[MASSBIRD] PRNWR Impoundments: comments from former Refuge Manager George Gavutis
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Rick Nok
Oct 28, 2023, 10:02:52 PM10/28/23
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Comment from former Refuge Manager George Gavutis:
To Whom It May Concern:
It makes me sick to hear that the Parker River NWR is still planning to destroy the fresh water impoundments. I have tried to stay out of that controversy as much as possible since I guess I am biased.
I know how much effort was required to build them ---and most of all I know what great oasis those fresh water pools are. There are dozens of species that would never be found nesting or migrating in this area without them. Many of those species are in serious decline. Those impoundments are a real jewel.
Thousands of ducks, including black ducks, geese and dozens of other bird species rely on the fresh water they contain--drinking and bathing there after feeding in the salt marshes and pannes and the estuaries. Thousands of swallows and egrets, etc., use them to feed in and roost in overnight--especially during their migrations and staging periods. Without the impoundments there would be no nesting/breeding gadwalls, shovelers, ruddy ducks, blue and green winged teal pintails mallards, black ducks, there--and I'm sorry to say that the staff there either doesn't even know much or anything about most of the wildlife species that have used those impoundments over the years, especially when I was there and really cared about wildlife diversity and well being.
Birders from all over the country and beyond have come there regularly because of that diversity. It is an oasis, just like Brigantine and Montezuma NWRs etc., are with their impoundments being the focal points.
I banded thousands of waterfowl and waterbirds at Parker River, often using a nightlghting airboat in the late summer and early fall. There were breeding king, sora and Virginia rails, and then even yellow rails in migration, breeding coots, least and American bitterns, green and night herons and moorhens, moulting/flightless teal and wood ducks etc., all because of the critical habitat they require when flightless.
Those impoundments are now more critical habitat for all those species and many more, more than they ever were-with all the declining species that require carefully managed, high quality freshwater wetlands to assure their continued survival and abundance.
I know they have not had the amount of appreciation and priority that they require and deserve, starting back in the 1980's and 1990's with more and more staff and managers spending less and less time concentrating on habitat monitoring and maintenance and perpetuation and enhancement for all the species that are in decline.
Please reconsider your plan to “restore” the three fresh water Impoundments, and manage these valuable resources for the rare and declining species of birds and wildlife that need them.
George Gavutis
Former Manager, Parker River NWR
Rick Heil
Peabody, MA
Sent from my iPhone
To Whom It May Concern:
It makes me sick to hear that the Parker River NWR is still planning to destroy the fresh water impoundments. I have tried to stay out of that controversy as much as possible since I guess I am biased.
I know how much effort was required to build them ---and most of all I know what great oasis those fresh water pools are. There are dozens of species that would never be found nesting or migrating in this area without them. Many of those species are in serious decline. Those impoundments are a real jewel.
Thousands of ducks, including black ducks, geese and dozens of other bird species rely on the fresh water they contain--drinking and bathing there after feeding in the salt marshes and pannes and the estuaries. Thousands of swallows and egrets, etc., use them to feed in and roost in overnight--especially during their migrations and staging periods. Without the impoundments there would be no nesting/breeding gadwalls, shovelers, ruddy ducks, blue and green winged teal pintails mallards, black ducks, there--and I'm sorry to say that the staff there either doesn't even know much or anything about most of the wildlife species that have used those impoundments over the years, especially when I was there and really cared about wildlife diversity and well being.
Birders from all over the country and beyond have come there regularly because of that diversity. It is an oasis, just like Brigantine and Montezuma NWRs etc., are with their impoundments being the focal points.
I banded thousands of waterfowl and waterbirds at Parker River, often using a nightlghting airboat in the late summer and early fall. There were breeding king, sora and Virginia rails, and then even yellow rails in migration, breeding coots, least and American bitterns, green and night herons and moorhens, moulting/flightless teal and wood ducks etc., all because of the critical habitat they require when flightless.
Those impoundments are now more critical habitat for all those species and many more, more than they ever were-with all the declining species that require carefully managed, high quality freshwater wetlands to assure their continued survival and abundance.
I know they have not had the amount of appreciation and priority that they require and deserve, starting back in the 1980's and 1990's with more and more staff and managers spending less and less time concentrating on habitat monitoring and maintenance and perpetuation and enhancement for all the species that are in decline.
Please reconsider your plan to “restore” the three fresh water Impoundments, and manage these valuable resources for the rare and declining species of birds and wildlife that need them.
George Gavutis
Former Manager, Parker River NWR
Rick Heil
Peabody, MA
Sent from my iPhone
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