Mar 10, 2010
The Aransas Project (TAP) files federal lawsuit against TCEQ officials for illegally harming endangered Whooping Cranes. READ Press Release on TAP's website 

Information on ICF's website about Whooping Cranes and freshwater inflows in Texas

There are last minute openings for this year's trip taking place March 26-28, 2010! To learn more, contact This E-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it  at (608) 356-9462 ext. 144. Space is  limited, and reservations will be taken on a first-come, first-served basis.

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.

This annual event is designed to tease out the bird watcher in all of us – novice or expert – while sharing a fun day with family and friends and raising essential support for crane and wetland conservation.

Whether you are interested in establishing your own Bird-a-thon team, joining or supporting someone else’s, or sponsoring ICF’s “Craniacs” lead by our Co-founder George Archibald, we invite you to join in this exciting tradition!

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!

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.

The Charisma of Cranes

By Jim Hook, ICF President

Feb 2010

The two cohorts of Whooping Cranes in the Class of 2009 have successfully concluded their ultralight-led migration to Florida, with ten birds now at St Marks National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) on Florida’s panhandle and the remaining ten birds at Chassahowitzka NWR, a few hours south in Citrus County. But the first 2009 Whooping Crane to reach Florida was Direct Autumn Release (DAR) #42-09 who arrived the old fashioned way, with an adult bird on January 7, 2010. With the remaining 85 adults and DAR birds at various southern parts of the flyway, we are thrilled to see the overall reintroduced flock has reached a population of approximately 105.

ICF’s Dr. Tran Triet, representing the Phu My Lepironia Wetland Conservation Project in Vietnam, 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 on February 10 at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. The panel includes prominent UN leaders, heads of international conservation organizations, high profile economists and local community representatives. A reception follows including statements from UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. We are proud of Triet and the ongoing well deserved recognition for his work at Phu My and are pleased that he can participate in this prestigious event. 

In January, we hosted a visit by Rod Nilsestuen, the Wisconsin Secretary of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, and our Representative to the Wisconsin House of Representatives, Fred Clark. Their visit to ICF was prompted by our new, energy efficient Africa Crowned Crane holding building which serves as a leading edge example for green building practices in Wisconsin. Secretary Nilsestuen and Representative Clark led us in a discussion of the prospective Clean Energy Jobs Act, Governor Jim Doyle’s recently announced initiative to establish a new clean energy economy for Wisconsin. The bill will articulate clear objectives for curbing our dependence on imported fossil fuels, generating new jobs, cutting pollution and cleaning up the air. Our guests urged us to follow this legislation closely as it moves ahead.

As the current issue of The ICF Bugle attests, ICF continues strong field programs in numerous parts of the world, with creative activities that have broad significance beyond cranes. We are very grateful for the strong support of our members. The charisma of cranes continues to make investment in their welfare highly effective at promoting a vision we share... where diverse people work together to find solutions that maintain natural balances, promote human welfare, and safeguard the beauty of cranes and of the wild.

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