Since 2022, 529 cases of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI; aka Avian Bird Flu) have been detected and reported in Oregon birds (APHIS, 12/17/2024). Raptors are a group of avian species that generally have severe clinical outcomes or die when infected with HPAI viruses. As of July 1, 2023, raptor deaths during 2023 were reported in 27 species and 48 states (Hall et al, 4/29/2024). The Cascade Raptor Center (CRC), located in Eugene, OR, operates an avian veterinary hospital (the Louise Shimmel Wildlife Hospital) that treats over 400 patients a year. Due to the high HPAI mortality rate for raptors, the hospital’s primary patients) the CRC had a critical need for an Isolation Ward separate from the hospital to isolate and treat HPAI-infected birds.
Acting quickly to respond to this need, on Nov. 26, 2024 your Club’s Environmental Committee submitted a grant proposal to the Eugene Rotary Charitable Fund (ERCF) to fund and construct an Isolation Ward building for birds infected with HPAI. The grant request for $5,000 was approved on Dec. 1st, CRC was notified on Dec. 2, the building materials funded by the grant were ordered and delivered on Dec. 17, and two crews of Rotarians hit the ground running on Dec 18 and 19 to construct the 10×12 building on a prepped building pad at the Center.
Rotarians Josh Dickenson, Dave Frosaker, Dennis Biggerstaff, Mike Ritchey, Bob Hart, Pete Gribskov, Scott Impecoven and Jerry Whitman Harris staffed our crews for two days to assemble the walls, level and construct the post and beam foundation and floor, side the walls and raise them, tie the walls to the foundation and each other and set the roof trusses. We also met some of the CRC staff and learned about CRC operations during communal lunch breaks each day. Photos of the construction process and crew are below:
