July 10, 2009
P.O. Box 9314
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87504
(505) 983-4609
Commander Jeff Harrigian
49th Fighter Wing/CC
490 First Street, Suite 1700
Holloman AFB NM 88330-8277
Dear Commander Harrigian:
Thank you for recently meeting in early June 2009 to discuss the recreational and wildlife
resources around Lake Holloman. The state office of the National Audubon Society, Audubon
New Mexico, and the southern New Mexico chapter, Mesilla Valley Audubon Society, share
your view that this area is valuable to the community and visitors. As I mentioned in that
meeting, because Holloman Air Force Base includes areas that are essential to birds for breeding,
wintering, and migrating, the National Audubon Society, in partnership with Bird Life
International, has designated Holloman Wetlands as an Important Bird Area (IBA).
The public, including Audubon Society members, are fortunate to be able to visit this special
place for birdwatching and wildlife watching. The Mesilla Valley Audubon Society chapter has
regular public field trips to Holloman Wetlands IBA, usually bringing about 20 to 30 residents of
Las Cruces to see the spectacular birds there each time. Professional guided birding trips also
visit this area.
Having a healthy bird area at Holloman Wetlands benefits the City of Alamogordo with positive
economic benefits. In 2006, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conducted a national survey
emphasizing again (as found in previous years) that bird and wildlife watching is increasing
across the country and has numerous economic benefits for communities. I’ve enclosed the
USFWS’s summary of highlights on this survey with this letter for your review.
Made up of Lake Holloman and the surrounding wetlands and water systems, Holloman
Wetlands meets the IBA criteria because the area regularly supports significant densities of one
or more of the species listed as a state conservation species in New Mexico and has exceptional
habitat where a full complement of bird species make their homes. The New Mexico IBA
Criteria have been attached to this letter. I’d be happy to share additional information about
Audubon’s IBA program and you may find more details on the web at
http://nm.audubon.org/Birds.html.
Holloman Wetlands is viewed as the third most important shorebird area in the state and most
important in the Tularosa Basin. Shorebirds (particularly Wilson's Phalarope) in passage average
500 to1,000 birds, and Snowy Plover and many other species breed here. On our quick tour of
the area after our meeting on base, we spotted many additional sensitive species including
Loggerhead Shrike, Black Tern, and Long-billed Curlew. The area also provides habitat for
many ducks in migration and winter.
As we all discussed, there are no guarantees that years from now Holloman Wetlands will be the
resource it is today and we hope to work with you to ensure this habitat is protected. At our
meeting in June, we learned that the Resource Management Plan is revised yearly and is critical
to the management of this area. Please include the Audubon Society in the notice of your
meetings and in potential revisions of this plan.
Although we haven’t reviewed any of your plans for the area in detail, from our conversations
that day and our own observations, we hope that you and future commanders at Holloman Air
Force Base consider the public uses in this area in balance with the needs of breeding birds and
the birding enthusiasts who value Lake Holloman and the surrounding areas that make up the
IBA.
Thank you for recent meeting and for your attention on this special resource under your
management. Although I will miss the August meeting, the President of the Mesilla Valley
Audubon Society will be there and I look forward to cooperative work in the future.
Sincerely,
Karyn Stockdale
Vice-President and Executive Director
Audubon New Mexico, the state office of the National Audubon Society
CC:
David Scruggs, USAF ACC CES/CEAN
Junior Kerns, USA IMCOM
Lonnie Britton, USAF ACC 49 CES/CEAN
Michael Porto, USAF ACC 49 CES/CEAN
Santiago Gonzales, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Eddie Guerrero, U.S. Bureau of Land Management
Jennifer Montoya, U.S. Bureau of Land Management
Mark Watson, State of New Mexico, Department of Game and Fish
Hira Walker, State of New Mexico, Department of Game and Fish
Stephanie Carman, State of New Mexico, Department of Game and Fish
David Griffin, Mesilla Valley Audubon Society
Enclosures:
New Mexico IBA Criteria
Wildlife Watching, USFWS 2006 National Survey Highlights
NEW MEXICO IMPORTANT BIRD AREA CRITERIA
1. Sites that regularly support significant breeding or non-breeding densities of one or more of
the species listed as endangered or threatened in the state of New Mexico.
