Text Box: River Bluffs Audubon Society The mission of RBAS is to educate, inform and inspire the local community so they will actively conserve and restore habitat for birds and wildlife. 2006-2007 Officers President: Celeste Koon (636-5593) Vice-president: Hillary Wakefield (584-6720) Secretary: Jane Frazier (636-7458) Treasurer: Rich George (893-5659) Committee Chairs Birdseed Sales: Barbara Duncan (634-5903) Butterfly Garden: Betty Richey (635-2590) Education: Ann Grotjan (573-796-4478) Environmental: Barbara Yates (638-5553) and Anita Randolph (635-6018) Field Trip: Dan Reed (634-2599) and Rich George (893-5659) Habitat Improvements: Mark Sullivan (635-6404) and Roger Randolph (635-6018) Hospitality: Maxine Walker (635-0751) Membership Mailing List: Cecilia Campbell (573-657-2357) Mailing Associates: Jan Griffin (636-6480) and Anne Perry (635-8423) Newsletter Editor: Kay Kasiske (782-3483) Publicity: Pat Mantle (635-1060) Webmaster: Trish Rielly (761-4021) Directors Lloyd Grotjan (573-796-4478) Jim Nordstrom (635-8024) Rick Thom (893-5376) The River Bluffs Audubon Society web site address is http://rbas.missouri.org The Timberdoodle is published at the beginning of Sept., Nov., Jan., March and May. Deadline for articles is the 20th of the preceding month. Send them to <k@mail.ultraweb.net.> Text Box: description of the ornithological resources and (Continued on Next Page) conservation status of all 47 IBAs in Missouri. Since the identification phase of the Missouri IBA program is complete, the Missouri IBA Steering and Technical Committees have focused on the implementation of bird conservation. An IBA implementation strategy was drafted which highlights the projects the Missouri program will focus on in the next three years. Those projects include: ~ establish a "Community Conservationist" position located in Cole Camp, Text Box: January Program Text Box: adjacent to the Cole Camp Prairies IBA. This position will focus on facilitating restoration of grassland habitats for Greater Prairie-chickens and other grassland wildlife. ~ begin restoration of giant cane stands on public lands at the White River Glades and Woodlands IBA. ~ manage a Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship (MAPS) bird banding station at the Manitou Bluffs IBA. Prior to coming to Audubon Missouri, Bruce Carr, Ph.D. was Director of Education for the Association of Zoos and Aquariums in Washington, D.C. for 9 years. Text Box: Those who attended the December meeting heard Glenn Chambers speak about the University of Missouri’s (MU) proposed Wetland Ecology Center of Excellence. Chambers, who was formerly with the Missouri Department of Conservation, is now serving as the Coordinator for this new venture in MU’s School of Natural Resources. In this capacity, Chambers is helping raise $6 million for the new Wetland Ecology Center. The money will be used to fund a center and educational activities to provide training for the future managers of public and private wetlands. Chambers pointed out Text Box: Wetland Ecology Center Seeks Funding Text Box: that nearly 90 percent of Missouri’s original 4.7 million acres of wetlands have been lost, and much of the remaining wetlands have been degraded. Efficient management of existing wetlands is needed along with restoration of lost and degraded habitats. The Wetland Ecology Center will work with various other agencies and groups to increase the understanding of wetland functions and values. To make a gift or learn more about the Wetland Ecology Center, contact the College of Natural Resources at 573-882-9003; or email Glenn at: chambersgd@missouri.edu or