So critical to Pacific Flyway waterfowl was this region that the Lower Klamath NWR was established by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1908 as the first waterfowl refuge in the United States. In the 1950s, more pintails were counted in nearby Tule Lake than exists on earth today, and a surprising amount of Pacific Flyway waterfowl are produced or overwinter here! As reported in EP 154. Understanding the Klamath Water War (link below), times have changed–natural droughts have been exacerbated by “policy drought” and conflicting “single species management” as interests compete over scarce water resources, and waterfowl historically rank last priority. Thanks to win-win collaborative efforts, there may be light at end of the tunnel. Jeff McCreary, Ducks Unlimited’s Director of Operations for Western Region, and Jake Messerli, CEO for California Waterfowl Association, provide vital updates, spelling out changes affecting waterfowl, Pacific Flyway hunters, local communities and conservation throughout the United States.
Related Link:
EP 154. Understanding the Klamath Water War