Don't Worry About the Doves

Hi-- Today we've got a guest blogger, my compatriot Bart Semcer of the Sierra Club:

Earlier this week I noticed that mourning doves were once again in the wooded marsh around my home. One of the most abundant gamebirds in America, mourning doves are also one of the most popular with hunters. Of the estimated 400 million doves that fly across the continent, law abiding hunters kill approximately 22.7 million each year.

I enjoy hunting doves, both for the social nature of dove hunting and the culinary opportunities the birds provide. With this being Earth Week I began wondering if global warming might have an impact on doves and dove hunting. After doing some research I am happy saying that for doves, the news is not so bad. U.S. Forest Service scientists  predict that climate change will likely have little effect on doves, and there may even be population increases in Northern Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula if warming temperatures result in less balsam fir forest. 

Thankfully we need not worry about global warming and the future of the doves. But I don’t feel we can call ourselves conservationists and only be concerned about one species, no matter how much we value it. If additional research is accurate, global warming threatens fish, wildlife and our outdoor heritage nationwide. If we are conservationists we should be paying close attention and taking action.

The U.S. Forest Service scientists who reported a good outlook for doves also expect a “withdrawal” of ruffed grouse from the coastal regions of the Northeastern States and from possibly all of the Great Lakes Region, resulting from an expected near total loss of paper birch. Some scientists predict a loss of up to 99% of large habitat areas for bull trout in the Rocky Mountains. In the Southern Appalachians, researchers are anticipating the loss of 97% of trout waters under some climate change models.

These may only be predictions but they are dire ones. I can only speak for myself but I value our outdoor heritage enough to think we should not gamble with it. As part of America’s new energy future I would like to do everything I can to secure a place for fish, wildlife and all who enjoy it and I would like to help others do the same. 

Sierra Club’s recently launched Resilient Habitats Initiative, is a bold and optimistic effort to confront the threat of climate change to fish and wildlife by applying the best available science to efforts that secure habitat today so we can still enjoy fish and wildlife in a warmer tomorrow. 

The Resilient Habitats Initiative engages people in fish and wildlife conservation through a combination of education, advocacy and hands-on projects that protect and improve habitat. With the help of partner agencies and organizations Sierra Club is optimistic that this effort will be successful in making sure that there will be grouse to shoot, trout to catch and a wealth of creation to enjoy for generations to come.