2. Sites with habitats that are rare or unique in the state, or are exceptional examples (large and
intact) of a habitat supporting the full complement of bird species.
3. Sites that regularly hold significant numbers of one or more species, breeding or non-breeding,
including migration. The following guidelines provide thresholds for site selection. Except
where indicated, numerical estimates should be based on a short period of time, e.g. one-time
counts such as daily surveys - not on cumulative totals.
Waterfowl: The site regularly supports 2000 or more waterfowl (short period total).
The site is a "bottleneck" or migration corridor for 2000 or more raptors (seasonal total).
The site regularly supports 100 or more shorebirds at one time (short period total).
The site regularly supports 25 or more pairs of long-legged wading birds (herons, egrets,
ibises).
o The site is an important migratory stopover or seasonal concentration site for migratory
landbirds. Sites may have exceptionally high numbers of birds during migration, high
densities of breeding species, or be "migrant traps".
o The site regularly supports significant concentrations of a "congregatory" species but may
not meet the thresholds above.
o
o
o
o
4. Long-term research and/or monitoring sites that contribute substantially to ornithology, bird
conservation, and/or education.
WILDLIFE WATCHING
U.S. FISH & WILDLIFE SERVICE
2006 NATIONAL SURVEY HIGHLIGHTS*
During 2006, 71 million U.S. residents, 31 percent of the U.S. population
sixteen years old and older, participated in wildlife-watching activities.
People who took an interest in wildlife around their homes (within one mile)
numbered 68 million, while those who took trips away from their homes
to watch wildlife (more than one mile) numbered 23 million people. Wildlife
watching is defined as closely observing, feeding, and photographing
wildlife, visiting public parks around the home because of wildlife, and
maintaining plantings and natural areas around the home for the benefit
of wildlife.
Of all the wildlife watching in the United States, bird-watching attracted the
largest following. Approximately 47.7 million people observed birds around
the home and on trips in 2006. A large majority, 88 percent (41.8 million)
observed wild birds around the home, while 42 percent (19.9 million) took
trips (an annul average of 14 days) away from home to observe wild birds.
WILDLIFE-WATCHING EXPENDITURES
Wildlife watching generated heavy spending for wildlife-related recreation.
In 2006, 79 percent of all wildlife watchers 16 years old and older spent
$45.7 billion, an average of $816 per spender.
Trip-Related Expenditures
Food and lodging: $7.5 billion
Transportation: $4.5 billion
Other trip costs: $0.9 billion
Equipment Expenditures
Wildlife-watching equipment (e.g., binoculars, cameras,
bird food, special clothing): $9.9 billion
Auxiliary equipment (e.g., tents, backpacking equipment): $1.0 billion
Special equipment (e.g., off-road vehicles, campers, boats): $12.3 billion
____________
*U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, 2006 National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and WildlifeAssociated Recreation. A PDF file of this 168-page document can be downloaded at
http://library.fws.gov/nat_survey2006_final.pdf.
Other Expenditures
Land leasing and owning: $6.6 billion
Plantings (to benefit wildlife): $1.6 billion
Membership dues and contributions: $1.1 billion
Magazines, books: $.4 billion
AROUND-THE-HOME WILDLIFE OBSERVERS
The 2006 national survey gives data about the activities of wildlife observers
around the home and about some of the demographics of those observers.
Of the 67.8 million around-the-home participants in the survey, 78% lived
in metropolitan areas with populations of 1 million or more (44%), 250,000
to 999,999 (22%), and 249,999 or less (12%). In 2006, 17% of the total
U.S. population lived outside metropolitan areas. Twenty-two percent of the
around-the-home participants in the survey lived outside metropolitan areas.
Wildlife Watching Activities
53.4 million fed wild birds.
19.2 million fed other wildlife.
41.8 million observed wild birds.
44.5 million observed wildlife.
18.8 million photographed wildlife.
