Compatible Multiple Use

The Choctawhatchee River Wildlife Management Area and other public and private forested bottomlands in the Southeast that may support ivorybills are very important to local residents as hunting, fishing, and boating areas. There is concern among some users of these lands that access may be severely limited following the confirmation of ivorybills, and some understandably may be reluctant to come forward with information that may lead to that confirmation. To their credit, managers at the Northwest Florida Water Management District and the Florida Wildlife Conservation Commission decided to leave the Choctawhatchee River WMA open to hunting and fishing during the present search.

For those unaware of it, there is a relatively new forum for Ivory-billed Woodpecker searchers at http://www.ibwo.net/forum. A recent thoughtful post by one of the members, screen name Redbird, bears repeating here, especially as it applies to management of areas valued by hunters and fishermen and how they must not be excluded from these lands they have worked to protect. Here it is in its entirety (and used by permission):

It is so much more fun to talk about management plans for the IBWO than whether or not an out of focus few seconds of video is in fact the Ivory billed woodpecker. While it would be great to have a clear video or photo that would silence most of the critics, we still need to respect the evidence that is available to us right now. Over the past few years as well as the past several decades, numerous birders, hunters, fisherman and general outdoorsman have seen and heard the IBWO throughout most of its known range. The IBWO is here, surviving against all odds, and not out of he woods just yet.

The bird has been found in areas that, for the most part, would not have been preserved if not for the hunters and fisherman who fought to keep the land the way that it was. Any management plan involving protecting the Ivory bill needs to recognize this fact, and use the hunters and fisherman as allies to continue to preserve and extend the habitat that is beneficial for all parties. As soon as we exclude the people who use the area on a daily/weekly/monthly basis to protect the bird and its habitat, we lose a partner who has the same mission to protect the same habitat, even if for a different reason.

As for birders swarming the area, I think the managed access plans similar to what they used in the Cache River last year are a great idea. This allows some people into the area for a chance to fulfill a dream, while still keeping the interests of the species in mind. The more people who have a chance to enter the swamp, hear the sounds, and get into the excitement of the chase, the more people will get behind the cause. A few people have touched on it here, but it is worth repeating that there are multiple areas within the known range of the species worth searching for those of us interested in seeing a real, living, breathing Ivory bill. Remember, that thinking is what got the Auburn group into the swamp in the first place. Instead of rushing to the hot zone like everyone else (me included), they sought out other areas within the known range that met the habitat requirement. Now we are all sitting here anxiously awaiting the next word from them, and waiting impatiently for the inevitable photograph. Certainly there are other areas worth exploring. In fact, we need evidence from some of these other areas to ensure long term survival of this species.

Thanks for listening to my rant. Continue to support those who are out there searching daily, and good luck on your own searches.