By Pam Bates, VP, Fiends of the Wild Whoopers
Friends of the Wild Whoopers (FOTWW) efforts to protect develop and properly manage wild Whooping Crane “stopover habitat” continues. Many people ask what FOTWW does when we travel throughout the Whooping Crane migration area. So we will provide some answers.
Our wildlife biologist Chester McConnell and field assistant Dorothy McConnell travel to all seven states in the Whooping Crane migration corridor to assist where we can. During the past two years they have traveled to 34 Corps of Engineer (COE) lakes in 7 states. They recently returned from a long trip to South Dakota, North Dakota and Montana to evaluate “stopover habitat on 7 COE lakes. FOTWW’s objective is to protect, improve or replace decreasing habitats. All of these lakes are on the Missouri River which flows through the prime migration route for the Whoopers.
FOTWW’s team linked up with COE Conservation Biologist David Hoover in Kansas City. FOTWW selects the lakes to evaluate and David makes arrangements with the lake managers that will guide our evaluation team around the lakes. The FOTWW-COE formed a “stopover habitat” team.
FOTWW’s first visit was on the COE’s Lewis and Clark Lake in Nebraska and South Dakota (9-10-2019). The lake is approximately 28 miles in length with over 90 miles of shoreline. The 31,400-acre reservoir has some good “stopover habitat” but much more needs serious management attention. Phragmites, an invasive plant has spread over large areas in and around the lake. Such areas will not be used by Whooping Cranes unless management controls the phragmites (See Fig.1).
The good news is that the COE has plans to use aerial spraying of herbicides on 2,200 acres of phragmites during April 2020 to kill the invasive plant. After the dead plants are dried, they will be burned. This will result in good waterfowl and Whooping Crane habitat on many sites. Figure 2 shows a helicopter spraying herbicide.
McConnell described an excellent project that the team observed upstream from Chief Standing Bridge: “Here a large island is being managed for threatened least tern and piping plover. Managers have cleared most of the woody vegetation and used prescribed fire to kill back most to the weeds and other vegetation. This same habitat will also be good stopover habitat for endangered Whooping Cranes” (Figure 3).
More whooping crane stopover habitat further north
Further north, the FOTWW-COE stopover habitat evaluation team visited COE Lake Francis Case in North Dakota (9-11-2019). This lake is 107 miles long, at normal pool. Significantly the shoreline length is 540 miles with numerous areas where Whooping Cranes can stopover to rest, forage and roost for a day or so during their two 2,400 miles migrations each year. Like so many areas on most lakes, phragmites is a problem. The good news is that Aaron Gregor, Wildlife Biologist and James Lynde are using helicopters to spray herbicides on the invasive plants and, after the sprayed plants dry, they will be burned (Figure 5).
Continuing northward, the FOTWW-COE habitat evaluation team stopped at Lake Sharpe in South Dakota (9-12-2019). The reservoir length is 80 miles with a 200 miles shoreline. Here the team linked up with Brandon Bucon, COE Natural Resources Specialist. The COE wildlife work coupled with that of the two adjacent Indian Reservation has resulted in many improvements.
Huge migrations of waterfowl, shorebirds and wading birds use the lake as an important stopover during migration. Numerous songbirds, upland game birds and birds of prey are abundant year around. The COE and Indians have natural resource management programs to improve habitat by planting hundreds of acres of food plots, numerous trees and establishing dense nesting cover.
And another plus for this lake is that Whooping Cranes have been observed near by the Crow Creek Indians on their reservation. FOTWW Biologist McConnell had visited this area previously working with the Crow Creek and Lower Brule Indian Reservations. Here the team got to observe some results of previous effective herbicide spraying to kill cattail and phragmites.
The FOTWW-COE team linked up with Russ Somsen, Natural Resource Specialist during their fourth lake stop at Lake Oahe in South and North Dakota (9-13-2019). Somsen described Lake Oahe as a 370,000 acres reservoir at maximum pool. The reservoir length is 231 miles with a shoreline length of 2,250 miles. The lake connects South Dakota’s capital at Pierre with North Dakota’s capital at Bismarck. The scenic beauty attracts more than 1.5 million visitors every year including fishermen, hunters, sightseers and bird watchers. The Lake has an abundance of habitat in dry years when water levels are low and lake shores are wide.