13.3 visited public areas
10.2 maintained natural areas
9.6 maintained plantings
In 2006, 229 million people 16 years old and older lived in the U.S. Of that
number, 30 percent watched wildlife around their homes. The participation
rates of around-the-home participants in the survey varied by region:
24%,
29%,
42%,
25%,
33%,
34%,
38%,
Pacific
Mountain
West North Central
West South Central
East North Central
East South Central
New England
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27%, Middle Atlantic
28%, South Atlantic
Male and Female Data
36.3 million females observed wildlife.
31.5 million males observed wildlife.
Age Data
1.3 million, 16 to 17 years old
3.0 million, 18 to 24 years old
7.1 million, 25 to 34 years old
13.8 million, 35 to 44 years old
16.1 million, 45 to 54 years old
13.0 million, 55 to 64 years old
13.5 million, 65 and older years old
Participation Rate based on
National Percent of Household Income Levels
17%, $100,000 or more
12%, $75,000 to $99,999
19%, $50,000 to $74,999
9%, $40,000 to $49,999
5%, $35,000 to $39,999
4%, $30,000 to $34,999
5%, $25,000 to $29,999
4%, $20,000 to $24,999
5%, $10,000 to $19,999
3%, less than $10,000
Number of Years of Education Completed
6.6 million, 11 years or less
20.9 million, 12 years
17.0 million, 1 to 3 years of college
13.2 million, 4 years of college
10.0 million, 5 years or more of college
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AWAY-FROM-HOME WILDLIFE-WATCHING
In 2006, 23 million people 16 years old and older took trips away from
home to feed, observe, or photograph wildlife. They comprised 32 percent
of all wildlife watchers and about 10 percent of the U.S. population.
About 21.5 million participants, 9 percent of the U.S. population, observed
wildlife an average of 14 days in 2006. Photographing wildlife was enjoyed
by 11.7 million people, 5 percent of the U.S. population. They averaged 9
days per photographer. Approximately 7.1 million people fed wildlife an
average of 11 days and comprised 3 percent of the U.S. population.
Seventy-eight percent of away-from-home wildlife-watching participants
lived in metropolitan areas with populations of 1 million or more (45%),
250,000 to 999,999 (21%), and 249,999 or less (12%). In 2006, 17%
of the total U.S. population lived outside metropolitan areas. Twenty-two
percent of the away-from-home participants in the survey lived outside
metropolitan areas.
Of the 23 million away-from-home wildlife watching participants,
67% (15.4 million) travelled within their resident states, 16% (3.68 million)
travelled within and outside their resident states, and 17% (3.91 million)
only travelled outside their resident states.
Wild birds attracted the most interest from wildlife watchers on their trips
(20 million people or 87 percent of the all away-from-home participants).
Most Watched Birds
Waterfowl: 15.4 million
Birds of prey: 14.0 million
Songbirds: 13.7 million
Herons, Shorebirds, and other Water birds: 11.5 million
Other birds (e.g., roadrunners, turkeys): 8.8 million
Most Visited Areas
Public land only: 12.2 million
Private land only: 2.5 million
Public and private land: 6.2 million
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In 2006, 229 million people 16 years old and older lived in the U.S.—
10 percent of whom took trips to wildlife watch. The participation rates
of away-from-home participants in the survey varied by region:
11%, Pacific
13%, Mountain
14%, West North Central
8%, West South Central
11%, East North Central
13%, East South Central
12%, New England
9%, Middle Atlantic
7%, South Atlantic
Male and Female Data
11.8 million males
11.2 million females
Age Data
0.6 million
1.1 million
3.1 million
6.0 million
5.2 million
4.4 million
2.6 million
16
18
25
35
45
55
65
to 17 years old
to 24 years old
to 34 years old
to 44 years old
to 54 years old
to 64 years old
and older years old
Participation Rate based on
National Percent of Household Income Levels
16%, $100,000 or more
16%, $75,000 to $99,999
14%, $50,000 to $74,999
12%, $40,000 to $49,999
10%, $35,000 to $39,999
10%, $30,000 to $34,999
8%, $25,000 to $29,999
7%, $20,000 to $24,999
6%, $10,000 to $19,999
6%, less than $10,000
-5-
Number of Years of Education Completed
1.4 million, 11 years or less
6.1 million, 12 years
6.2 million, 1 to 3 years of college
4.9 million, 4 years of college
4.4 million, 5 years or more of college
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