Yesterday I met with Toivola-Meadowlands Dev. board along with the mayor of Meadowlands. I gave a an hour and half presentation to them about the history of Sax Zim Bog, the owl irruption and problems that occured during the owl irruption and finally talking about projects that would benefit the community.
The first project I discussed was the need for some feeding stations or yards birders can visit to view winter birds (Pine Grosbeaks, Evening Grosbeaks and Redpolls). Two yards will be available for the public viewing next winter! One of the feeders will be at the Abramson's and ther other at the Prudhomme's. I will give detail locations where to visit these feeders when the time comes. Right now I need to contact some local merchants to see if they would like to donate some feeders and feed to these good people. By the way the habitat these yards are located in are outstanding locations! They are near the Whiteface River and also there are plenty of coniferous trees and open areas to attract a wide assortment of birds!
The second project was hanging some deer rib cages that attract woodpeckers, chickadees (both species) and Gray Jays. The group said I should have no problem getting some rib cages this fall to hang up after the deer hunting season. I wil hang up some deer rib cages along Owl Avenue, McDavitt Rd and Admiral Rd. These rib cages should really attract the Boreal Chickadees and also give birders outstanding views of birds feeding on the suet.
The last project was getting the Winter Birding Festival off the ground and approved by the group. The group really would love to see this happen and are very eager about having a festival in their small community. We talked at length what my role will be and also ideas on lodging, catering and field trips. We will meet again after I get back from Colorado to set a date, and begin the process of putting all our ideas into action. I suspect the winter festival will be in February of 2008. the Sax Zim Winter Birding Festival has all the capabilities to be a very large/popular festival that would attract birders from all over the U.S.
One of the interesting tidbits I heard was this "Friends of Sax Zim Bog" left these people hanging and NEVER fullfilled thier ideas! I promised them I am not going to leave you guys hanging on empty hopes and wishes! This same group met the very same group as I did and told them this and that but never came back to show them how or gave them direction. I told them "what ya expect when some of the members lived in the Minneapolis area and others were goverment people just out to put thier name associated with this group as a public relation move". You see this group is not filled with young folks or middle age people. The mayor and the TMDG are basically senior citizens who were born and raised in this area. They lived on farms and worked the land and have no understanding about birding or even how to write up grants. What I saw were people who have a lot of pride and love for this area! The group has little or no money but they have enthusiam and energy to get the festival going. I hope this festival is huge success because all income from the event will go back to the community! I am volunteering all my time to see this event get off the ground. What pisses me off the most is that all these so-called "FRIENDS" of Sax Zim Bog did not do one damn thing to help these people! I accompolished more in a hour and a half then what this lame group try to do in 6+ months of meeting at the Wilbert's Cafe in Cotton. I never understoon why this group never met at the Senior Complex in Meadowlands since the heart of the Sax Zim Bog is in Meadowlands!
Also the supervisor of the Meadowlands sewage ponds is willing to contruct a viewing platform at the ponds for birders! I told the group we should hold off on this idea since the ponds are only birded during the month of May in association with the St. Louis County Birdathon.
I also talked about the logging issues in the bog. I had to walk a fine line as some of the woman were tied to loggers. I told them its not the loggers fault because they are doing what it takes to put food on the table of their families but its the state foresters and the DNR for allowing this to happen. I told them they are trying to manage a worm that is feeding on the spruce and tamaracks. I told them its a lame excuse for them to make money off this so-called management practice by putting state land up for bids. The logging is talking away habitat from boreal birds and these boreal birds are the reasons why birders come here in the first place. They understood and I told them if all the nearby accessible bogs are logged out, birders will no longer come here! The look on their faces was looks of sadness and hopefully the mayor and the group will talk amongst themselves to find ways to stop this logging but in my opinion the only way to stop it is in the voting booth. We need a governor who will select a DNR commissioner that is concern about bogs and other fragil habitats vs. logging away and be more focused on how much money the DNR can make off the natural resources like timber!
Over all the meeting was a success! The elderly woman and the two men were excited about the prospects of the festival and were very supportive of the other projects. I made some friends up there in Meadowlands and also listening to their stories was wonderful.
Later!
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