Somsen informed the FOTWW-COE evaluation team that many thousands of waterfowl and numerous species of songbirds and other wild birds migrate to Lake Oahe and beyond every year. And many non-migrating birds including turkey, pheasant, grouse and prairie chicken are plentiful. Likewise, Lake Oahe supports some of the best fishing in the region. All forms of outdoor recreation are available.
Importantly, Lake Oahe with its vast shoreline provide critical habitat to many threatened and endangered species of wildlife and plants. The Corps works with other federal, state, local, tribal and private entities to protect these species. These agencies work under authority of the federal Endangered Species Act to protect and manage threatened and endangered species.
Fortunately, advised Russ Somsen, “Phragmites is no problem here. High water 10 years ago killed most of the salt cedar invasion. COE followed up and kill remaining salt cedar stands by spraying with herbicides.
The largest COE reservoir in the U.S.
Lake Sakakawea, the largest COE reservoir in the U.S. was the 5th stop for the FOTWW-COE “stopover habitat” team. They met with Lake Manager Aaron Gregor to learn about the lake and discuss any “stopover habitat” opportunities for Whooping Cranes. Later the team and Lake Manager Aaron visited a small portion of the lake shore.
Lake Sakakawea is 178 miles long, six miles wide at its widest point. It’s shoreline is 1,884 miles. The lake contains a third of the total water stored by the Missouri River mainstem reservoir system.
Wildlife is abundant on project habitats. Endangered species including the least tern and piping plover nest on the lake sandbars. Whoopers and peregrine falcons visit the lake occasionally. Bird watchers, hunters and fishermen use the project wildlife resources in large numbers.
The FOTWW-COE team and Lake Manager Gregor visited several sites on the lake to discuss Whooping Crane “stopover habitat” features. The sites visited were all quality habitats. Mr. Gregor estimated that there were 200 more areas around the lake shore similar to the ones we visited. FOTWW’s Wildlife Biologist McConnell, after visiting many more habitat sites and studying satellite photos believes that the Lake Manager’s estimate is conservative. In any case, McConnell declares “there are an abundance of excellent stopover habitats on Lake Sakakawea”(See fig 9).
The FOTWW-COE “stopover habitat” team made its sixth visit at Fort Peck Lake and Dam in Montana. With a volume of 18,700,000 acre feet when full, Fort Peck is the fifth largest artificial lake in the United States. It extends 134 miles through central Montana, and its twisting, inlet-studded shoreline has a total length of some 1,520 miles. The lake covers an area of 245,000 acres, making it the largest in Montana by surface area,
The reservoir is also a tourist attraction, with 27 designated recreational sites bordering its shores. Bordering nearly the entire reservoir is the 1,719-square-mile Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge, which has preserved much of the high prairie and hill country around the lake in a more or less natural state.
Together, Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge and UL Bend National Wildlife Refuge encompass an area of 1.1 million acres including the 245,000 acres Fort Peck reservoir that span about 125 air miles along the Missouri River, from the Fort Peck Dam west to the boundary with the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument. Given the size and remoteness of Charles M. Russell, the area has changed very little from the historic voyage of the Lewis and Clark expedition, through the era of outlaws and homesteaders, to the present time. Elk, mule deer, pronghorn, bighorn sheep, sage and sharp-tailed grouse, and bald eagles make the Refuge home.
After discussing the natural resource objectives for Fort Peck Lake with staff members the FOTWW-COE team and staff members made a tour of the lake property by boat to examine the most likely places that would provide Whooping Crane “stopover habitats”. We traveled 64 miles on the lake that has a total length of some 1,520 miles to observe some of the shore area that would be suitable as “stopover habitats”. In some areas westward of Fort Peck the banks are steep and shorelines are small and not suitable for Whoopers. Importantly, the number and high quality “stopover habitats” that we observed was overwhelming. Due to time constraints we could make a reconnaissance of only part of the lake.
FOTWW’s McConnell explained that: “Based on observations by FOTWW and Fort Peck staff, we conservatively estimated that a minimum of one good “stopover habitat” per every two miles would be reasonable. That computes to 750 “stopover habitats” on Fort Peck Lake. The day we visited the lake was 6 feet above normal but numerous shorelines were good “stopover habitats”. During normal (lower) water level, more shore area is exposed and stopover habitats are much larger.
