The International Crane Foundation (ICF) is delighted to announce
An Evening with the Cranes.



This first time event will take place at ICF headquarters in Baraboo, Wisconsin from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 19, 2010.

Feb. 2, 2010

Caring for Wetlands – An Answer to Climate Change

What is World Wetlands Day?
It’s not just Ground Hog Day today! February 2nd each year is World Wetlands Day.
It marks the date of the signing of the Convention on Wetlands on 2 February 1971, in the Iranian city of Ramsar on the shores of the Caspian Sea. Each year, people around the world participate in events aimed at raising public awareness of wetland values.

News from ICF colleagues overseas on World Wetlands Day:

From Rich Beilfuss, ICF Vice President-Programs in Botswana:

Greetings everyone:

I am celebrating World Wetlands Day here at one of the world’s greatest wetlands–the Okavango Delta. The Botswana government prepared songs and dances (and plenty of political speeches!) for the event. Our science-review colleague Max Finlayson gave the keynote address on behalf of the Ramsar convention.

This afternoon our meeting focuses on Zambezi environmental flows and wetland restoration—another fine focus for the World Wetlands Day.

Stay well,
Rich Beilfuss

From Kerryn Morrison (Manager ICF/EWT Partnership for African Cranes) in South Africa:

The Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) spent a day last week at a key wetland about 2.5 hours from Johannesburg with media, sponsors and colleagues.  The idea was to increase awareness of wetlands and also garner additional support and awareness of what we do.  It was an incredible success and we have several key media articles going out nationally tomorrow.  The idea was to get people up close and personal with wetlands - and they all came away enthralled!

Regards,
Kerryn

On Friday, January 15th ICF hosted a meeting on green energy and green Jobs led by State Representative Fred Clark and Wisconsin’s Agriculture Secretary, Rod Nilsestuen that included ICF staff, local green industry leaders and press.


^{left to right: Sec. Rod Nilsestuen, Rep. Fred Clark, Anne Lacy (ICF) and Jim Hook (ICF)}

This morning the remaining 10 ultralight-led Whooping Cranes safely arrived on their wintering grounds at Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge, FL. This year’s ultralight-led migration is officially complete! According to Operation Migration, this is the second longest migration to date-lasting 89 days.

ICF’s Dr. Tran Triet, representing the Phu My Lepironia Wetland Conservation Project, has been invited by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to participate in a panel discussion at the North American launch of the International Year of Biodiversity, scheduled for 10 February 2010 at the American Museum of Natural History in New York. The United Nations has declared 2010 the International Year of Biodiversity.

To watch a video interview with Dr. Tran Triet on YouTube – CLICK HERE.

For more background on the Phu My Lepironia Wetland Conservation Project, CLICK HERE to read a November 2006 article in the ICF Bugle on page 7.

To view ICF's 2008 Annual Report, which includes a financial summary of fiscal year April 2008 - March 2009,  and a letter from ICF President and CEO, Jim Hook  click here!

On December 14, 2009 the Ramsar Secretariat announced the formal update and boundary extension of the Bujagh National Park Ramsar site in the Islamic Republic of Iran. The designation extends the area of the Ramsar site from 500 to 3,177 hectares.

Wildlife law enforcement agents with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources are investigating the shooting of Whooping Crane #17-02, near the town of Cayuga in central Vermillion County, Indiana.

The crane was shot sometime between Saturday, Nov. 28, when it was observed by Eva Szyszkoski, ICF Tracking Field Manager, and Tuesday, Dec. 1, when ICF tracking intern Jess Thompson found the carcass along West County Road 310 North, just west of North County Road 225 West.

ROCKPORT, Texas, Dec. 8, 2009. The Aransas Project (TAP) today filed a Notice of Intent to sue several officials of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) in their official capacity for illegal harm and harassment of Whooping Cranes at and adjacent to Aransas National Wildlife Refuge in violation of Section 9 of the Federal Endangered Species Act. Under federal law, TAP must wait at least 60 days before filing suit. The individuals to be sued in their official capacity include the three commissioners of the TCEQ, the executive director and the TCEQ's watermaster for the Guadalupe River.

Dr. Tran Triet, ICF’s Southeast Asia Program Coordinator traveled to Washington D.C. recently to speak to delegates at a Development Marketplace meeting sponsored by the World Bank.  ICF’s project at Phu My, Vietnam was chosen as the "Best of the Best" from the Marketplace Development grants that World Bank has supported over the last decade. Triet’s presentation exemplifies excellence in linking poverty alleviation with conservation in a sustainable manner.

Photo by Tran Triet

Get Involved – Double Your Contribution to Crane Conservation!

The goal of ICF’s 2009 Ambassadors for Water Campaign is to raise support for our cutting-edge programs that are confronting one of the most pressing issues facing mankind today – the security and management of fresh water supplies. These efforts benefit cranes, human communities and countless other species.

This year, through commitments from ICF’s Board of Directors and other generous donors, your gift to the campaign will be matched dollar-for-dollar until we reach our goal of $600,000.

Read more about ICF’s inspiring work to conserve fresh water supplies around the world.

It's that time of year again when we are all seeing large flocks of birds migrating south - and some of them may be Sandhill or even Whooping Cranes. If you happen to see a crane with leg bands, please visit our Banded Cranes page for instructions on how to report your sighting!

Our first video in a new series called, Cranecasts!

Video #1: Green Features of Spirit of Africa Exhibit

WATCH VIDEO

In her new book entitled, Hope for Animals and Their World: How Endangered Species Are Being Rescued from the Brink, Dr. Goodall relates personal experiences with some of the world's most dedicated conservationists and their committed efforts to save species and the critical need to protect wildlife habitat.  A chapter devoted to George’s efforts on behalf of the world’s cranes is included. The book is available from the Jane Goodall Institute.

Dec. 2009

Between October 15 and November 20, 2009 my around-the-world adventure took me to assignments in South Korea, Japan, Thailand and India. Read more about it on my TRAVEL BLOG.

Dr. George Archibald photographing Demoiselle Cranes at Keechan India. Photo by Gopi Sundar