Episode Ten: The Climate Crisis and Our Uncertain Future
“It’s great that [the NCA] has that distinction of having an evidence based approach to setting the boundary, but the boundary has to be meaningful, and it has to be updated.
— Dr. Julie Heath
The future of the Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey NCA is highly uncertain as the area and its unique raptor population face a multitude of threats stemming from our current climate crisis. Despite this, basic research and monitoring of the health of raptor populations and their habitats has been defunded in recent decades, making it impossible to know what the future holds for this globally unique population of birds of prey.
Prairie Falcons in the Morley Nelson Snake River Birds of Prey NCA
The Prairie Falcon is the raptor species whose habitat requirements define the boundary of this National Conservation Area. Here are a few photos of this unique falcon species captured by Neil Paprocki while he was conducting research for his Master’s Degree in Raptor Biology at Boise State University.
Photo by Neil Paprocki.
Photo by Neil Paprocki.
Photo by Neil Paprocki.
Episode Credits:
Produced by: The Wild Lens Collective and Radio Boise
With Support from: The Bureau of Land Management, The Birds of Prey NCA Partnership, The Peregrine Fund’s Archives of Falconry, a grant from Patagonia
Producers: Matthew Podolsky, Wayne Birt, Steve Alsup
Production Support provided by: Jessica Evett, Leah Dunn, Ragged Coyote, Jennifer Jerrett
Thanks to our guests: Steve Alsup, Dr. Julie Heath, Mike Kochert, Karen Steenhof, Dean Bibles, John Freemuth, Charlie Baun, Taylor Ruhle, Amanda Hoffman, Ted Howard
Music by: Like A Rocket, Ragged Coyote, The Great Turtle, Judy Trejo with Delgadina Gonzalez and Christina Gonzalez - from the album “Circle Dance Songs of the Paiute and Shoshone” - used courtesy of Canyon Records