One more stop before heading home
As the FOTWW-COE team headed back to their home offices, they made one more stop at Pipestem Lake in North Dakota. They met with Lake Manager James Dixon who is the only staff person. The team discussed the need for Whooping Crane “stopover habitat” and what could be done on Pipestem Lake to protect, maintain and develop stopover habitat.
Pipestem Lake is small with an 840 acres conservation pool. The length of the conservation pool is 5.5 miles and the shoreline is 14.5 miles. The FOTWW-COE team drove around the lake and observed many White Pelicans, egrets, killdeers and other birds. birds along the shore. The team estimated that 35% of the shore area is good Whooping Crane stopover habitat (Figure 13)..
The team recommended development of a policy on Off-Road-Vehicles; ATV use; invasive plants and an agricultural program.
***** FOTWW’s mission is to help preserve and protect the Aransas/Wood Buffalo
population of wild whooping cranes and their habitat. *****
Friends of the Wild Whoopers is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization.
"Pam Bates, VP, Fiends of the Wild Whopper: ""Jitihada za marafiki wa Whopper (FOTW) za kulinda, kuendeleza na kusimamia vizuri Wanyama wa Wanyama wa Wanyama wa Wanyama wa Wanyama wa Wanyama wa Wanyama wa Wanyama wa Wanyama wa Wanyama wa Wanyama wa Wanyama wa Wanyama wa Wanyama wa Wanyama wa Wanyama wa Wanyama wa Wanyama wa Wanyama wa Wanyama wa Wanyama wa Wanyama." Watu wengi wanauliza nini FOTWW hufanya wakati tunasafiri katika eneo la uhamiaji wa Whooping Crane. Kwa hiyo tutatoa baadhi ya majibu. Biolojia ya Wanyamapori Chester McConnell na Msaidizi wa Shamba Dorothy McConnell wanasafiri kwenda majimbo yote saba katika njia ya uhamiaji wa Whooping Crane kusaidia mahali tunapoweza. Katika kipindi cha miaka miwili iliyopita, wamesafiri hadi maziwa 34 ya Kikosi cha Wahandisi (COE) katika majimbo saba. Hivi karibuni walirudi kutoka safari ndefu ya Dakota Kusini, Dakota Kaskazini na Montana kutathmini <unk>stopover habitat kwenye maziwa 7 ya COE. Lengo la FOTWW ni kulinda, kuboresha au kubadilisha makazi yanayopungua. Maziwa hayo yote yapo kwenye Mto Missouri ambao unapita kwenye njia kuu ya uhamiaji ya Whopers. Timu ya FOTWW ilishirikiana na Biolojia ya Uhifadhi wa COE David Hoover huko Kansas City. FOTW huchagua maziwa ya kutathmini na David hufanya mipango na wasimamizi wa maziwa ambao wataongoza timu yetu ya tathmini kuzunguka maziwa. FOTWW-COE iliunda timu ya "makao ya kusimamisha". Maonyesho ya kwanza ya FOTW yalifanyika katika ziwa la Lewis na Clark huko Nebraska na South Dakota. Ziwa hilo lina urefu wa kilomita 28 na lina pwani ya zaidi ya kilomita 90. Hifadhi hiyo ya maji yenye ukubwa wa ekari 31,400 ina maeneo mazuri ya kukaa lakini mengi zaidi yanahitaji uangalifu mkubwa wa usimamizi. Phragmites, mmea wenye kuambukiza umeenea katika maeneo makubwa ndani na karibu na ziwa hilo. Maeneo kama hayo hayatatumiwa na Whooping Cranes isipokuwa usimamizi unadhibiti phragmites (Tazama Picha ya 1). Kwa mujibu wa taarifa ya shirika la WHO, serikali ya Marekani imepanga kutumia dawa za kuua magugu kwenye eneo la ekari 2,200 la eneo la Phagmites mwezi Aprili mwaka huu ili kuua mimea hiyo. Baada ya mimea hiyo kuharibiwa, inapaswa kuchomwa