Reserved

PROPOSAL: Proposal to the Sts’ailes Development Corporation re:
Chehalis Bald Eagle Café.

Purpose: To assist the Sts’ailes First Nations band to establish a commercial tourist site on the Chehalis Band lands:  a Bald Eagle Café in association with the Sasquatch Crossing Eco Lodge owned by the Sts’ailes First Nations.

Basic Objective:  
To make a natural biological phenomena, the spawning of salmon and the feasting of bald eagles on the spawned out carcasses, something that can be a high quality natural event appealing to birders and nature lovers of the world, and be a financially successful event for the hosting Sts'ailes Development Corporation and specifically the Sasquatch Crossing Eco Lodge – the hosting site.

Background:
The Harrison -- Chehalis River complex has proven to host the largest North American collection of bald eagles and probably the "worlds" largest concentration of any large raptor.  During December of 2010 over 7,360 bald eagles were individually counted at the Chehalis Flats and it is estimated that over 10,000 eagles were present.  This is a phenomena equivalent to the migrating wildebeests of the Serengeti Plains, the former buffalo of our Great Plains or the spawning hoards of salmon that frequent these rich rivers.

The Harrison – Chehalis Rivers annually house 5 species of salmon and the dead and decaying spawned out carcasses feed not just the insects that nourish the next salmon generation and the local bears but the local and migrating bald eagles along with a substantial contribution to feeding the human population.  The Harrison system is one of our richest watersheds of North America – the annual huge salmon runs and the feasting eagles are part of that system.  This project will help tell that story. Chehalis lowlands primarily occupy the Sts'ailes First Nation lands

Proposal:  
The method is to take the surplus spawned out salmon carcasses, those not used by the First Nations Band, from the Chehalis Hatchery and regularly place these carcasses at a specific site along the Chehalis-Harrison Rivers, possibly accessible via the Sasquatch Crossing Eco Lodge trails. This site will offer public viewing from a photography blind accessible to tourists for a fee payable to the Band.

This would give a paid viewing site from October through January.  This "Eagle Cafe" of salmon carcasses might be supplemented by Fraser Valley road and farm kills that would extend the viewing season. This could also prove another revenue source.

I have visited similar "Vulture Cafe's" in South Africa and been awed by the intimate nature viewing and appreciation opportunities offered to the public. No other "Bald Eagle Cafe" is officially designated in North America.  On the other hand many cities and municipalities throughout western North America do place road kills consistently in specific places to facilitate getting rid of the carcasses and giving the eagles a food source that is natural and yet away from deadly traffic. 

My proposal is to take this same natural phenomena, the feasting of eagles on spawned out carcasses, and turn it into a spectacular, world class, tourist event that will generate revenue for the band and show their continued respect of the river, its salmon and its eagles. The trail to the blind is presently being designed to provide an educational walk illustrating the First Nations historic use of local plants and animals. First Nation guides will lead the walks and talks.

Process of evaluation, approval and implementation:  

UPDATE NOTE: The Sts’ailes First Nations, Chief, Band Council and their Sts’ailes Development Corporation have already approved this project. As of March, 2012 the First Nations are already undertaking the preparation of the cedar slabs from which the blind, “in traditional longhouse style”, is to be constructed.

The Hancock Wildlife Foundation has offered our support by producing live web cams at the site and offering our web services to give the site world recognition. We will possibly also support, as opportunity arises, the funding of various components of this educational opportunity. For example we might undertake fundraising projects like supporting an art contest on the outer planks of the blind, training First Nations Guides etc.

I am confident that cultural - tourism grants would be available to study, build and promote this unique site. Considerable support from other NGO and government organizations and individuals have already been committed. Obviously this site would tie in very effectively with the Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival (co-sponsor of the project) and the Hancock Wildlife Foundation live Chehalis fish cams, live eagle cams on the Chehalis Flats and existing bald eagle nest cams. In short, the Chehalis Bald Eagle Café will hopefully be a fundamental and coalescing part of our Harrison – Chehalis River Project: meeting our objective of “Telling the Story of a River”.

OVERVIEW: Costing of the Harrison -- Chehalis Projects:
The following cost breakdown lists the Capital costs of each project.

A The Harrison – Chehalis Cam Projects:
(Not including the Chehalis Bald Eagle Café – budgeted separately)

Project 1: The Underwater Cams: (cleaning + upgrade)
Cams: 2 x $1250 = $2500
Transceivers : 1 set $1000
Prep & Installation $2500
Encoder & Storage Disks: $1500
Total cost with small contingency: $8,000.00

Project 2: Chehalis Bald Eagle Café: (Separately Budgeted Project seeking sponsorship)

Project 3: Chehalis Flats Tower CAMS: (Cleaning + upgrade)
Cams: HD (have this)1 x ptz: 0000.
1 x ptz: $5000.
1 wide angle (have this) 0000
Fuel cell: $12,000 (DONATED)
Transceivers: 1 set: $1000
Prep & Install: $2500
Encoder, wiring, storage $2500
Solar panels + methanol: $2000
Annual Cable fee: $2000
Total cost with small contingency: $16,000.00

Project 4: Harrison Bald Eagle Nest HD CAMS:
Cams: HD 1 fixed (have this): 0000.
1 x ptz: $5000.
Transceivers: 1 set: $800
Prep & Install: $2500
Encoder, wiring, storage $2500
Annual Cable fee: $1200
Total cost with small contingency: $12,500.00

Total: Harrison -- Chehalis Components exclusive of Chehalis Bald Eagle Café: (with a small contingency) $35,000 --- $40,000.00

CBECP Budget: Chehalis Bald Eagle Café Project -- Budget

HWF Component: Cams: HD 2 x ptz @ $3700: $7400.
1 wide angle $500.
1 computer/ encoder $2000
Laptop for remote: $2500
Camera for remote: $4000
Transceivers: 1 set: $800
Prep & Install: $3500
Encoder, wiring, storage 2x $4000
Annual Cable fee: $3000
Install electricity: $5000
Total cost with small contingency: $35,000.00

Sts’ailes Component:
Assumes Sts’ailes is building hide $15,000
Assume Sts’ailes is paying for salmon transport = $300éwk x 18 $5400
Assume Sts`ailes is buying transport vehicles: $10,000
Assume Sts’ailes is preparing trail, electricity + labeling: $20,000
(With contingencies these insitu costs could be: $50,000)

Here is a a summary of the 2012-2013 Proposed Projects and Costs in spreadsheet format (click bigger):