The Town of Hempstead has cut its budget for all departments, including conservation. The Marine Nature Study Area has had its funding for staff reduced; many of you are aware MNSA has not been open on Sundays and has only one full-time employee to oversee its many valuable services to birders, photographers, researchers, students, and local residents.
The Department of Conservation and Waterways has also been limited to part-time staff for its summer monitoring of piping plovers, least and common terns, black skimmers, and American oystercatchers. Given the distance from Lido to Point Lookout, the time from dawn to dusk seven days a week, and the numerous threats the nesting birds face from feral cats, gulls, crows, and vehicles on the beach, the limited staff is not sufficient to protect them. Please join the South Shore Audubon Society and the Nassau Hiking and Outdoors Club in urging Town Supervisor Anthony J. Santino and Communications Director Michael Deery to restore funding for conservation staff at MNSA and the beaches. Their e-mail addresses are: [email protected] [email protected] Thank you for your help. Brien Weiner Sent from my iPad -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
