2009 Vol. 35, No. 4
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International Crane Foundation Nonprofit Org E11376 Shady Lane Rd. U.S. Postage P.O. Box 447 PAID Baraboo, WI 53913-0447 LaCrosse, WI www.savingcranes.org Permit No. 25 Address Service Requested Volume 35, Number 4 November 2009 Securing Waters for Cranes, Ourselves, Our World By Rich Beilfuss, Vice President-Programs The International Crane Foundation is a Travel Green destination. www.travelgreenwisconsin.com The Bugle is printed with non-VOC UV inks. Newsletter is also available in electronic format. Our new Cranes of the World T-shirt is available just in time for the gift giving season. The artwork was created by our very own Education Naturalist Darcy Love. These 100% pre-shrunk cotton tees come in LONG sleeved hroughout the world, rivers and their But these magnificent places where cranes and waters sizes S-XL in dark chocolate or forest green or floodplains provide clean drinking water and meet are in trouble. Within our lifetime, the global SHORT sleeved, also in sizes S-XL in indigo support agriculture, fisheries, and other vital population will reach nine billion people, mainly blue or dark chocolate. Price: $24.99 Short Tecosystem services that sustain our livelihoods. They nourish concentrated in urban centers. One billion will suffer from Sleeve or $29.99 Long Sleeve. FREE shipping a remarkable biodiversity of plants and animals. Our most inadequate drinking water, and water shortages for in the Continental U.S. through Jan. 15, 2010. threatened cranes – Siberian, Whooping, Red-crowned, agriculture will threaten food security for many. Political Let the festivities begin… with this 3” Wattled, and others – are intricately dependent on river tensions already loom over the access to water and energy, hand-painted glass ball ornament. Artist Jay Jocham has done it again. Another These meticulously crafted ornaments floodplains for their survival. and global climate change may further Continued on page 2 wonderful and original Christmas card. This come in a beautiful red fabric gift box one is titled, Enlightenment and the inside text that is ready to go at a price that is reads: Joy Peace Hope. This lively winter scene sure to please. Price: $15.99. FREE Follow the Whooping Cranes! of dancing Whooping Cranes comes in shipping in the Continental U.S. Wattled Cranes depend on the natural packages of 10 cards with white envelopes. through Jan. 15, 2010. ebb and flow of rivers and their If you would like to receive email Price: $20.00. FREE shipping in the floodplains, as do many other species updates about Whooping Crane Continental U.S. through Jan. 15, 2010. of plants and animals, and people. reintroduction efforts – please Visit www.craneshop.org or call Photo by Warwick Tarboton Barb Bluske for personal attention email: [email protected] at 608-356-9462 ext. 117. Siberian Cranes Black-necked Cranes Directors Continued from page 1 Joseph Branch, Mequon, WI Notes from ICF (Chairman) destabilize regions that are already water-stressed. releases to mimic the natural flows that sustain freshwater ecosystems, George Archibald, Baraboo, WI President Jim Hook ... To help resolve this crisis, thousands of dams are being planned support the human livelihoods that depend on these ecosystems, and (Vice Chairman) and built. Big dams seem like an important part of the solution – they contribute to the national economy. Robert Dohmen, Mequon, WI 2009: Successes Amidst Adversity (Secretary) divert water to cities and irrigation schemes, and generate hydropower Many important discoveries emerged from this work. First, the Leslie Coolidge, Barrington Hills, IL as a renewable source of energy. But these dams come at great cost to needs of people, cranes, and many other species of plants and animals Richard Dana, North Freedom, WI forgotten people and wildlife downstream that depend on the natural are quite similar. There are no substantial conflicts or trade-offs among John Day, New York, NY As we close ICF to the public at the end of northeast China. We have advanced other ebb and flow of rivers. They provide a solution for some, but not for all. downstream water users: most require a return to more natural flow Judith Derse Langenbach, October, we are pleased with the results of a precedent-setting projects in northwest ICF has long recognized that solving the global freshwater crisis is patterns. Second, immediate improvements downstream could be made Oconomowoc, WI very successful 2009 season. Spring was Kazakhstan (for the spectacular Naurzum mainly a challenge of water distribution rather than absolute scarcity. with modest reductions in hydropower production, especially through Charles Gibbons, Jupiter, FL intensely busy as we scrambled to complete our wetlands, part of a