2006 Legislation
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HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 38 – Idaho Birding Trail, supported

HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 38

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Bill Status



HCR038........................................by RESOURCES AND CONSERVATION
IDAHO BIRDING TRAIL - Stating findings of the Legislature and expressing
support for the development of the Idaho Birding Trail and recognizing the
economic opportunities and benefits the trail will afford to communities in
the state of Idaho.
                                                                        
02/10    House intro - 1st rdg - to printing
02/13    Rpt prt - to Res/Con
02/24    Rpt out - rec d/p - to 2nd rdg
02/27    2nd rdg - to 3rd rdg
03/03    3rd rdg - ADOPTED - voice vote
    Floor Sponsor - Sayler
    Title apvd - to Senate
03/06    Senate intro - 1st rdg - to Res/Env
03/16    Rpt out - rec d/p - to 10th Ord
03/17    10th Ord - ADOPTED - voice vote
    Floor Sponsor - Langhorst
    Title apvd - to House
03/20    To enrol
03/21    Rpt enrol - Sp signed
03/22    Pres signed
03/23    To Secretary of State

Bill Text


                                                                        
                                                                        
  ]]]]              LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO             ]]]]
 Fifty-eighth Legislature                   Second Regular Session - 2006
                                                                        
                                                                        
                              IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
                                                                        
                             HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 38
                                                                        
                          BY RESOURCES AND CONSERVATION COMMITTEE
                                                                        
  1                               A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
  2    STATING FINDINGS OF THE LEGISLATURE EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT  OF
  3        THE  IDAHO BIRDING TRAIL, RECOGNIZING THE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES AND BENE-
  4        FITS THE TRAIL WILL AFFORD TO COMMUNITIES  IN  THE  STATE  OF  IDAHO,  AND
  5        ACKNOWLEDGING THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR NATIVE BIRDS AND THEIR HABITATS.
                                                                        
  6    Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:
                                                                        
  7        WHEREAS,  eco-tourism,  or  nature-tourism,  has become a big business for
  8    many communities, with birds often being a central attraction; and
  9        WHEREAS, within the last decade there has been an emerging interest in the
 10    development of "birding trails," which consist of self-guided  driving  routes
 11    and trail systems along the nation's interstates and byways that highlight the
 12    best  spots  for birding, linking premier birding habitats in convenient loops
 13    and spurs; and
 14        WHEREAS, more than a dozen birding and wildlife-watching trails  now  have
 15    been  developed  and  mapped,  crisscrossing  the country on federal and state
 16    land, and more are on drawing boards in various stages of development; and
 17        WHEREAS, a partnership of groups and individuals,  including  state  agen-
 18    cies,  visitors'  bureaus,  educators,  wildlife agencies, recreationists, and
 19    chapters of the Audubon Society, have worked together for the  development  of
 20    such sites; and
 21        WHEREAS, the growth of birding trails, combined with America's love of the
 22    automobile,  has  helped  build interest and spread birder tourism dollars and
 23    communities with trail sites have learned that birders are  a  boon  to  their
 24    economies,  providing  a means of diversification, especially for rural areas,
 25    with trail maps often providing information on lodging, restaurants and  other
 26    places of interest; and
 27        WHEREAS,  birding  trails are often located along the major North American
 28    flyways, including the "Pacific Flyway" that, in part, traverses the panhandle
 29    and Snake River valley of Idaho, and these flyways  provide  suitable  habitat
 30    for native birds; and
 31        WHEREAS,  watching wildlife is the fastest growing outdoor activity in the
 32    United States, and approximately sixty percent of Idahoans regularly engage in
 33    wildlife watching, about half a million of whom  participate  specifically  in
 34    watching birds on an annual basis; and
 35        WHEREAS,  the  Idaho  Department  of Fish and Game has developed a birding
 36    trail, and associated trail guide, for a trail  to  be  known  as  the  "Idaho
 37    Birding  Trail"  and  hopes  to introduce the state trail in time for Interna-
 38    tional Migratory Bird Day in May of 2006; and
 39        WHEREAS, the Idaho Birding Trail will consist of a series of  four  loops,
 40    estimated  at  approximately  2,000  miles,  consisting  of  the Northern Loop
 41    extending from the Canadian border south to Riggins,  the  Southwestern  Loop,
 42    covering  Riggins  south to the Owyhee Mountains and the Oregon border east to
 43    Twin Falls, the Southeastern Loop encompassing the Twin Falls area east to the
 44    Wyoming border and Bear Lake north to Island Park, and the  East-Central  Loop
                                                                        
                                           2
                                                                        
  1    consisting of the Sun Valley/Stanley area northeast to Salmon; and
  2        WHEREAS,  the four loops will guide visitors to two hundred sites, includ-
  3    ing such sites as the Snake River Birds of Prey  National  Conservation  Area,
  4    Ponderosa  State  Park,  Market  Lake Wildlife Management Area, Camas National
  5    Wildlife Refuge, Coeur d'Alene River Wildlife Management  Area,  and  Kootenai
  6    National Wildlife Refuge; and
  7        WHEREAS,  the  Idaho  Birding  Trail will offer the public educational and
  8    recreational experiences as well as benefit nearby communities and offer  such
  9    communities  economic  opportunities associated with the resulting increase in
 10    tourism to these areas.
 11        NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the members of the Second  Regular  Ses-
 12    sion  of  the Fifty-eighth Idaho Legislature, the House of Representatives and
 13    the Senate concurring therein, that we express our support for the development
 14    of the Idaho Birding Trail, recognize the economic opportunities and  benefits
 15    the  trail  will afford to communities in the state of Idaho, declare it to be
 16    the official Idaho birding trail, and encourage the Idaho Department  of  Com-
 17    merce  and Labor to include the Idaho Birding Trail in its promotional litera-
 18    ture.

Statement of Purpose / Fiscal Impact



                       STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

                             RS 15921

The intent of this resolution is to express legislative support
for the development of the Idaho Birding Trail, which is being
completed by the Department of Fish and Game. The resolution
acknowledges the economic contribution of birding to Idaho's
economy, declares the trail to be the official state birding
trail, and encourages the Department of Commerce and Labor to
include it in its promotional literature.


                           FISCAL NOTE

No fiscal impact.




Contact
Name: Representative George Sayler 
Phone: (208) 332-1000


STATEMENT OF PURPOSE/FISCAL NOTE                        HCR 38