$10,000 Reward Offered for Info
That Leads Researchers to Ivory-bill
BRINKLEY, Ark. – “Corridor of Hope” members, who are part of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service-led ivory-billed woodpecker recovery team, approved on Tuesday night a plan to offer a $10,000 reward for information that leads a biologist from The Nature Conservancy or the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission to an ivory-billed woodpecker nest, roost cavity or feeding site in Arkansas. Allan Mueller, avian conservation project manager for the Conservancy, and Catherine Rideout, ornithologist for the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, presented the proposal at the BrinkleyConvention Center during a meeting for Corridor of Hope team, which is charged with involving local citizens in the ivory-bill recovery process.
“The people of eastern Arkansas know these woods and bayous better than anyone else,” Mueller said. “We wanted to respond to the suggestion that we provide an incentive for local residents to bring a camera with them while they’re out enjoying the woods, lakes and rivers of the Big Woods in the event they encounter a roosting or nesting ivory-billed woodpecker.”
Mitchell Massey, a real estate developer from Fayetteville, Ark., has agreed to donate $10,000 to the Conservancy when and if an individual is able to meet the provisions necessary to collect the reward.
“The rediscovery of the ivory-billed woodpecker is great news for Arkansas,” Massey said. “I think the scientists involved in the search provided evidence that proved at least one ivory-billed woodpecker frequented the Bayou DeView area of the Big Woods in 2004 and 2005. But the researchers were unable to find an active roosting, nesting or feeding site, and I thought a reward would be an exceptional way to do this and involve local citizens at the same time.”
Massey also pointed out that after two extensive searches, researchers had covered less than 20 percent of the 550,000-acre Big Woods region of Arkansas. “Thousands of people fish and hunt in these woods. This is a way for us to cover a lot of ground in the search for the ivory-bill,” he said.
After reviewing the proposal, the Corridor of Hope members approved a plan that states because of anticipated high response, biologists will follow up only on those reports substantiated with an original photograph or sound recording of an ivory-billed woodpecker, or other evidence – obtained without harassment of the woodpecker – the biologists consider substantive.
According to Mueller, there is no expiration date for the reward, which will be good until the offer is rescinded. Mueller also said the person claiming reward will retain the rights to any photograph or video provided to collect the reward.
Mueller also noted during the meeting that The Nature Conservancy and the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission place great value on private landowner rights and will investigate private lands reports only where adequate permission has been obtained.
Individuals interested in learning more about the reward and the ivory-billed woodpecker can log on to www.nature.org/ivorybill, or contact Allan Mueller by phone at (501) 614-5092 or by e-mail at amueller@tnc.org or contact Catherine Rideout by phone at (501) 978-7329 or by e-mail at ivorybill@agfc.state.ar.us.