• :: GONDOLA RIDES
• :: MEMORIAL HIGHWAY
• :: MOUNTAIN BIKING
• :: YOGA ON THE MOUNTAIN
• :: NATURE TREKS
• :: OKTOBERFEST
• :: SUMMER EVENTS
• :: BICKNELL'S THRUSH

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Conserving Bicknell’s Thrush

As the environmental steward of Whiteface Mountain, the Olympic Regional Development Authority (ORDA) is embarking on its next frontier, the Lookout Mountain expansion. Beginning this summer this initiative will enhance the skiing and riding experiences of our guests while simultaneously maintaining sensitivity to the natural habitat of the “residents” of the Olympic Mountain. Whiteface Mountain and ORDA are working with partners to ensure that activities on the mountain respect and protect the habitat of the mountain’s wildlife.

Bicknell’s Thrush is a secretive, high elevation song bird rarely seen but easily identified by its beautiful flute-like call. This bird species inhabits mountainous regions in the Northeast, including Whiteface Mountain, and “winters” in the Dominican Republic and Haiti. It is a habitat specialist often associated with recently disturbed areas undergoing vigorous succession. These birds spend their summers nesting exclusively in the high elevation spruce-fir forests of the Northeast and migrate thousands of miles annually to their winter habitat in the broadleaf mountainous forests of the Dominican Republic and Haiti. Breeding pairs of this species number only in the thousands and they face challenges to their health and survival at both ends of their migration. Deforestation and related threats on the wintering grounds pose a serious problem for Bicknell’s Thrush. Just as we are trying to ensure that their breeding habitat is undisturbed, we want your help in protecting their winter habitat in Hispaniola!

This species of concern came to the forefront during planning for ski trail development and included three years of research into the bird’s status on Whiteface Mountain. ORDA, in conjunction with the involved regulatory and environmental agencies and groups, are working together to create an awareness of the Bicknell’s Thrush, and seek to continue a long-term program whereby its habitat can be protected.

To further ensure the long-term vitality of the species ORDA and its partners have set up a fund with the Adirondack Community Trust (ACT). Today the partners celebrate the creation and launch of the Bicknell’s Thrush Habitat Protection Fund in conjunction with the Adirondack Community Trust. The habitat protection fund is being established as a geographic field of interest fund, which allows donors to support a particular charitable cause, such as environmental preservation. The Bicknell’s Thrush fund is capable of collecting donations from a number of sources, including donations from individuals and corporations, charitable foundations, and land transactions. As the fund grows, grants will be made to non-profit groups on Hispaniola who propose to undertake specific actions to protect the Bicknell’s Thrush winter habitat. These actions may fall into the categories of enforcement of protected areas, education, promotion of compatible land uses, and research.

The fund will be steered by an executive committee composed of representatives of the following organizations: Adirondack Council, Adirondack Nature Conservancy, Audubon New York, Vermont Institute of Natural Science, and Wildlife Conservation Society. The executive committee will make recommendations to the Adirondack Community Trust regarding the groups to whom grants should be given.

You can make a donation by depositing cash into the drop boxes located at Whiteface Mountain, or by making out a check to Bicknell’s Thrush Habitat Protection Fund at ACT and mailing it to: Adirondack Community Trust, 2284 Saranac Avenue, Lake Placid, NY 12946. Donations are also accepted online at www.whiteface.com or www.generousact.org

All donations to the fund, made to the Adirondack Community Trust (www.GenerousACT.org), are tax deductible.