moto. Hii itasababisha mazingira mazuri ya ndege wa majini na Whooping Crane katika maeneo mengi. Picha ya pili inaonyesha helikopta ikipiga dawa ya kuua magugu. McConnell alielezea mradi bora kwamba timu aliona upstream kutoka Mkuu Standing Bridge: <unk>Hapa kisiwa kikubwa ni kusimamiwa kwa kutishwa chini tern na bomba plover. Wanasayansi wametengeneza mimea ya miti na kutumia moto ili kuua magugu na mimea mingine. Hii mazingira sawa pia itakuwa nzuri stopover mazingira kwa ajili ya kutoweka Whooping Cranes <unk> (Figure 3). Kwa mfano, katika eneo la North Dakota, eneo la kutembelea la FOTW-COE lilitembelea ziwa la Francis. Ziwa hili lina urefu wa kilomita 107 na lina maji mengi. Kwa mfano, pwani ya pwani ya Australia ina urefu wa maili 540 na maeneo mengi ambapo Wanyama wa aina ya Whooping Crane wanaweza kupumzika, kutafuta chakula na kukaa kwa siku moja au zaidi wakati wa uhamiaji wao wa maili 2,400 kila mwaka. Kama ilivyo na maeneo mengine mengi kwenye maziwa mengi, phragmites ni tatizo. Aaron Gregor, mwanabiolojia wa wanyama wa porini, na James Lynde, wanafanya kazi ya kutumia helikopta kunyunyizia dawa za kuua magugu kwenye mimea ya uvamizi na baada ya mimea hiyo kukauka, itachomwa (Picha ya 5). Kuendelea kuelekea kaskazini, timu ya tathmini ya makazi ya FOTW-COE ilisimama katika Ziwa Sharpe huko South Dakota (9-12-2019). Bwawa hilo lina urefu wa maili 80 na pwani ya maili 200. Mfano wa hii ni Brandon Bucon, mtaalamu wa rasilimali za asili. Kazi ya COE ya wanyama-pori pamoja na ile ya hifadhi mbili za Wahindi zilizo karibu imesababisha maboresho mengi. Ndege wengi wa majini, wa pwani, na wa baharini hutumia ziwa hilo kama mahali pa kupumzika wakati wa uhamiaji. Ndege wengi wa kuimba, ndege wa mwituni na ndege wa kuwinda ni wengi mwaka mzima. Wenyeji wa eneo hilo wamekuwa wakifanya kazi ya kuimarisha mazingira kwa kupanda miti mingi na kujenga vichaka. Na jambo jingine la ziada kwa ziwa hili ni kwamba Wenyeji wa Crow Creek wameona korongo wakipiga makofi karibu na ziwa hilo katika hifadhi yao. Biolojia ya FOTWW McConnell alikuwa ametembelea eneo hili hapo awali akifanya kazi na Crow Creek na Lower Brule Indian Reservations. Hapa timu ilipata kuchunguza baadhi ya matokeo ya awali ufanisi dawa ya kuua magugu kunyunyizia kuua cattail na phragmites. Timu ya FOTW-COE ilishirikiana na Russ Somsen, Mtaalamu wa Rasilimali Asili wakati wa kituo chao cha nne cha ziwa huko Ziwa Oahe huko South na North Dakota (9-13-2019). Somsen alielezea Ziwa Oahe kama hifadhi ya maji ya ekari 370,000 kwenye dimbwi la juu. Mto huo una urefu wa kilomita 231 na ukingo wa pwani una urefu wa kilomita 2,250. Ziwa hilo linaunganisha mji mkuu wa South Dakota huko Pierre na mji mkuu wa North Dakota huko Bismarck. Mji huo unavutia wageni milioni 1.5 kila mwaka, wakiwemo wavuvi, wawindaji, watazamaji wa ndege na watazamaji wa ndege. Ziwa hilo lina makazi mengi katika miaka ya ukame wakati kiwango cha maji kilipokuwa chini na kingo za ziwa zilipokuwa pana. Somsen aliwaambia waandishi wa habari wa FOTW kwamba maelfu ya ndege wa majini na aina nyingi za ndege wa kuimba na ndege wengine wa mwituni wanahamia Ziwa Oahe na zaidi kila mwaka. Na ndege wengi wasio wahamiaji ikiwa ni pamoja na Uturuki, pheasant, grouse na kuku wa prairie ni nyingi. Vivyo