Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The Bulletin. (Bend, OR) 1963-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 13, 2022)
The BulleTin • Sunday, FeBruary 13, 2022 A9 KLAMATH BASIN | BIRDING Festival renews focus on refuges and wildlife BY ALEX SCHWARTZ (Klamath Falls) herald and news The Klamath Basin’s “Ev- erglades of the West” once at- tracted millions of birds. Over the past few decades, the area has attracted many thousands of birders. But after two years of in- tense drought, most of the wa- tershed’s iconic wetlands are high and dry. Now the Winter Wings Festival, which typically celebrates the Klamath’s avian bounty each February, is mak- ing a bit of a pivot. Previous years’ Winter Wings Festivals, presented by the Klamath Basin Audubon Society, have always included birding field trips to Lower Klamath and Tule Lake Na- tional Wildlife Refuges, which are all that’s left of hundreds of thousands of acres of wetlands that once filled the Upper Klamath Basin. The refuges were renowned for their variety of migratory bird species, particularly wa- terfowl and bald eagles, due to their crucial position on the Pacific Flyway. As many as 80% of all migrating birds on the West Coast of North America stop here to rest and eat on their journeys between the Arctic and the tropics. But wetland habitat on both refuges has shrunk dramati- cally over the last two decades due to the Klamath Basin’s wa- ter crisis, magnified by climate change and a megadrought in the Western U.S. The refuges haven’t received full water de- liveries from the Klamath Proj- ect since the 1990s, and bird counts have fallen significantly as more avian travelers begin to skip these crucial rest stops. In recent years, low water and record temperatures have led to botulism outbreaks in late summer that kill tens of thou- sands of waterbirds. This winter, only a few thou- sand acres on Tule Lake Ref- uge’s Sump 1B remain wet — the refuge’s larger wetland unit and all but a few puddles worth of Lower Klamath Refuge sit dry and cracked. There are still birds, but Winter Wings attendees visit- ing the basin for the first time since 2020 may be in for a shock. “The last time the refuge was this dry was the Dust Bowl. This is unprecedented,” said Karl Wenner, local con- servationist and an owner of Lakeside Farms. “You’re kind of whistling through the grave- yard to just say, ‘Well, let’s look at birds and have a good time and not talk about what’s go- ing on.’” This year, the festival pro- gram includes seven presen- tations and field trips directly addressing the decline of the Klamath refuges, how they fit into the basin’s water crisis and what can be done to fix things. Refuge staff, local histo- rians, private landowners and non-governmental organiza- tions are lined up to help festi- val-goers unravel the complex- ities of the Klamath from the avian perspective. The series kicks off on Fri- day, Feb. 18, with a tour of the Klamath Project and a dis- cussion of how the arrival of settlers altered the Klamath Basin’s wetlands, led by Klam- ath County Museum Director Todd Kepple. That afternoon, Klamath Basin Refuge Com- plex Supervisory Biologist John Vradenburg will lead a talk describing the Upper Klamath Basin’s pivotal role in the Pacific Flyway and what the decline of these wetlands has meant for all of North America. “In the basin, it’s just such a struggle right now because we’re losing that relevancy at the landscape scale,” Vraden- burg said. “We’re trying to keep in people’s minds just how im- portant this place is for the Pa- cific Flyway and for continen- tal waterbird populations.” Wenner will then speak about Lakeside Farms, a unique restoration project that aims to improve water quality, provide wetland habitat for wa- terfowl and even grow endan- gered suckers, all on the same plot of land adjacent to Upper Klamath Lake. Attendees will be able to visit the farm Friday evening. herald and news Birds fly over Sump 1B in Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge on Feb. 8. is that it’s not just gloom and doom.” A bald eagle sits in a tree in Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge. Meanwhile, Mark Hennelly, California Waterfowl Associa- tion’s vice president for advo- cacy, will discuss the signifi- cance of Tule Lake and Lower Klamath refuges, the negative effects of their recent chronic dryness and his organization’s efforts to transfer upstream water rights to Lower Klamath. “It’s an opportunity to fur- ther educate people about the historic importance of the Klamath refuges for water- fowl,” Hennelly said. On Saturday, Lower Klam- ath Interpretive Park Ranger Stephen Rooker will chart the history of conservation pho- tography in the Klamath Basin and explain how naturalists have used images to spur the protection of natural resources. Oregon State University Grad- uate Student Jami Dennis will then use visual materials like maps, data visualizations and photos to tell a story of change in the Klamath over the past century. Anne Wenner, one of the co-coordinators of the Winter Wings Festival, said past pro- gramming hasn’t necessarily shied away from acknowledg- ing the problem on the refuges. Previous festivals have in- cluded discussions about agri- cultural activities on the refuge, the historical decline of wet- land habitat and talks on avian botulism. But this year, she said the focus will be more holistic. “We’re doing a much more in-depth explanation of what’s going on and what creative solutions stakeholders are coming up with,” she said. “My hope with these presentations ‘Things look really different’ Wenner said festival leader- ship would have likely included this lineup of talks as part of the 2021 Winter Wings Fes- tival, which was canceled due