September 27, 2019 @ 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm
The Bighorn Audubon Society is interested in partnering with local landowners for the designation of Important Bird Areas or IBAs along the foothills of the Bighorn Mountains region as well as along the Little Goose Creek and its valley.
The IBA program is a worldwide initiative; each IBA is part of a global network of sites that provide critical habitat for all bird species. The IBA program, part of National Audubon Society and Audubon Rockies, identifies lands in our area that are identified as most critical for birds.
The Important Bird Areas program has no regulatory authority, with no regulations attached to sites that receive IBA designation. The designation is not about recreation trails or tourism, and we do not promote access to these areas. Rather, the IBA designation is meant to recognize the importance of a site for birds and further encourages partner driven habitat conservation efforts to preserve the resources, and is voluntary. For example, the IBA program can facilitate applications for grant money to help landowners meet their management goals, such as restoring wetlands, fence repair in riparian areas, and other projects, defined by each landowner that will help our local bird populations and our community prosper.
Local areas included in the IBA program include: The Brinton (620 acres), Ucross (20,000 acres), Valley View subdivision (266 acres), Falxa Land Company (41,000 acres), Kleenburn Recreation Area (77 acres), The Wolf Creek Ranch (8,600 acres) Padlock Ranch, Kerns Wildlife Management Area (5,000 acres) and Amsden Wildlife Management Area (4,000 acres).
To learn more about the program and its benefits, the Bighorn Audubon Society and The Brinton are co-hosting an informational meeting, with appetizers, on Friday evening, September 27th at 7:00 pm at The Brinton Museum. We look forward to both hearing from and working with you on this exciting venture. Please email: bighornaudubon@gmail.com or call Jackie 307-763-1953 for more information and to RSVP.
Click here for a list of frequently asked IBA questions for you to examine. If you cannot make the meeting, please let Jackie know if you are interested in being a part of the new IBA designation.