By Cynthia Ellis, West Virginia Highlands Conservancy
Usually in May and June, throughout the mountains and across the state, West Virginia’s birders are volunteering their time to complete Breeding Bird Surveys (BBS). These volunteers operate on “early bird” hours to travel 25-mile-long routes, stopping every half mile to record, for three minutes, all birds seen and heard. West Virginia has participated in BBS efforts since the program began in 1966. The data compiled has been vital to keeping track of avian populations.
There is a cloud over this year’s work. The current federal budget proposal threatens to eliminate the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the agency that oversees Breeding Bird Survey.
A New York Times article points out the critical work of one part of the USGS:
“The Trump administration’s proposed budget for 2026 slashes about 90 percent of the funding for one of the country’s cornerstone biological and ecological research programs.”
“Known as the Ecosystems Mission Area (EMA), the program is part of the U.S. Geological Survey and studies nearly every aspect of the ecology and biology of natural and human-altered landscapes and waters around the country.”
“Abolishing the EMA was an explicit goal of Project 2025, the blueprint for shrinking the federal government produced by the conservative Heritage Foundation. That work cited decades-long struggles over the Interior Department’s land management in the West, where protections for endangered species have at times prevented development, drilling and mining.”
“The EMA runs the Bird Banding Lab, whose work informs waterfowl and game bird management and enables migratory bird tracking. The program also runs the national bird breeding survey, which tracks more than 400 species of birds.”
And the American Bird Conservancy (ABC) points out, “This program provides essential monitoring data for conservation managers, scientists, and the general public, helping to pinpoint declines and species at risk before it’s too late.”
Additionally, the work of banding birds would be impacted. We are especially concerned that a West Virginia banding station, Allegheny Front Migration Observatory (AFMO), at Dolly Sods could lose the destination for the data it collects.
ABC focused on the vital work of banding and said, “The Bird Banding Laboratory (BBL): With over 100 years of data from banded and marked birds, the BBL is a critical resource for understanding birds’ needs, developing effective conservation plans, and answering new scientific questions.”
In a related issue, an outpouring of citizen response was able to try to protect public lands from defunding. “After weeks of public outrage and mounting bipartisan backlash, House Republicans quietly removed a provision that would have mandated the sale of thousands of acres of public lands. But while the immediate threat of sell-off may be gone, advocates across the country say the damage remains,” wrote the Conservation Lands Foundation.
We know that members of the West Virginia Highlands Conservancy recognize the importance of birds in our mountain ecosystems.
Contacting members of Congress is always helpful. We will do our best to provide timely alerts and updates. We need birds, and birds need our help!
Here is an action alert provided by the American Bird Conservancy.