Michigan Environmental Council

Michigan
Environmental Report

Volume 20 . Number 6
December 2002

PURPOSE
Founded in 1980, MEC is a coalition of over 60 environmental, public health, and faith-based organizations with nearly 200,000 individual members. For over 20 years, MEC has provided a voice at the State Capitol. In addition to serving as a clearinghouse of environmental information, MEC develops public policy, educates elected officials and the public, and provides training and support to member organizations.

SUBSCRIBE

OFFICERS

Chairperson
Chris Graham,
Michigan Natural Areas Council

Vice Chair
Vicki Levengood,
National Environmental Trust

Vice Chair
Kathryn Savoie, Ph.D.,
ACCESS

Treasurer
Tanya Cabala,
Lake Michigan Federation

Secretary
Brian Imus,
PIRGIM

OFFICERS

President
Lana Pollack

Policy Director
James Clift

Associate Director
Patrick Diehl

Land Programs Director
Conan Smith

Special Projects Coodinator
Brad Garmon

Office Manager
Judy Bearup

Member Services Director
Michele Scarborough

Policy Specialist
David Gard

Development Specialist
Natalia Petraszczuk

Policy Specialist
Dusty Fancher

Policy Advisor
Dave Dempsey

Environmental Campaign Coordinator
Wendi Tilden

Project Assistant
Kristin Brooks

Computer Services Assistant
Ben Holcomb

MER Design & Layout
Rose Homa

Kirtland's warbler population holds near historic highs

In July, Michigan Department of Natural Resources officials announced Michigan's 2002 population of the endangered Kirtland's warbler is only slightly lower than the 2001 survey.

Biologists, researchers and volunteers counted 1,050 singing males during the official 2002 census period, which was completed in mid-June. This compares to last year's 1,085-a record year for the warbler population. The lowest survey numbers occurred in 1974 and 1987, when only 167 singing males were found.

The census, started in 1951, has been conducted annually since 1971. The birds are counted by listening for their songs. The songs can be heard over one-quarter mile away and provide an accurate method to census the birds with minimum disturbance. Since only the males sing, the minimum breeding population size (males plus females) is estimated as twice the number of singing males counted.

The Kirtland's warbler nests have been found only in jack pine stands located in northern Michigan. The warbler is a ground nester, selecting stands of trees four to 20 years old, with live branches that extend to the ground. Historically, these stands of young jack pine were created by natural wildfires that frequently swept through northern Michigan. Modern fire suppression programs altered this natural process, reducing Kirtland's warbler habitat.