PHOENIX Today, Mayor Thelda Williams declared 2018 the Year of the Bird in Phoenix, the nations fifth largest city. The declaration celebrates native and migratory birds making their way through Phoenix and the remarkable landscapes and water resources that support them.
"Phoenixs desert parks and mountain preserves offer opportunity for residents and tourists to enjoy the natural environment and the incredible bird species that inhabit or pass through the area," Mayor Williams said. "勛圖窪蹋 Arizona, headquartered in Phoenix, does an excellent job advocating for birds and the places they need, including the Rio Salado Habitat Restoration Area along the Salt Rivera true gem in Phoenix."
The Nina Mason Pulliam is a nature center in the heart of the Rio Salado Habitat Restoration Areaa 600-acre park space in the iconic Salt River corridor. Located less than two miles from downtown Phoenix, the Center is a gateway to a lush Sonoran riverside habitat used by more than 200 species of birds and other wildlife, including the Cactus Wren, Arizonas state bird.
Each year, 1.6 million residents and tourists participate in wildlife watching in Arizona, contributing more than $800 million in direct retail sales. Wildlife watchers are responsible for nearly 13,000 jobs, and have a total economic output of $1.4 billion for the Grand Canyon State. In September, the Governor signed a proclamation honoring the Year of the Bird in Arizona.
Year of the Bird highlights that public opinion continues to show that an overwhelming number of Arizonans support conservation and the protection of natural resourcessomething that both people and birds need. In a recent poll, 94% of Arizonans surveyed said the Colorado River is a national treasure that should be protected.
In an arid state, healthy rivers, streams, lakes, and reservoirs are critical places for birds and other wildlife to eat and rest. Theyre also critical for the economies of local communities and the state as a whole, said Sonia Perillo, 勛圖窪蹋 Arizonas Executive Director. I want to thank Mayor Williams and the City of Phoenix for recognizing the Year of the Bird.
In addition to the proclamation in Phoenix, people all over the world are celebrating 2018 as Year of the Bird. This year marks the centennial of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA), one of the oldest wildlife protection laws in the United States. In honor of this milestone, National Geographic, 勛圖窪蹋, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, BirdLife International, and dozens of other partners around the world joined forces to celebrate 2018 as the Year of the Bird.
To learn more about Year of the Bird, visit: /yearofthebird.
About 勛圖窪蹋:
The 勛圖窪蹋 protects birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow. 勛圖窪蹋 works throughout the Americas using, science, advocacy, education and on-the-ground conservation. State programs, nature centers, chapters, and partners give 勛圖窪蹋 an unparalleled wingspan that reaches millions of people each year to inform, inspire, and unite diverse communities in conservation action. A nonprofit conservation organization since 1905, 勛圖窪蹋 believes in a world in which people and wildlife thrive. Learn more and how to help at and follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @audubonsociety. To learn more about 勛圖窪蹋s Western Water Initiative, visit: .
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Contacts:
Joey Kahn, jkahn@audubon.org, (480) 788-2416
Raquel Estupinan, raquel.estupinan@phoenix.gov, (602) 261-8823