Date: Tue, 20 Nov 2001 16:28:39 -0500 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Michael Bowen Subject: Fwd: RE: Bentsen S.P.and closure of camping loop Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed Dear MDOspreys: I believe it was here just a short time ago that someone posted information about the imminent closure of the camping loop at Bentsen State Park in South Texas. Anyway, I e-mailed a message (reproduced below) to Mark Lockwood of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department in Austin, and have just received Mark's reply, also reproduced below. It appears that the change is not going to be reversible, and we'll have to find our own rarities without depending on stakeouts at the various feeders in the camping loop as in the past. I certainly can echo Mark's comment about the deteriorated habitats at Bentsen, judging from the conditions there (exceptionally dry and dusty) during my trips there in November 1999 and March 2001. I don't have many details on the World Birding Center, which Mark refers to in his message. Will follow up on this. Bentsen State Park is a long way from Maryland, so maybe Norm can weigh in on whether the subject is okay for discussion on MDOsprey. Good birding! Mike Bowen Bethesda MD >X-Apparently-To: dhmbowen@yahoo.com via web20005.mail.yahoo.com; 20 Nov >2001 07:01:25 -0800 (PST) >X-RocketRCL: -1;0;0 >X-Track: 1: 40 >From: Mark Lockwood >To: 'Michael Bowen' >Subject: RE: Bentsen S.P. >Date: Tue, 20 Nov 2001 09:01:24 -0600 >X-Mailer: Internet Mail Service (5.5.2650.21) > >Dear Mike, > >I have been out of town for the past week or so and I am just now getting >caught up on emails. In my opinion the World Birding Center (WBC) is a done >deal. I think the TPW should have handled the closing of camping much >better and I think they are in the process of working out press releases >etc. to help people find other options while camping is unavailable. If you >want to contact someone at TPWD, you should send any questions/complaints to >John Herron . He is the director of the >Wildlife Diversity Program and oversees the personnel of the World Birding >Center. > >I will say that Bentsen is need of major ecological restoration activities >and the quality of the habitat there has been severely impacted over the >past two decades in particular (partially due to drought). The WBC is >probably the best option we have to protect and begin restoration of this >small piece of habitat. > >Mark > >Mark Lockwood >Conservation Biologist >Natural Resources Program >Texas Parks and Wildlife Department >4200 Smith School Road >Austin, Texas 78744 >voice - (512)389-4898 >fax - (512)389-4495 >mark.lockwood@tpwd.state.tx.us > > >-----Original Message----- >From: Michael Bowen [mailto:dhmbowen@yahoo.com] >Sent: Wednesday, November 14, 2001 4:58 PM >To: mark.lockwood@tpwd.state.tx.us >Subject: Bentsen S.P. > > >Mark: > >Some of us here in the east have been alerted to the imminent closing of >Bentsen State Park to campers, and thus to those who have been feeding the >birds for lo these many years and attracting so many rarities. > >Is it your feeling that we should be writing to someone (who?) to protest >this change, or is this a done deal there's no point in making a stink >about? Many of us often come to Texas to bird, and it is perhaps >surprising how many Marylanders know all about Bentsen and have birded >there frequently. Are Texas birders (and by golly there are a lot of this >species!) up in arms about this change or are they accepting it? > >I realize this may be a difficult series of questions to pose to you if you >work for the State; if that's the case, please forgive me. > >Thanks. > >Mike Bowen >MD Ornithological Society, Montgomery County Chapter, >Bethesda, MD D.H. Michael Bowen 8609 Ewing Drive Bethesda MD 20817 (Montgomery County) Tel.: (301)530-5764 dhmbowen@yahoo.com _________________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================