Ithaca, NY, October 23, 2007--In a positive step for bird conservation, President George W. Bush has announced a new national strategy to preserve key habitats for the migratory birds that he said “fascinate and bring joy to millions of our citizens.”

Speaking at the Patuxent Research Refuge in Laurel, Maryland, on Saturday, October 20, President Bush said that America is facing a significant environmental challenge: Hundreds of bird species are losing stopover habitats needed on their annual migrations. He proposed several measures to restore and protect habitats in the U.S. and in Mexico.

“I don’t know if you know this or not, but each year more than 800 species of migratory birds brave stiff winds, harsh weather, and numerous predators to fly thousands of miles,” President Bush said. “Unfortunately, expanding civilization has made it harder for these birds to find places to stop and rest.”

 “Our birds have been pummeled by urban and agricultural sprawl, rampant pesticide use, and wetland degradation for decades,” says John Fitzpatrick, director of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. “Many species today are down to just a third of their population sizes in the 1960s.”

President Bush emphasized the need for “cooperative conservation” uniting citizens, private groups, and government officials to protect birds. In formulating his new policies, he drew upon recommendations from a report spearheaded by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in partnership with leaders from other conservation organizations, including the American Bird Conservancy, National Audubon Society, Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences, Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, Partners in Flight, The Nature Conservancy, and PRBO Conservation Science.

The President outlined several measures to help protect birds, including:

• Restoring 200,000 acres of habitats for migratory birds on National Wildlife Refuges by 2009 and raising $3 billion in public and private funding to help restore wildlife habitats in national parks
• Allocating $509 million in 2008 to the USDA Farm Bill conservation programs that assist landowners in preserving habitat for migratory birds
• Working with the Mexican government and nongovernmental organizations to restore and protect five priority habitats in Mexico with $4 million committed in Fiscal Year 2007
• Adding three new Joint Ventures--regional partnerships that use public and private funding--to help conserve birds along the Rio Grande corridor, in the Appalachian Mountains, and on the northern Great Plains
• Requesting a “State of the Birds” report from the Secretary of the Interior by 2009 to chart progress and identify bird species that need additional protection.

“We are impressed and heartened by these bold initiatives,” says Fitzpatrick. “The President and his staff are closely following many direct recommendations of the conservation community.”

President Bush concluded his address, “The cooperative conservation policies that we have put in place show our commitment to protecting America’s migratory birds, conserving the habitat they depend on, and ensuring that generations of Americans will enjoy the beauty of birds for decades to come.”

To watch President Bush’s address on video or to read the transcript, visit the White House web site. 

For more information, contact:
Pat Leonard
Cornell Lab of Ornithology
(607) 254-2137
pel27@cornell.edu