Bill Text: OH SR287 | 2013-2014 | 130th General Assembly | Enrolled
Bill Title: To designate the second Saturday of May 2014 as Bird
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 6-2)
Status: (Passed) 2014-03-20 - Adopted [SR287 Detail]
Download: Ohio-2013-SR287-Enrolled.html
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Senator Gardner
Cosponsors:
Senators Cafaro, Hughes, Eklund, LaRose, Manning, Hite, Brown
| To designate the second Saturday of May 2014 as Bird | 1 |
| Ohio Day in order to recognize the importance of | 2 |
| bird and bird habitat stewardship and | 3 |
| conservation. | 4 |
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF OHIO:
| WHEREAS, Ohio has played a major role in the development of | 5 |
| bird studies and research since the 1890s. It provides stopover | 6 |
| habitat for millions of birds as they pass through the state | 7 |
| during their migration northward each spring and also is home to | 8 |
| numerous species that reside in the state year-round. For example, | 9 |
| the bald eagle, a recognized symbol of our nation, has a | 10 |
| significant population in Ohio with a major percentage located in | 11 |
| Lucas, Ottawa, Sandusky, and Erie Counties, comprising the most | 12 |
| concentrated breeding population in the continental United States. | 13 |
| Ottawa County and the Oak Harbor area have adopted the name | 14 |
| "Warbler Capital of the World" to recognize the importance of the | 15 |
| spring migration and to attract visitors to the area; and | 16 |
| WHEREAS, Numerous agencies and organizations that recognize | 17 |
| the importance of bird and bird habitat education, research, and | 18 |
| conservation are located in Ohio, including, but not limited to, | 19 |
| Black Swamp Bird Observatory, Destination Toledo, Lake Erie Shores | 20 |
| and Islands, Maumee Bay Lodge and Conference Center, Metroparks of | 21 |
| the Toledo Area, Erie Metroparks, Cleveland Metroparks, Cleveland | 22 |
| Museum of Natural History, Columbus Audubon Society, Ohio | 23 |
| Ornithological Society, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Ohio | 24 |
| zoos, and Ohio park districts. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, | 25 |
| Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Ohio park districts, and | 26 |
| other public agencies and private organizations have protected | 27 |
| thousands of acres of high-quality bird habitat across the state; | 28 |
| and | 29 |
| WHEREAS, Bird watching has become one of the most popular and | 30 |
| economically significant forms of outdoor recreation in Ohio and | 31 |
| throughout the United States. Birding tourism contributes | 32 |
| significantly to economic development in northwest Ohio. Thousands | 33 |
| of birdwatchers from across the country and around the world visit | 34 |
| northwest Ohio and the southwest shore of Lake Erie each spring to | 35 |
| witness the spectacle of bird migration and to participate in the | 36 |
| Biggest Week in American Birding Festival organized by the Black | 37 |
| Swamp Bird Observatory of Oak Harbor, Ohio. Studies conducted by | 38 |
| the Observatory and Bowling Green State University show that | 39 |
| visiting birdwatchers spend more than $30 million in northern Ohio | 40 |
| each spring; and | 41 |
| WHEREAS, Nature conservation, including protection of bird | 42 |
| habitats, has many aesthetic and economic values, including | 43 |
| increasing the value of real estate located near conserved lands | 44 |
| such as nature preserves and properties protected by conservation | 45 |
| easements; and | 46 |
| WHEREAS, Public awareness and concern are crucial components | 47 |
| of conserving natural areas as well as the birds and other | 48 |
| wildlife that live in those areas. Citizens who are enthusiastic | 49 |
| about birds and nature, informed about threats to the natural | 50 |
| world, and empowered to become involved in addressing those | 51 |
| threats can make a tremendous contribution to maintaining healthy | 52 |
| bird populations and protecting bird habitats; and | 53 |
| WHEREAS, Interest in bird and bird habitat stewardship and | 54 |
| conservation can grow by providing more bird watching and nature | 55 |
| education activities involving people of all ages. Many | 56 |
| educational materials are available to schools, educational | 57 |
| organizations, parents, and other citizens to foster public | 58 |
| awareness about the importance of bird and bird habitat | 59 |
| conservation; now therefore be it | 60 |
| RESOLVED, That we, the members of the Senate of the 130th | 61 |
| General Assembly of the State of Ohio, in adopting this | 62 |
| resolution, designate the second Saturday of May 2014 as Bird Ohio | 63 |
| Day in order to recognize the importance of bird and bird habitat | 64 |
| stewardship and conservation; and be it further | 65 |
| RESOLVED, That we, the members of the Senate of the 130th | 66 |
| General Assembly of the State of Ohio, encourage school districts, | 67 |
| schools, teachers, and nature educators in Ohio to offer lessons | 68 |
| and activities to teach students and other citizens about birds, | 69 |
| bird habitat, and bird conservation and also encourage citizens of | 70 |
| and visitors to Ohio to spend time outdoors enjoying the sights | 71 |
| and sounds of birds and engage in stewardship of the wildlife | 72 |
| habitat on which migratory and resident birds depend for their | 73 |
| survival; and be it further | 74 |
| RESOLVED, That the Clerk of the Senate transmit duly | 75 |
| authenticated copies of this resolution to the news media of Ohio. | 76 |
