Red-cockaded Woodpecker Donors & Recipients Flock to Tallahassee, Florida

Contacts: Tom MacKenzie, (404) 679-7291
Ralph Costa, (864) 656-1853

WHO:

60 to 70 Red-cockaded Woodpecker partners

WHAT:

Red-cockaded Woodpecker Southern Range Translocation Cooperative strategy meeting (FL, GA, AL & MS)

WHEN:

August 17, 2004
8:00 am to 5:00 pm
Lunch is the best media availability (11:30 a.m.).

WHERE:

U.S. Forest Service headquarters (Florida)
Woodcrest Office Park,
325 John Knox Rd, Suite F-100, Tallahassee, FL 32303
Telephone: 850-523-8500

WHY:

Media are invited to attend this working meeting at which decisions regarding translocation of endangered Red-cockaded Woodpeckers will be made. This meeting is a prime example of a complex conservation partnership in action. The Southern Range Translocation Cooperative exemplifies cooperative conservation and is comprised of 30 recipient populations on private, state and federal properties that receive birds from four donor populations, including the U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Army (Ft. Benning & Ft. Stewart) and U.S. Air Force (Eglin AFB). Starting in 1998, this is the 8th year anniversary of the gathering, which has been highly successful at saving numerous small populations -- those harboring fewer than 30 active clusters-- from extirpation.

Bottomline – Thanks to this group we have birds (about 80) coming and going between 34+ partners, including private, state and federal populations in Florida, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia – an example of collaboration at its finest.

The objectives of the meeting are to:

(1) identify recipient populations,
(2) list recipient population bird needs,
(3) tally total number of birds available from donor populations,
(4) pair donor and recipient populations,
(5) prioritize recipient populations,
(6) allocate birds to recipient populations, and
(7) determine tentative translocation schedule.

Of particular note: The Red-cockaded Woodpecker recovery effort will be highlighted at the White House Conference of Cooperative Conservation on Aug. 29, 2005 in St. Louis, MO. Ralph Costa, RCW Recovery Coordinator, will represent the Service as a panel member during a special session along with Robert Bonnie, Environmental Defense, Scott Belfit, Army Environmental Center, and Lamar Comalander, Millikan Forestry Company, Inc. For more information: http://www.conservation.ceq.gov/.