere to the single\, best meaning of the ESA.” \nQuote on how to submit comments \nYou may submit comments by one of the following methods: \n(1) Electronically: Go to the Federal eRulemaking Portal: This document is scheduled to be published in the Federal Register on 04/17/2025 and available online at https://federalregister.gov/d/2025-06746\, and on https://govinfo.gov https://www.regulations.gov. In the Search box\, enter FWS–HQ–ES–2025–0034\, which is the docket number for this rulemaking. Then\, click on the Search button. On the resulting page\, in the panel on the left side of the screen\, under the Document Type heading\, check the Proposed Rule box to locate this document. You may submit a comment by clicking on “Comment.” \n(2) By hard copy: Submit by U.S. mail to: Public Comments Processing\, Attn: FWS– HQ–ES–2025–0034\, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service\, MS: PRB/3W\, 5275 Leesburg Pike\, Falls Church\, VA 22041–3803. \nWe [Agencies]  request that you send comments only by the methods described above.” \n======== \nWe are not sure of the time-of-day deadline but assume it is midnight EST on the 17th.
URL:https://phas-wsd.org/event/deadline-5-17-25-to-comment-on-usfws-rule-change-on-endangered-species/
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