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To help implement the proposed “Warbler Watch” program for the Texas Hill Country, GEAA recently established a partnership with Texas A&M University (TAMU) researchers.
The goal of this collaborative program is to develop and implement a long-term and sustainable monitoring program, which will determine trends in distribution, abundance, habitat use, and breeding success of the GCWA across its breeding range. We propose to integrate with and expand upon comprehensive GCWA studies initiated by TAMU in 2003, which were enlarged to include a range-wide monitoring program during 2008. GEAA would help recruit volunteers and landowners, and distribute related educational materials to a broad public, while TAMU would manage the database, train volunteers, coordinate land access, and publish research results. Because TAMU is a State agency, there is no legal requirement for precise monitoring locations to be publicly available. TAMU is not divulging information gathered to any Federal or State agency, including US Fish and Wildlife, protecting participating landowners from regulatory actions.
Birding checklist data will be gathered by either TAMU researchers or trained volunteers at long-term sampling locations during the GCWA breeding season. A major advantage of the proposed linkage between TAMU researchers and local residents is increased communication among varied groups seeking understanding to promote sustainability through conservation. Local communities will share not only field monitoring tasks and important data, but also a sense of common purpose, with university students and researchers.
Please let me know if you may want to assist with this collaborative effort. We have much of the funding covered, but not all – for our work and TAMU’s work. At this time, we particularly need your help to identify properties available for TAMU to establish additional monitoring sites.
We plan a significant field effort this nesting season which starts mid March, so the sooner we may connect the better. Thanks, Tom
Tom D. Hayes, Ph.D.
Science Director
Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance
www.aquiferalliance.org
512.477.2320
tom@aquiferalliance.org
