Call for action: Bird Banding Lab at Risk

The comment period ends this Friday on May 23, 2025.  Please read the message excerpt from the Maryland Ornithological Society:

“This message is to alert you to an existential threat to the Eastern Ecological Science Center (EESC; prior to 2020 it was called the Patuxent Research Center): its budget for FY 2026 is set to be cut to exactly $0.00.  The EESC, which is part of the US Geological Service (USGS), performs many services for our nation. Here, very briefly, are three major components of the EESC and what they do.

i).   The longest-standing program within EESC is the Bird Banding Lab, which was founded in 1923.  The BBL collects, archives, analyzes and shares data on bird migration across North America.  It has identified migration routes, stop over points and wintering grounds of many bird species to allow their conservation.  BBL data was crucial in identifying the decline in species such as the peregrine falcon due to the widespread use of DDT. 

ii). The Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) was initiated in 1966 in response to widespread declines in bird population throughout North America.  The BBS monitors, analyzes and shares data on bird populations across the US and Canada, with a major goal being to keep common birds common.  This data revealed that many bird populations were in significant decline.
See https://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2025/3011/fs20253011_print.pdf for a handy summary of the two programs.
 
iii).  To complement research on domestic honeybees by the USDA, the USGS Bee Lab’s focus is the study, identification and monitoring of native bees throughout the US (and Canada).  It is only recently that we have become aware of the great ecological importance of this little-known group of pollinators, including for the nation’s food supply.  Most native bees depend on only one or a few related plants for their food.
See  https://www.usgs.gov/centers/eesc/science/usgs-bee-lab-eastern-ecological-science-center for a nice summary.

The loss of the uniquely skilled and experienced staff would mean the EESC could not easily be reconstituted once they have lost their current jobs.  Thus, this budget cut will result in permanent harm to the Center and make reconstituting it very difficult.
 
What you can do to prevent or at least mitigate this funding cut.
Congress has to approve these budget cuts, so the most effective action you can take is to contact your elected representative and urge them to oppose the cuts.  Here is how to locate and contact your representatives:
•    Representatives: Find Your Representative | house.gov
•    Senators: U.S. Senate: Contacting U.S. Senators
 
You will have to click through to the actual page to send an email.  Or you can phone or visit your representative’s office.  Here are some points to make in your message:

·         EESC is unique in the scope of the data it provides on the birds and bees of the US

·         This data is essential for the conservation of our birds and native bees

·         If EESC is defunded, it cannot be easily reconstituted (loss of institutional memory, former staff moving on, etc)

·         Watching birds is a rapidly growing hobby which contributes billions of dollars to the US economy annually

If you send an email, please use your own words because identical form letters and emails are largely ignored by elected officials as they know that very little effort was put into them.  No need to write a long essay – brevity and clarity are what count.
Time is short: comments will not be accepted after this Friday (23rd), so don’t delay, call or email your comments today!