Wetlands are critical to so many species of birds nationwide and hemisphere-wide, and wetlands are especially important to people – we all rely on wetlands to reduce the chances of flooding, improve water quality, recharge ground water supplies, provide outdoor recreation, opportunities, and much more. Yet, last week the US Supreme Court removed critical protections for wetlands including marshes, ponds, swamps – self-contained basin-filled wetlands – that have been protected for more than 50 years under the Clean Water Act, a law passed by Congress in 1972 made it illegal to drain, fill, or pollute “waters of the United States” without a permit.

In a close 5-to-4 majority opinion, Justice Samuel Alito wrote that wetlands are covered by the law only if they have a “continuous surface connection” to larger water bodies, an unprecedented re-definition of wetlands. That measuring stick dictates that the Clean Water Act applies to a wetland only if it connects with a river, stream, lake, or ocean such that it is “difficult to determine where the ‘water’ ends and the ‘wetland’ begins.”

Wetland basins such as the prairie potholes, varied single basin marshes, and other wetland types are essential for a wide variety of birds, especially during the nesting and brood rearing periods, during migration stopovers, and at wintering areas. Every wetland counts, especially considering that more than half of America’s wetlands have already been destroyed.

The ruling “is devastating for wetlands and the benefits they provide to people,” noted Royal Gardner, a wetland law expert at Stetson University College of Law. Scientific improvements have made it possible to define the boundaries of almost any wetland, Gardner explained, and by Justice Alito’s reckoning, that means that only tidal wetlands and those within a river’s typical high-water mark qualify for protections. “The ‘continuous surface water connection’ requirement, has no basis in science,” he wrote. Read more

Whitetails Unlimited recently granted more than $11,000 to Quest Ministries of Michigan. The group focuses on providing hunting and fishing experiences for special needs youth and Purple Heart recipients. All of Quest Ministries events take place at Two Hats Ranch located in Big Rapids, Michigan. In addition to the hunting and fishing excursions, participates also partake in many other natural exploration activities.

Quest Ministries was founded in 2000 by Skipper Bettis. Bettis identified a need to provide outdoor activities for youth who otherwise would not have the opportunity. In 2003, the inaugural Billy Ray Parnell Memorial Purple Heart Hunt took place. The hunt was created in honor of Billy Ray Parnell, who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving in Vietnam. The group has been offering hunts to Purple Heart veterans ever since.

To learn more about Quest Ministries, please visit their website at www.questofmichigan.com. Read more

PHOENIX – Partners in Mexican wolf conservation are pleased to announce the successful fostering of 16 genetically valuable Mexican wolf pups this spring. The pups traveled from four captive facilities across the country and were placed into six wild dens in eastern Arizona and western New Mexico. This is the eighth year of fostering into the wild population of Mexican wolves, bringing the total number of fostered captive-born
pups to 99.

Fostering is a proven method used by the Mexican Wolf Interagency Field Team (IFT) to increase genetic diversity in the wild Mexican wolf population. It begins with selective breeding by the Saving Animals From Extinction (SAFE) program to produce genetically diverse pups within the captive population. Within 14 days of whelping (being born), the captive-born pups are transported to the wild and mixed with similarly aged wild pups in the dens of wild Mexican wolf packs, which have been identified and selected by the IFT to provide the greatest chance of survival of the captive-born pups in the wild.

“Fostering is like a relay race for conservation,” said Agapito Lopez, a wolf technician with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. “These pups start at SAFE zoos and wolf centers, are handed off to be flown on donated private flights arranged by LightHawk, then given health checks and tube fed by our trained veterinarians, and finally are hiked into their new wild dens by IFT field staff. It’s a carefully orchestrated process involving dozens of dedicated individuals.” Read more

PHOENIX — The Arizona Game and Fish Department reminds the public to protect themselves and their pets by keeping a safe distance from wildlife, especially animals that may be behaving abnormally, such as those that appear overly aggressive and/or lacking a fear of humans.

The reminder comes after a recent incident in which a dog infected with the grey fox strain of rabies bit a child in the town of Whiteriver on the Fort Apache Reservation in eastern Arizona.

“The weather is warming up and people are outside,” said Dr. Anne Justice-Allen, AZGFD wildlife veterinarian. “At this time of year, we often see an uptick in the number of wildlife submitted for rabies testing as a result of contact with people or their pets.” Read more

May 26, 2023 – The National Deer Association (NDA) has announced an exciting Deer Steward Module scheduled for July 14-16, 2023 in Jamestown, Missouri. The Module will feature experts like Dr. Craig Harper from the University of Tennessee and Kip Adams from NDA and will benefit new and veteran landowners alike. The module will provide attendees with a foundation of skill covering everything from the management of ground level vegetation to meeting wildlife management goals. The course also focuses on mechanical and chemical treatment methods in forests, fields and food plots.

“This is an amazing opportunity for landowners and managers to gain access to valuable expertise and hands-on training from some of the best brains in wildlife and habitat management,” said Ben Westfall, NDA Conservation Coordinator. “Since 2015, we have been hosting these modules as a way to give landowners access to the valuable information they need to generate a positive impact on their local habitats and wildlife. This event is a one stop shop for attendees to take any property to the next level and create a noticeable impact on deer populations.”

The Habitat Enhancement Module at Clay Farms will be led by Dr Craig Harper, Kip Adams, and Ben Westfall. Attendees will learn everything about habitat including early succession management, forest stand improvement, prescribed fire, plant identification and much more. Read more