If you have been out to the Birds of Prey you know how special a place it is for southwest Idaho. Now, their conservation efforts have been recognized nationally.
The Bureau of Land Management's Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey National Conservation Area (NCA) and Birds of Prey NCA Partnership (BOPP), a Boise based non-profit organization, were recently honored with a 2019 Public Lands Partner Award. NCA and BOPP received the award in honor of their work to protect and conserve public lands and enhance visitor experience at the NCA.
"One of the exciting things about this award is it also recognizes the history of local communities supporting the national conservation area. One of the reasons the area was designated is because there was so much support and recognition of the value of the land in this area, and so this is just a continuation of that legacy," said Amanda Hoffman, the Birds of Prey National Conservation Area manager.
The NCA and BOPP were recognized for their work while celebrating the 25th anniversary of the NCA. Together, they planned more than 40 community events, including interpretive hikes, habitat restoration projects, trash cleanup events, and the Snake River Raptor Fest. These activities helped the NCA reach over 18,000 people, doubling the number during a typical year.
The NCA was established by congress in 1993 and includes protections for nesting raptors and their habitats across about 26,000 acres and along 81 miles of the Snake River. It is home to the largest concentration of nesting birds of prey in North America.
