RE: Utah Breeding Bird Atlas Project

["John Stratton & Linda Bonar" <lbonar at xmission dot com>]

Betsy;

My first question is this - what is the purpose of the survey and who is the
audience?  I can't imagine you want details on what birds are nesting where
if it is to be open to the public?  If it is a scientific study with a
restricted audience then you might find some interest among other birding
groups that already have information from various parts of Utah.

John Stratton
Salt Lake City

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-birdtalk@utahbirds.org
[mailto:owner-birdtalk@utahbirds.org]On Behalf Of Betsy BENEKE
Sent: Thursday, November 10, 2005 7:49 AM
To: Birdtalk@utahbirds.org
Subject: Utah Breeding Bird Atlas Project


Dear Utah Birders,

For quite some time, a Breeding Bird Atlas project in Utah has been planned.
  A web site was created, survey methods were developed, and recruitment of
volunteer surveyors began.  However, the project has been hampered with
little enthusiasm by the Utah birding community...at least among the folks
who have been contacted so far.

At a recent Utah Ornithological Society Board meeting, we discussed this
project at length, once again.  Following that meeting, I decided that as
the new UOS President,  I would benefit from asking Utah birders to share
their opinions about this project.  If a sufficient number of volunteers
cannot be found to commit to surveying areas over the next several years,
the work would have to be contracted out.  Some of it would be anyway, as
able-bodied individuals would be required to survey the more rugged regions
of the state.  But, depending on how many volunteers sign up, this project
could get very expensive.

So, I'd like to ask you all for responses to a couple of questions that I
feel will help us decide how to proceed, or whether to proceed.  1)  Do you
feel we should conduct a Breeding Bird Atlas project in Utah?  Why, or why
not?  2)  If your answer is yes, then what are YOU willing to bring to the
project?  A commitment of time to assist with surveys?  Money?  3)  If we
decide to keep moving forward, we're going to need to do some major
fund-raising.  Do you have grant-writing skills, or can you offer assistance
in other ways?

All comments are welcomed, positive or negative.  Your opinions matter.
Please email me <BirderBetsy@msn.com>.  Your replies will be held in
confidence, if you wish.  I want to hear what you all have to say, so I have
a better idea about how this project is viewed by Utah birders.

Thank you!

Betsy Beneke
UOS President


_______________________________________________

"Utah Birds" web site: http://www.utahbirds.org
     BirdTalk:
To subscribe, e-mail:  birdtalk-subscribe@utahbirds.org
To unsubscribe, e-mail:  birdtalk-unsubscribe@utahbirds.org
To send a message, e-mail:  birdtalk@utahbirds.org
_________________________________________________

_______________________________________________

"Utah Birds" web site: http://www.utahbirds.org
     BirdTalk:
To subscribe, e-mail:  birdtalk-subscribe@utahbirds.org
To unsubscribe, e-mail:  birdtalk-unsubscribe@utahbirds.org
To send a message, e-mail:  birdtalk@utahbirds.org
_________________________________________________