Mayor Mark Schafer has declared the municipality will celebrate the Migratory Bird Treaty Centennial retroactively dated back from January 1, 2016, through December 31, 2016.

“This is an opportunity for the citizens of Skagway to learn about, celebrate and help conserve the many magnificent bird species that we, as United States citizens, enjoy because of a century of conservation efforts,” the mayor’s proclamation states.

The Convention between the United States and Great Britain for the Protection of Migratory Birds was a treaty signed on August 16, 1916, to protect birds that migrated across international borders.

“Celebrating the centennial of the first Migratory Bird Treaty allows us to unite the many programs, organizations and individuals who have contributed to its success and helped migratory birds in every U.S. state and across North America,” Schaefer said.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife is spearheading the effort to celebrate the treaty’s centennial anniversary stateside with public education programs about migratory birds, a campaign to educate homeowners on wildlife-friendly practices for their homes and promoting youth birding at National Wildlife Refuges.