For the Birds: Arboretum Celebrates Selection as Important Bird Area During 2007 International Migratory Bird Day Event

Despite temperatures topping the triple digits, more than 100 bird enthusiasts helped celebrate International Migratory Bird Day (IMBD) at the Boyce Thompson Arboretum on Saturday, May 12. The annual event included a special ceremony formally recognizing the Arboretum as an Important Bird Area (IBA).

Highlights of the IMBD celebration included early morning guided walks with three birding experts and an avian photography presentation by a locally acclaimed photographer. A variety of exhibitions featured field guides, clothing and gear courtesy of Center Desert Rivers Audubon Society, plus a live exhibit of birds presented by volunteer wildlife rehabilitation experts who assist the Arizona Game and Fish Department.

At 10 a.m. guests attended a special dedication recognizing the Arboretum’s status as an Important Bird Area. On hand were Tice Supplee, director of Bird Conservation for Audubon Arizona, Michael Hing, mayor of Superior, and John Rickus, president of Resolution Copper. Resolution Copper and Audubon Arizona originally collaborated on the IBA designation for Boyce Thompson Arboretum in 2004.

“The Arboretum provides real value as a spring migration stopover, and offers a superb education program that reaches children of all ages across Arizona,” Rickus said. Resolution Copper is also the primary sponsor of the Arboretum’s after-school nature club, which reaches out to Superior school children.

Audubon Arizona and Resolution Copper, through a generous grant received from the Rio Tinto Partnership Action Fund, continue to work on conservation efforts across the state. Recently 51 miles of the San Pedro were designated as an IBA by the Arizona scientific committee. The San Pedro River Watershed is considered one of the most biologically diverse ecosystems on earth, and the wider aim of the partners is to achieve long-term protection of this natural river corridor.

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