to COVID-19. Once they de- cided to make the 2022 festival in-person, they knew it would be remiss not to acknowledge and explain the dire conditions of the basin’s wetlands that fes- tival-goers will inevitably en- counter. “We’ve hit the tipping point now. We may lose the Pacific Flyway,” Wenner said. “With the Klamath Basin being the most important spot in the Pa- cific Flyway for migratory wa- terfowl, this may be the galva- nizing thing.” Vradenburg said he hopes this year’s festival program- ming will contextualize the changes attendees are likely to notice when bird-watching this year. He expects birders to spot eagles and the spring’s first migrating waterfowl closer to Klamath Falls or on nearby flooded agricultural fields rather than on the dry refuges themselves. “It’s important for people to love the birds and see the birds and experience the birds, be- cause that’s where you make your connection. But it’s also important for people to under- stand the issues,” he said. “Let’s educate people so they know why, when they’re going down to the refuge, things look really different.” Winter Wings has always had a conservation angle — in fact, the festival originally began in 1980 as a scientific symposium of sorts for bald eagle conservation shortly be- fore that species became listed under the Endangered Spe- cies Act. The conference was renamed “Winter Wings” in 2005 as the bald eagle began to recover. “Conservation has always been a focus of the festival,” Karl Wenner said. “Now it’s just become so dire that they’re really trying to look at solu- tions.” OBITUARY Reverse Mortgages Life in reverse…financial longevity and peace of mind. Debbie Tallman Reverse Mortgage Advisor NMLS-248704 (541) 390-0934 debbie.tallman@financeofamerica.com ©2020 Finance of America Mortgage LLC is licensed nationwide | Equal Housing Opportunity | NMLS ID #1071 (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org) | 300 Welsh Road, Building 5, Horsham, PA 19044 |(800) 355-5626. For licensing information go to: www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org. This is not a commitment to lend. Prices, guidelines and minimum requirements are subject to change without notice. Some products may not be available in all states. Subject to review of credit and/or collateral; not all applicants will qualify for financing. It is important to make an informed decision whenselecting and using a loan product; make sure to compare loan types when making a financing decision. This document is provided by Finance of America Mortgage. Any materials were notprovided by HUD or FHA. It has not been approved by FHA or any Government Agency.When the loan is due and payable, some or all of the equity in the property that is the subject of the reversemortgage no longer belongs to borrowers, who may need to sell the home or otherwise repay the loan with interest from other proceeds. The lender may charge an origination fee, mortgageinsurance premium, closing costs and servicing fees (added to the balance of the loan). The balance of the loan grows over time and the lender charges interest on the balance. Borrowers areresponsible for paying property taxes, homeowner’s insurance, maintenance, and related taxes (which may be substantial). We do not establish an escrow account for disbursements of thesepayments. A set-aside account can be set up to pay taxes and insurance and may be required in some cases. Borrowers must occupy home as their primary residence and pay for ongoingmaintenance; otherwise the loan becomes due and payable. The loan also becomes due and payable (and the property may be subject to a tax lien, other encumbrance, or foreclosure) when thelast borrower, or eligible non-borrowing surviving spouse, dies, sells the home, permanently moves out, defaults on taxes, insurance payments, or maintenance, or does not otherwise comply withthe loan terms. Interest is not tax-deductible until the loan is partially or fully repaid. Valentine BBL Photofacial Special Buy a package of 3 BBL’s & an Alastin gift set to receive a FREE add-on BBL treatment of your choice (hands or neck) - a $300 value! World’s most powerful IPL device on the market Gerald Peters, MD, FAAD, FACMS Ann Reitan, MHS, PA-C • Ericka Luckel , PA-C • Julie Natoli , PA-C 541-323-SKIN (7546) • www.petersderm.com • 2353 NE Conners Ave, Bend David Carson March 7, 1949 - November 29, 2021 David Leroy Carson passed away on November 29, 2021, from heart disease. He was born in Dixon Illinois March 7, 1949, to Stella Carson. He was a talented basketball player but due to diffi culti es at home, Dave moved out West to Oregon in the early 1970s. He married Doreen VonReyn and was the father to Jamie, Justi n, and Kyle. David was a talented carpenter and ran his own constructi on business for many years. Many would consider Dave “ornery” but those that knew him best loved him for his no-nonsense atti tude and willingness to set things right. Aft er many years in Fairview and Coquille, Dave made his way to Redmond Oregon working through the ranks at Tum A Lum lumber with his last positi on as a company offi cer and purchaser working for Marvin May, a dear friend to the very end. He loved the Cubs, fi shing, BBQ, dominos, and being with his grandkids. David is survived by his three sons, their wives, and 5 grandchildren. Unfortunately, Dave was unable to meet his newest granddaughter, Savanah Carson, born 11 days before his passing. Per request, there will be no formal funeral, instead, he will be cremated and his ashes spread in his favorite place, the Blue Ridge Mountains between Fairview and Coos Bay. Please pass on any well wishes or comments to Jamie Carson carson0802@gmail.com. In lieu of fl owers please consider a donati on to your local Humane Society.
