Operation Grassland Community
Final Report - 1995

7.0 Summary of 1995 Project Activities by Objective

1. To develop Operation Grassland Community of which Operation Burrowing Owl and other similar programs will be a part.

• Complete and send out 1994 final report for peer review.
• OGC set up a display and attended the 4th Prairie Conservation and Endangered Species Workshop.
• Meetings were held with various Alberta Environmental Protection - Natural Resources Service district and regional staff, NAWMP and DU Prairie Biome staff.
• Worked with NAWMP as lead partners in proposing the planting of Thorny Buffalo Berry for loggerhead shrikes along the CPR mainline between Bassano and the Saskatchewan border.
• Attended Recovery Team meetings for burrowing owl, ferruginous hawk, loggerhead shrike and the preliminary meeting of a national Grassland Bird team.

2. To promote a 15 minute educational video, "A Fragile Future". The video was produced by Operation Burrowing Owl in 1993.

• Set up a display c\w VCR playing the video and advertising the sale of "A Fragile Future" at Calgary Sportsman Show, 4th Prairie Conservation and Endangered Species Workshop, AFGA Annual Conference, Alberta Ecotrust AGM, Brooks Trade Show, Brooks Envirofair,
• Did presentations for Kiwanas-Brooks Chapter, Brooks Boy Scout Cub, Cypress Hills Provincial Park, and Rosemary School.

3. To develop pamphlets and educational tools to explain the threats to each species, brief life histories, habitat requirements, why the program was developed and how to get involved.

• Developed, compiled and completed OBO newsletter, it was Alberta's turn to produce the newsletter.
• Prepared press releases.
• Reworked display to update funding partners recognition and program developments.
• Complete flyer on uplisting of burrowing owl.
• Complete OBO brochure.
• Complete loggerhead shrike brochure
• Start burrowing owl brochure

4. To renew 96 Operation Burrowing Owl voluntary habitat retention agreements that expire in 1995.

• An assistant was hired primarily for this task on May 1. Eighty-three of the 96 available agreements have been renewed with a total of 4800 acres of habitat added to these agreements.

5. To maintain a habitat retention program for burrowing owl and loggerhead shrike nesting sites and to protect an additional 30 nest sites in 1995.

• OBO newsletter mailed out
• 73 occurrence reports received and responded to.
• 3 new agreements protecting 320 acres of habitat negotiated from sightings received.

6. To increase public awareness of endangered prairie wildlife through active participation in a volunteer habitat protection program.

• See Section 1, 2, 3 & 5.
• A World Wildlife Fund - fundraising video "Before It's Too Late", that OBO is highlighted in, aired nationally on TV.
• OBO was featured on CBC Alberta news in feature on uplisting of burrowing owl to the Endangered category
• Burrowing owl and OBO featured in various newspaper articles.
• Participated in filming of Discovery Channel program on Great Canadian Parks that will feature OGC. Program will air in 1996.
• Burrowing owl and OBO featured in various newspaper articles.
• Developed print articles for Dinosaur Provincial Park times, AFGA Annual Conference Book and Outdoor Edge magazine.
• Update Internet Website.

7. To continue an annual census of burrowing owls on protected habitats, to monitor numbers and to reinforce the important role landowners play in the survival of the burrowing owl.

• Census post card, postage paid, was mailed out to 250 OBO members along with newsletter and OBO brochure
• 125 census post cards received, the remaining OBO members were contacted by phone, 95% of OBO members responded to census.
• compiled and input data into database

8. To encourage a census for the loggerhead shrike once landowners become involved with OGC through the Alberta Government's Buck For Wildlife program the Alberta Fish or Game Association's Habitat Steward/Heritage Farmstead programs.

• Reports of loggerhead shrikes were followed up. Though no agreements were achieved, the distribution of the OGC loggerhead shrike brochure and the completion of the brochure Alberta's Threatened Wildlife - Loggerhead Shrike should generate greater awareness.

9. To continue to assist in the determination of provincial and regional population trends of the burrowing owl in Alberta and Saskatchewan.

• Completed survey of burrowing owl trend blocks, data sheets forwarded to Alberta Environmental Protection - Natural Resources Service for analysis.
• OBO census data compiled and presented

10. To standardize data collection on habitat selection and use by the burrowing owl and other species for use in other applications (e.g., research, GIS).

• Completed compilation of Alberta burrowing owl nest sites/attempts for inclusion with Saskatchewan and Manitoba data for a poster display at the 4th Prairie Conservation and Endangered Species Workshop.
• Continued work with OBO - Saskatchewan in development of an Alberta burrowing owl database that would be compatible with their Conservation Data Centre database.
• Enter all historic burrowing owl and loggerhead shrike sightings, nest sites/attempts into database.
• Participated in planning session for Alberta Environmental Protection Biodiversity Database.
• Input 1995 data into database

11. To foster cooperative action in conservation through involvement of multiple agencies.

• See 1, 2, 3, 10, 13.
• Meetings held with Special Areas, Alberta Cattle Commission
• Attended Endangered Species Legislation Workshop held in Edmonton on May 30, 1995
• Responded to requests for burrowing owl locations relating to development from NOVA Gas Transmission Ltd., Terra Environmental Consultants, Axys Environmental Consultants.
• Attended NAWMP Prairie Biome meeting
• Represented AFGA in National Energy Board Hearings into the Express Pipeline Project that will traverses from Hardisty to Wildhorse.
• Co-hosted day tour of Brooks area by Hon. Ty Lund, Minister of Alberta Environmental Protection and emphasized the excellent cooperation achieved between his department and OGC.

12. To work cooperatively with Saskatchewan agencies in implementing prairie-wide habitat retention programs.

• See 10.
• Worked with OBO - Saskatchewan in development of OBO newsletter.
• Sent copy of OBO newsletter master to Saskatchewan OBO Coordinator for copying and distribution to OBO - Saskatchewan members.
• met with OBO - Saskatchewan coordinator to discuss previous year and future directions

13. To continue researching the means to locate the migration route and wintering area of the burrowing owl.

• Received and included article in OBO newsletter from G. Holroyd about his work in Mexico.
• Sent out enquiries to various telemetry companies on the availability of transmitters for burrowing owls. No units were found that would facilitate satellite tracking.

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