CONSERVATION CORNER
Woodpecker Rediscovered in Arkansas
by James L. Cummins

Responding to the dramatic rediscovery of the ivory-billed woodpecker at the Cache River National Wildlife Refuge in Arkansas, Interior Secretary Gale Norton and Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns recently announced a multi-year, multi-million-dollar partnership effort to aid the rare bird's survival. The bird has been thought to be extinct in the United States for more than 60 years.

“This is a rare second chance to preserve through cooperative conservation what was once thought lost forever,” Secretary Norton said.

The Interior Department, along with the Department of Agriculture (USDA), has proposed that more than $10 million in federal funds be committed to protect the bird. This amount would supplement $10 million already committed to research and habitat protection efforts by private sector groups and citizens, an amount expected to grow once news of the rediscovery spreads. Federal funds will be used for research and monitoring, recovery planning and public education. In addition, the funds will be used to enhance law enforcement and conserve habitat through conservation easements, safe-harbor agreements and conservation reserves.

“Finding a species once thought extinct is a rare and exciting event, and USDA is pleased to be a partner in the effort to protect ivory-billed woodpeckers,” Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns said. “At the same time, we understand that habitat conservation can impact landowners. That's why we're going to reach out to work cooperatively with stakeholders so we can all share in the joy of this discovery.”

The action by Secretary Norton and Secretary Johanns came in response to news from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, The Nature Conservancy and others that had collected primary and secondary evidence of the bird's existence in the Cache River National Wildlife Refuge. The primary evidence consists of video footage, while the secondary evidence consists of seven eye-witness sightings and audio evidence of the ivory-billed woodpecker. In addition, recordings of the distinctive double rap of the bird are still under analysis. After conducting its own peer reviews of the evidence, the journal Science is now publishing these findings.

The recovery plan will adjust to emerging knowledge of these rare birds, their activities and habitat needs. Priority will be placed on developing a long-term plan that integrates federal, state, local and private resources. Recovery efforts will utilize partnerships, safe harbor agreements, easements and land purchases from willing sellers.

James L. Cummins is Executive Director of the Mississippi Fish and Wildlife Foundation in Stoneville, Mississippi. Known as "Wildlife Mississippi," the Foundation is a non-profit, conservation organization founded to conserve, restore and enhance fish, wildlife and plant resources throughout Mississippi. Their web site is www.wildlifemiss.org.