Birds, Pollinators and Fish, Oh My!

As I think over the day, my mind is a whirlwind of perspectives at which to approach the complexity of the relationship between the stakeholders of the Boise Watershed.  

The day began with birds....beautiful and delicate, yet resilient to the the everchanging availability of resources.  The thought of catching, observing and releasing these wild birds is exhilarating!  Our visit to the Idaho Bird Observatory offered just such an opportunity. Then off to the Suez drinking water treatment plant.  Here we were taken through the intricacies of providing clean, healthy drinking water and the role that fire suppression plays in the overall function of the Suez system.  I realized that I have taken the fire suppression aspect of Suez for granted.  It was clear to me the need for water for things such as drinking and irrigation, however, I hadn't  readily factored in the idea of water always being available to firefighters at a house fire.  Next came the tour of Roosevelt Elementary's School Garden.  The garden was peaceful and I felt at home.  As I listened to points made about the benefits of a school garden, took in the beauty of the plants and artwork, and appreciated the shade the trees offered, I felt a true need to offer this environment to my students. I can see this as a valuable mission to undertake and I am interested in learning more about it!  Our final opportunity to learn about a unique perspective came from a tour of Cottonwood Creek and presentation about Trout Unlimited's Daylighting project. Here the need for a more natural approach to managing stream water to allow fish the habitat they need.

So as you can imagine, the concept of the most important stakeholder morphs as I consider each perspective!  Can I just say, they are all important.  For the sake of argument however, I am choosing Plants and Wildlife.  This perspective is like the silent witness to our management decisions.  We must protect their needs and rights as living things and do our best to offer protections for them.  Issues that plants and wildlife face include habitat degradation, loss of natural resources, climate change, and the list continues.  Each of these can be addressed through collaborative decision making and compromise between all stakeholders.  Ultimately, as reasonable citizens, with reasonable expectations, we can find the balance necessary to meet the needs of many without losing sight of the big picture....we are here to take what we are given and make it better!