From this story in the LA Times:
A federal conservation agency said Monday that it would begin paying some gulf region farmers and ranchers to flood their fields so that migratory birds can find alternative rest and nesting grounds to oil-fouled habitats. The Migratory Bird Habitat Initiative will pay to use up to 150,000 acres of land "to provide feeding, loafing and resting areas for migratory birds," according to an announcement by the Agriculture Department's Natural Resources Conservation Service. The program applies mainly to former wetlands and low-lying land in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Texas. Conservation officials are hoping to attract birds to safe areas before they land on shores and wetlands contaminated by the massive oil spill.

Coulon said she expected that many of the farmers who will sign up already work with NRCS on soil erosion control, pest management, water quality improvement and other conservation projects. The Deepwater Horizon oil spill has fouled marshes and coastal areas relied on by birds and other wildlife, including the ecologically sensitive Chandeleur Islands, the second-oldest wildlife refuge in the national system. The gulf region sits beneath one of the world's major migratory flyways, with about 1 billion birds from more than 300 species passing through annually, said Greg Butcher, director of bird conservation for the National Audubon Society. Sandpipers, among the earliest arrivals, usually reach the gulf from arctic breeding grounds by about July 4, Butcher said. "None of this is guaranteed to work," Butcher said. "We're expecting that this will work at least a little bit. We're hoping that it'll help a lot."

Your thoughts?

Comments (12)

from Cgull wrote 1 year 47 weeks ago

Now that's a Idea that just may help. Still going to lose a lot of waterfowl, so anything anyone can do to minimize the amount of birds contaminated is a win win. I'm flooding all I can of my Arknasas bottoms to do my part.

WC~AR

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from Nebraskahunter18 wrote 1 year 47 weeks ago

I think this is a good idea. when the birds come down they will go to the clean ponds instead of the oil containimated ocean.

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from countitandone wrote 1 year 47 weeks ago

santa and countryroad, what's your take on this? This is right in your backyard, right?

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from ejunk wrote 1 year 47 weeks ago

huh! be interesting to see how this works out. sounds potentially positive to me.

yrs-
Evan!

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from jjas wrote 1 year 47 weeks ago

Well worth a try! Hopefully, it will help.

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from seadog wrote 1 year 47 weeks ago

Sounds like a good idea, but BP should be paying for it. I hope the feds recover the funds.

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from hengst wrote 1 year 47 weeks ago

Good i have been wondering what they would do..I also think it will help some...Could not have been a politician that came up with that one

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from jamesti wrote 1 year 47 weeks ago

i'm with seadog. make BP pay for it. good idea. at least someone is looking ahead.

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from JOHN ANDERSON wrote 1 year 47 weeks ago

these birds have been useing these same waters for eons.I hope it will work.

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from jbird wrote 1 year 47 weeks ago

I hope it works, and saves some wildlife.

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from earlyriser81 wrote 1 year 46 weeks ago

I beliee this is very quick thinking to protect wildlife given the circumstances. I hope the project has great success.

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from riaz wrote 1 year 43 weeks ago

Can't say I'm against this. At least it's job creation instead of unemployment extension.
http://actionad.wordpress.com/2010/06/15/how-to-write-hunting-and-fishin...

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from Cgull wrote 1 year 47 weeks ago

Now that's a Idea that just may help. Still going to lose a lot of waterfowl, so anything anyone can do to minimize the amount of birds contaminated is a win win. I'm flooding all I can of my Arknasas bottoms to do my part.

WC~AR

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from seadog wrote 1 year 47 weeks ago

Sounds like a good idea, but BP should be paying for it. I hope the feds recover the funds.

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from jamesti wrote 1 year 47 weeks ago

i'm with seadog. make BP pay for it. good idea. at least someone is looking ahead.

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from riaz wrote 1 year 43 weeks ago

Can't say I'm against this. At least it's job creation instead of unemployment extension.
http://actionad.wordpress.com/2010/06/15/how-to-write-hunting-and-fishin...

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from Nebraskahunter18 wrote 1 year 47 weeks ago

I think this is a good idea. when the birds come down they will go to the clean ponds instead of the oil containimated ocean.

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from countitandone wrote 1 year 47 weeks ago

santa and countryroad, what's your take on this? This is right in your backyard, right?

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from ejunk wrote 1 year 47 weeks ago

huh! be interesting to see how this works out. sounds potentially positive to me.

yrs-
Evan!

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from jjas wrote 1 year 47 weeks ago

Well worth a try! Hopefully, it will help.

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from hengst wrote 1 year 47 weeks ago

Good i have been wondering what they would do..I also think it will help some...Could not have been a politician that came up with that one

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from JOHN ANDERSON wrote 1 year 47 weeks ago

these birds have been useing these same waters for eons.I hope it will work.

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from jbird wrote 1 year 47 weeks ago

I hope it works, and saves some wildlife.

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from earlyriser81 wrote 1 year 46 weeks ago

I beliee this is very quick thinking to protect wildlife given the circumstances. I hope the project has great success.

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All submitted comments are subject to the rules set forth in our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.