birding-aus

Defending the honest birder-conservationist

To: 'Simon Mustoe' <>, "" <>
Subject: Defending the honest birder-conservationist
From: "Mules, Michael" <>
Date: Fri, 20 Sep 2002 14:57:14 +1000
Hi Simon,

After reading your message this morning, I had to re-read my own original
message.  Surely I hadn't said that we should limit people's access to
birds!  The fault, if any, of misinterpretation lies squarely with me.

However, I feel I must defend my original position.  My original distinction
was between two parties:  those actively involved in matters that affect (or
are affected by) the bird in question; and everyone else. (Let me say here,
that with all bird species, I belong in the "everyone else" camp.  I am
trained as a zoologist, but I am a science teacher by employment.  I am a
"non-professional", though interested birdwatcher)

I then said the the first group has a need to know the locality of the bird,
but the second group just wants to know.  And that's where I stuffed up.  It
looked good to me when I wrote it, but it is obviously too glib and
offensive.

So, if I may, I will re-write what I probably should have said in the first
place (and feel free to continue to disagree with me - it's only a personal
opinion): Precise locality information on rare species is an absolute
necessity only for those involved in matters that affect that species.
Precise locality information on rare species is often important to others,
but is not at the same level of "must-know" (although Tony Rusell may yet
convince me otherwise).

In no way did I intend to say that people should be excluded on principle
from knowing the whereabouts of birds because they are not in the first
category.

The second part of my argument was concerned with removing one of the most
exciting elements of birdwatching - uncertainty.  Apart from anything else,
a general locality/habitat description is usually more than enough to aid
the birdwatcher in finding good birding habitat.  I can almost guarantee
people southern emu-wrens, hooded plover and beautiful firetail, by giving
no more than a few general directions, and a description of the habitat they
are in.  And, in general, I have no problems with giving that information to
those who ask (which isn't many).  But my point is this:  The only people I
feel I need to tell, are those who play a part in its management and
conservation.  Everyone else, I decide on a case-by-case basis.  This is
information that I have come by personally, and it is mine to impart.  And
the same for you.  It is your individual decision as to what, who, and how
much you tell anyone about bird localities.  

I don't know why you understood my message to be pushing for a uniform
government/other policy; nothing would be worse!  I am not an "official"
conservationist.  In fact, I have no idea why you would view me as such, or
mount such an attack on people whose means of employment is in the field of
conservation.  I teach science at a Melbourne high school.  I enjoy seeing
rare or new species, but I think the passing of information of their
whereabouts should be at the discretion of the individual, and not an
unassailable right.

I hope this has cleared things up.  If it hasn't, well, the issue is not of
enough importance to continue wasting valuable birdwatching time.

Cheers, Mike

-----Original Message-----
From: Simon Mustoe 
Sent: Thursday, 19 September 2002 15:31
To: Birding Aus
Subject: Defending the honest birder-conservationist


Sorry, with all due respect to Michael Mules, I have to disagree vehemently
with his viewpoint. It's nonsensical to suggest that the only people who
need know about a bird are those that manage it and unreasonable to suggest
that certain methods of birding are better or worse than others.

Why jeopardise the enjoyment that birding gives to large sections of the
community and the incalculable conservation benefit of encouraging an
interest in nature, just because a few rogue elements make mistakes -
especially when some of these mistakes are borne of ignorance rather than an
intent to disturb rare breeders. And why brand all of us 'non-professional'
conservationists as potential threats and design policy to limit our ability
to observe nature.

I'm reminded of a situation in the UK when the local group kept a rare
breeding colony of birds from the public. When the colony was destroyed by
developers, the group was devastated. An important lesson was learnt. Had
the wider birding community known about this colony, then the so-called
conservation authorities may have been alerted to them as a constraint and
acted.

Surely a degree of common sense should (and does) prevail. Most of us are
quite aware of the risks associated with disclosing sites. I have tried to
search Birding-aus for sites for species in the past. It's almost
impossible. This is because most birders know to keep such information out
of general public circulation. But it shouldn't discourage us from being
part of a conservation community. As for the 'official' conservationists;
when they can provide the resources to constantly and seasonally survey and
monitor all the rare bird sites in the region, then perhaps they can afford
to stop enthusiasts from pursuing their hobby and sending reports into Birds
Australia or the Atlas of Victorian Wildlife.

...and one other thing. Surely birding is the least of our concerns for rare
birds. What about, pyro-mania, deforestation, dirt-bikes...the list goes on.

Regards,

Simon.

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