For some reason, this Monday feels pretty excellent to me. Maybe its the new pants I'm wearing. Anyhow, tonight we have our monthly board meeting, so I'm getting ready for that.
In the meantime, some of the articles that caught my attention this weekend:
Irvine Mayor Pro Tem Larry Agran, writing in the LA TImes suggests that federal stimulus money is missing a huge opportunity by not including an element focusing on metropolitan parks. Tru dat, Larry. Tru dat. Also of interest, is his description of the Orange County Great Park. Cool Stuff:
In true stolid Midwest fashion, Minnesota is not waiting for someone else to bail them out, they've recently approved a percentage of state sales tax to environmental and arts needs. The $69 million in Minne-monies is going toward purchase of 6,000 acres, and restoration of more than 22,000 acres. Ya sure, ya betcha!
In the What Are Invasive Species Doing Department, monk parakeets are causing problems for utility companies in Connecticut. Note the aptronym of the woman quoted at the end of the article.
But, when it comes to the birds we do like (i.e. the native birds), they're in serious trouble. Here's news of the latest report to warn us that we're killing our birds off.
Dire as that is, the good news is that here in the Hylebos, we are doing something significant that should help birds. Protecting and restoring more than 745 acres of habitat and open space provides an important habitat area of native resident and migratory birds. When you see reports like the one above, remember that you're helping provide a local solution to part of this environmental challenge!
(....and yes, Skip, there are birds in the Hylebos!)
that park in Orange County is walking distance from my dad's house. I'm glad they decided to go in a positive direction with it. They were talking for a while about turning it into an international airport, so that OC'ers wouldn't have to go to LAX.
Posted by: streamteam | March 25, 2009 at 02:21 PM
This is your chance to promote Shade Grown coffee, Chris. It's available through the Audubon Society, or read carefully the labels on coffee at your local store. Tell the store manager to carry it. Simply "organic" is not enough. Winter habitat for our songbirds is being lost to coffee farmers who think they need sun!
Posted by: Laurie Austin | April 01, 2009 at 03:15 PM