newly declared World Heritage Our solutions lie in bringing together diverse water users, managers, the cooperative (conjunctive) management of Zambezi dams. Third, the Hall Healy, Glencoe, IL new Spirit of Africa exhibit. Due in part to this Site) and Vietnam (Tram Chim National Park). planners, and policy-makers to find common economic value of releasing some water to Polly Hix, Indianapolis, IN beautiful addition to our campus, the remainder Our efforts for water are further strengthened by ground for sharing water. Cranes have a key role downstream users outweighs its value when used Paul King, Vancouver, WA of the year has seen a marked increase in visitor the return of Dr. Rich Beilfuss, hydrologist, to ICF in this process – helping us Zambezi River Basin solely for hydropower and Lalise Mason, Houston, TX numbers, tour groups, memberships and gift shop to serve as Vice President-Programs. understand the importance of upstream supply. And fourth, by Nancy Mathews, Madison, WI sales. Public interest in the cranes has been a ICF hosted its first Cranes of the World Festival naturally-functioning river releasing more natural flows in Margery Nicolson, Pacific Palisades, CA bright spot in a very challenging year and we are during our Annual Meeting in September. We systems for the web of life. the early wet season, the dams Nancy O’Donnell, Saukville, WI thankful for our hard-working gift shop and site welcomed a record number of visitors, as well as The great Zambezi River of increased their capacity to store Harry Peterson, Middleton, WI management staff, as well as our dedicated special guests such as wildlife educator David southern Africa is a lifeline for damaging floods that may occur Regina Phelps, San Francisco, CA volunteers and naturalists for their efforts. Stokes. At the evening banquet, we celebrated the 10 million people and many of late in the wet season. Bill Smith, Shell Lake, WI In September, the Wisconsin Green Building annual conferral of the ICF “Good Egg” awards. I Africa’s greatest conservation Our team used this scientific Richard Steeves, Madison, WI Alliance (WGBA) announced their 2009 am very pleased to recognize the three recipients: areas, and knowledge to advocate for a new Carl-Albrecht von Treuenfels, Germany Sustainability and Energy Efficiency Leadership home to most of the world’s approach to managing Zambezi Sandra Whitmore, Libertyville, IL Awards. ICF’s Spirit of Africa was one of two • The UW Veterinary School has actively Wattled Cranes. For two waters in a more inclusive, Ginny Wolfe, Madison, WI and Tucson, AZ recipients of the Focus on Energy Award of supported ICF’s bird programs over the past 25 decades ICF has worked in equitable, and sustainable Excellence. WGBA noted our use of natural years. Our close partnership gives ICF ready Other Officers close partnership with manner. Through forums with daylight and solar power, a design that stresses the access to the school’s facilities, and in turn, colleagues from Africa and local communities, meetings Jim Hook, Milwaukee, WI capture and reuse of gray water, our use of provides unique learning opportunities for abroad to promote the with government decision- (President and CEO) recycled materials and low maintenance native veterinary students in the field of avian and sustainable management of makers and planners, and Rich Beilfuss, Madison, WI plant species. Most notable is our expectation to conservation medicine. (Vice President-Programs) Zambezi waters. At first, our presentations for global be energy positive - making us a net provider of • Ann Grigsby has volunteered with our Crane Richard Fox, Winnetka, IL Conservation Department for over 12 years and goal seemed simple: to audiences such as the World (Treasurer) energy back into the electrical power grid. Just this has made substantial contributions to our chick understand how big Zambezi Water Forum, we garnered local, Jim Harris, Baraboo, WI and Harbin, China week, the Baraboo Chamber of Commerce dams affected Wattled Cranes national, and international (Vice President) announced that ICF was honored with the 2009 rearing program and the care of adult cranes at in Mozambique, and what we Map by Mike Engels attention. We gained the backing Tourism Award that recognizes the importance of Crane City. Her dedicated support and her might do about it. We studied long-term changes in the annual timing, of Mozambique’s Ministry of Environment, the Zambezi Valley organizations like ours to the strong local interest incredibly positive attitude is an inspiration to magnitude, and duration of Zambezi flows, and how these changes were Planning Authority, and other government institutions. in eco-tourism. all of us. adversely affecting these endangered birds. We learned how the annual Our vision now is for