hivyo, Ziwa Oahe lina baadhi ya maeneo bora ya uvuvi katika eneo hilo. Aina zote za tafrija za nje zinapatikana. Ziwa Oahe na pwani yake kubwa hutoa makazi muhimu kwa spishi nyingi za wanyama wa porini na mimea inayotishwa na kutoweka. Kikosi hicho hufanya kazi na mashirika mengine ya shirikisho, ya jimbo, ya mitaa, ya kikabila na ya kibinafsi kulinda spishi hizi. Mashirika haya hufanya kazi chini ya mamlaka ya Sheria ya Shirikisho ya Spishi Zilizohatarishwa kulinda na kusimamia spishi zilizohatarishwa na zilizo hatarini. Kwa bahati nzuri, Russ Somsen alishauri, <unk>Phragmites si tatizo hapa. Maji ya mwaka wa 2010 yaliua idadi kubwa ya miti ya mwerezi. Kwa mfano, mimea ya mwerezi wa mchanga wa mchanga wa mchanga wa mchanga wa mchanga wa mchanga wa mchanga wa mchanga wa mchanga wa mchanga wa mchanga wa mchanga wa mchanga wa mchanga wa mchanga wa mchanga wa mchanga wa mchanga wa mchanga wa mchanga wa mchanga wa mchanga wa mchanga wa mchanga wa mchanga wa mchanga wa mchanga. Hifadhi ya COE kubwa zaidi nchini Marekani, Ziwa Sakakawea, ilikuwa kituo cha tano kwa timu ya FOTW-COE ya "Hifadhi ya Hifadhi ya Hifadhi ya Hifadhi ya Hifadhi ya Hifadhi ya Hifadhi ya Hifadhi ya Hifadhi ya Hifadhi ya Hifadhi ya Hifadhi ya Hifadhi ya Hifadhi ya Hifadhi ya Hifadhi ya Hifadhi ya Hifadhi ya Hifadhi ya Hifadhi. Walikutana na Meneja wa Ziwa Aaron Gregor kujifunza kuhusu ziwa na kujadili fursa zozote za "mahali pa kukaa" kwa Whooping Cranes. Baadaye timu hiyo na Meneja wa Ziwa Aaron walitembelea sehemu ndogo ya pwani ya ziwa hilo. Ziwa Sakakawea ni la urefu wa kilomita 178 na upana wa kilomita 6 katika sehemu yake pana zaidi. Pwani yake ni maili 1,884. Ziwa hilo lina thuluthi moja ya maji yote yaliyohifadhiwa na mfumo wa hifadhi kuu ya Mto Missouri. Wanyama wa porini ni wengi katika makazi ya mradi. Spishi zinazokabili hatari ya kutoweka kutia ndani tern ndogo na plover ya mabomba hufanyiza viota kwenye mabwawa ya mchanga ya ziwa. Nyakati nyingine, ndege aina ya whoopers na peregrine falcons hutembelea ziwa hilo. Watazamaji wa ndege, wawindaji na wavuvi hutumia rasilimali za mradi wa wanyama wa porini kwa idadi kubwa. Timu ya FOTWW-COE na Meneja wa Ziwa Gregor walitembelea maeneo kadhaa kwenye ziwa ili kujadili sifa za Whooping Crane'stopover habitat'. Maeneo yaliyotembelewa yote yalikuwa makao yenye ubora. Gregor alikadiria kwamba kulikuwa na maeneo mengine 200 karibu na pwani ya ziwa kama yale tuliyotembelea. Biolojia ya Wanyamapori ya FOTWW, McConnell, baada ya kutembelea maeneo mengi zaidi ya makazi na kusoma picha za satelaiti anaamini kwamba makadirio ya Meneja wa Ziwa ni ya kihafidhina. Kwa vyovyote vile, McConnell atangaza <unk>kuna wingi wa makazi bora ya kusimamisha juu ya Ziwa Sakakawea<unk> (Tazama mchoro 9). Timu ya FOTWW-COE <unk>stopover habitat<unk> ilifanya ziara yake ya sita katika Ziwa na Bwawa la Fort Peck huko Montana. Kwa kuwa ina ukubwa wa mita milioni 18,700,000 wakati umejaa, Fort Peck ni ziwa la tano kwa ukubwa nchini Marekani. Inaenea kwa maili 134 kupitia Montana ya kati, na pwani yake yenye kugeuka-geuka, iliyojaa vijito ina urefu wa jumla wa maili 1,520. Ziwa hilo lina eneo la ekari 245,500, na ni kubwa zaidi katika Montana kwa eneo la uso, na pia ni kivutio cha watalii, na maeneo 27 ya burudani