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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
]]]] 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
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