As regular CFZ-watchers will know, for some time Corinna has been doing a column for Animals & Men and a regular segment on On The Track... particularly about out-of-place birds and rare vagrants. There seem to be more and more bird stories from all over the world hitting the news these days so, to make room for them all - and to give them all equal and worthy coverage - she has set up this new blog to cover all things feathery and Fortean.

Sunday, 4 November 2012

Wildflower Center Awards $638,000 to Protect Endangered Species


Nov. 1, 2012
AUSTIN, Texas — Eight organizations supporting the conservation of federally endangered species have been awarded grants totaling $637,858 distributed by The University of Texas at Austin’s Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

The one-year Endangered Species Conservation Grants are to conduct conservation research or set aside habitat to assist the recovery of Texas’ black-capped vireo, golden-cheeked warbler, Navasota ladies’ tresses, Texas prairie dawn and Tobusch fishhook cactus. The two bird and three plant species are listed under the Endangered Species Act.

The Wildflower Center was chosen by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to distribute the funds based partly on the center’s conservation efforts for the three endangered plant species. “The Wildflower Center cares for about a dozen plant species that are endangered or rare in Texas and has years of experience in this area,” said Karen Clary, the center’s manager of plant conservation. Clary manages the new conservation grant program.

The grant recipients were chosen by Wildflower Center and outside experts on the endangered species. Their projects are:

Black-capped vireo, $39,478: Rich Kostecke, The Nature Conservancy and colleagues will count male and female vireos during their breeding season at multiple locations in Val Verde County. The surveys at Dolan Falls Preserve and other conservancy-affiliated land along the upper Devils River will improve statewide statistics on the vireo. Studies will also be done to determine whether vegetation changes on this land over time shift the birds’ habitat.


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