yaliyochaguliwa yanayopakana na pwani zake. Karibu na hifadhi nzima ya maji kuna Hifadhi ya Taifa ya Wanyamapori ya Charles M. Russell, ambayo imehifadhi sehemu kubwa ya nyanda za juu na milima karibu na ziwa katika hali ya asili. Hifadhi ya Taifa ya Wanyamapori ya Charles M. Russell na Hifadhi ya Taifa ya Wanyamapori ya UL Bend zina eneo la ekari milioni 1.1 ikiwa ni pamoja na hifadhi ya maji ya ekari 245,000 ya Fort Peck ambayo inazunguka karibu maili 125 za hewa kando ya Mto Missouri, kutoka Bwawa la Fort Peck magharibi hadi mpaka na Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument. Kwa kuzingatia ukubwa na umbali wa Charles M. Russell, eneo hilo limebadilika kidogo sana kutoka safari ya kihistoria ya Lewis na Clark, kupitia enzi ya wahalifu na wakazi wa nyumbani, hadi wakati huu. Elk, nyati, pronghorn, bighorn kondoo, sage na sharp-tailed grouse, na bald eagles kufanya Refuge nyumbani. Baada ya kujadili malengo ya rasilimali za asili kwa Ziwa Fort Peck na wafanyakazi, timu ya FOTW-COE na wafanyakazi walifanya ziara ya mali ya ziwa kwa mashua ili kuchunguza maeneo ya uwezekano mkubwa ambayo yangetoa Whooping Crane <unk> stopover habitats <unk>. """Tulitembea maili 64 kwenye ziwa ambalo lina urefu wa jumla wa maili 1,520 ili kuchunguza baadhi ya eneo la pwani ambalo lingekuwa sahihi kama makazi ya kusimamisha." Katika maeneo fulani magharibi mwa Fort Peck, kingo za bahari ni zenye mwinuko na pwani ni ndogo na hazifai kwa ajili ya Whoopers. Jambo muhimu ni kwamba, idadi na ubora wa juu wa "mahali pa kukimbilia" tulivyoona ulikuwa mkubwa sana. Kwa sababu ya upungufu wa wakati tuliweza kuchunguza sehemu fulani tu ya ziwa hilo. "Mwanamkubwa wa FOTW, McConnell, alielezea kuwa: ""Kwa kuzingatia uchunguzi wa wafanyikazi wa FOTW na Fort Peck, tulikadiria kwa uangalifu kwamba angalau moja nzuri ya ""makazi ya kuacha"" kwa kila maili mbili ingekuwa busara." "Hii ni pamoja na ""kuchukua nafasi ya kukaa"" katika maeneo 750 ya Fort Peck." Siku tuliyotembelea ziwa hilo lilikuwa mita sita juu ya kawaida lakini pwani nyingi zilikuwa mahali pazuri pa kukaa. Wakati wa kiwango cha kawaida (chini) cha maji, eneo zaidi la pwani linafunuliwa na makazi ya kusimamisha ni makubwa zaidi. Baada ya kuwasili katika mji wa New York, timu ya FOTW-COE ilirudi kwenye ofisi zao za nyumbani na kufanya kituo kimoja zaidi katika Ziwa Pipestem huko North Dakota. Walikutana na Meneja wa Ziwa James Dixon ambaye ndiye mtu pekee wa wafanyakazi. Timu ilijadili hitaji la Whooping Crane <unk> stopover habitat <unk> na nini inaweza kufanywa juu ya Pipestem Ziwa kulinda, kudumisha na kuendeleza stopover habitat. Ziwa Pipestem ni dogo na lina ziwa la uhifadhi la ekari 840. Urefu wa bwawa la kuhifadhi ni maili 5.5 na pwani ni maili 14.5. Timu ya FOTWW-COE ilizunguka ziwa na kugundua Pelicans nyeupe nyingi, egrets, killdeers na ndege wengine. ndege kando ya pwani. Kwa mujibu wa ripoti hiyo, asilimia 35 ya eneo la pwani ni eneo la makazi ya aina ya Whooping Crane. Timu ilipendekeza maendeleo ya sera juu ya Off-Road-Vehicles; matumizi ya ATV; mimea ya uvamizi na mpango wa kilimo. FOTW inasaidia kuhifadhi na kulinda idadi ya Aransas na Wood Buffalo ya cranes ya mwitu na mazingira yao. "Friends of the Wild Whoppers ni shirika lisilo la faida la 501 (c) 3."""