Vickie Henderson, an artist, writer, and talented wildlife photographer will
have her amazing art on display for the TOS / VSO Joint Meeting in Johnson
City, TN both Friday and Saturday (May 18-19).
Vickie is an international blogger. Her blog is one of the most beautiful and
fascinating sites.
In 2005 she was a focal spot at the Patuxent Research Willdife Refuge Art Show
and Sal
Her photographs adorn the blog site of the famous Julie Zickefoose of
Birdwatchers Digest and a writer, naturalist, and National Public Radio (NPR)
commentator. She and Zickefoose are friends and work together from time to time.
Vickie will bring her passionate love for Sandhill Cranes and her years of
experience observing and photographing the large birds which winter in
southeast Tennessee at Hiwassee Wildlife Refuge.
Vickie was a determined and successful advocate for the cranes recently when
she, and a small group of conservationists from the Tennessee Ornithological
Society, were joined by hunters across the state to implored the Tennessee
Wildlife Resources Agency's policy-making commission to delay an impending
crane hunting season. She worked tirelessly and traveled great distances, even
in severe weather, to advance the Sandhill agenda of no hunting until we have
an appropriate plan for the species. The commission extended that request for
two years.
She has requested the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service:
1) re-evaluate the Management Plan for the Eastern Population of Sandhill
Cranes to examine its underlying science; and 2) remove the Plan objective that
provides for "hunting opportunities for EP sandhill cranes" until science is
adequate to monitor the population, and a system is in place to include input
from hunters and non-hunters who do not wish to want to see this population
hunted. Be sure and visit Vickie's booth at the TOS/VSO Joint Meeting in
Johnson City this weekend. Say hello and spend some time with her. She would
love it and you will too.
Wallace Coffey
Bristol, TN