From: Van Remsen najames@LSU.EDU
Date: Fri, 2 Sep 2005 13:58:31 -0500

LABIRD: It seems highly likely that some of our comrades in SE LA and coastal
MS have lost everything. Let's hope that the roster is miraculously short.
Nonetheless, let's start thinking about a relief effort. I suspect that FEMA/Red
Cross etc. will eventually take care of the basic needs in terms of long-term
housing and clothing, although we can do our part in terms of temp housing
and donations. I suspect that an appropriate niche for us might be things like
field gear and bird books. This stuff is obviously low on their immediate
priority list but may mean a lot fairly soon to those who have lost it all. Unlike
the federal agencies who were supposed to have a plan for this predictable
disaster, I don't have a blueprint we can follow in terms of what we can do with
LABIRD resources ... I'm basically thinking "out loud," so feedback welcomed.
I have already heard from Mike Busam of the Ohio Ornithological Society in
terms of wondering how they can help. Perhaps those of you with birder contacts
in other states can get those states to at least start thinking about a similar
effort. I know that our great neighbors in Texas and Arkansas have especially
big hearts. It is unlikely that New Orleans area folks will have a clear idea
of their losses soon, but Slidell-Lacombe and coastal MS folks may already
know where they stand.

-- Van Remsen najames@LSU.edu LSU Museum of Natural Science Foster Hall 119, LSU Baton Rouge, LA 70803