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Press Release Headlines
5/14/2001
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, City of Philadelphia Celebrate International Migratory Bird Day
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
PHILADELPHIA, May 11 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
has joined with the City of Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Zoo, other
conservation supporters and individuals to celebrate the ninth annual
International Migratory Bird Day (IMBD). On May 12, 2001, in ceremonies
held
at the Philadelphia Zoo, representatives of the Service and Philadelphia
opened a weekend celebration of migratory birds and their contributions to
people's quality of life.
"We are extremely proud to stand with the City of Philadelphia and the
Philadelphia Zoo to celebrate migratory birds and inaugurate a new
partnership
for bird conservation in this historic city," said Dr. Mamie A. Parker,
acting
regional director for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Northeast Region.
"More than 350 bird species migrate to or through Philadelphia each year,
and
we welcome the opportunity to work with its residents to provide habitat."
Saturday's event is of one of hundreds of IMBD events celebrated
nationwide and focuses on the annual return of millions of birds from their
Central and South American wintering habitats.
Parker noted that shade-grown coffee was chosen as this year's theme
because of its increasing prominence in conservation, birding, and specialty
coffee circles. Parker also explained that when cities improve bird habitat,
it benefits their residents. The kind of habitat that shelters and sustains
birds -- parks, greenways and tree-lined streets, for example -- also
improves
the quality of life for people.
Philadelphia Managing Director John S. Martz pointed to Philadelphia's
Neighborhood Transformation Initiative as an example of how urban renewal
can
also benefit migratory birds.
"As we rebuild our city, we are working to maintain and enhance the
quality of life for our residents, and in this case, it includes
appreciating
and learning about these beautiful creatures, both today and for future
generations," said Martz.
The Service has a long history of working with the residents of
Philadelphia to conserve migratory birds. John Heinz National Wildlife
Refuge
at Tinicum, established in 1972, lies within the city limits and provides
resting, feeding and nesting habitat for more than 280 species of migratory
birds. The refuge works with local public schools on environmental education
and habitat restoration projects and was designated the first Important Bird
Area in Pennsylvania by the National Audubon Society.
IMBD is the hallmark event of Partners in Flight, an international
coalition created in 1990 that includes the Service, other federal and state
wildlife agencies, conservation groups, academic institutions, corporations
and individuals dedicated to reversing declines in migratory bird
populations.
During its nine years, IMBD has become the premier celebration of migratory
birds and their habitat in our hemisphere.
IMBD celebrations will be held at hundreds of locations on or around May
12, including member facilities of the American Zoo and Aquarium
Association,
Federal public lands such as national wildlife refuges, national parks and
forests, city and state parks, bird sanctuaries and other natural areas.
Many
of these events can be found in a registry on the International Migratory
Bird
Day web site at http://birds.fws.gov/imbd. Additional information on
migratory bird management issues, including shade-grown coffee, can be found
via the Service's home page at http://www.fws.gov.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency
responsible for conserving, protecting and enhancing fish, wildlife and
plants
and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The
Service manages the 94-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System which
encompasses more than 535 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small
wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 70 national
fish
hatcheries, 64 fishery resource offices and 78 ecological services field
stations. The agency enforces Federal wildlife laws, administers the
Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores
nationally significant fisheries, conserves and restores wildlife habitat
such
as wetlands, and helps foreign governments with their conservation efforts.
It
also oversees the Federal Aid program that distributes hundreds of millions
of
dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to state fish and
wildlife agencies.
For More Information:
Julie St. Louis 703-358-1824
John Heinz NWR 610-521-0662
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