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eight species experts that were unable to attend the workshop. In addition, <br />there were attendees that were biologists familiar with the Platte River and the <br />target species that participated in the workshop but were not identified by the <br />FWS as species "experts." <br />B.2. February 15, 2001 Workshop <br />B.2.1. Procedures <br />Another major contribution to the whooping crane section of this report was a <br />whooping crane workshop that was conducted on February 15, 2001 at the <br />Platte River Whooping Crane Habitat Maintenance Trust facility near Wood <br />River, Nebraska. This workshop was a follow -up workshop to the workshop <br />held in September 2000. There were numerous questions and issues discussed <br />at the September workshop regarding whooping cranes that were not addressed <br />or resolved. The February 15, 2001 workshop was intended to address these <br />issues and to develop quantifiable recovery objectives for whooping cranes <br />along the Platte River, if possible. Therefore, the recommendations and <br />information in the whooping crane section of this report are based on the <br />discussions and conclusions among the participants at the February 15 <br />workshop, as well as the September 2000 workshop, the technical scientific <br />information that was presented, and collaboration with the FWS. <br />B.2.2. Attendees and Minutes of Workshop <br />There were 11 individuals that attended all or part of the workshop and two <br />individuals that participated by conference call for part of the workshop <br />(Appendix Q. The complete minutes of the workshop and data presented <br />and/or handed out at the workshop are on file with the FWS.2 The <br />composition of the February 15 workshop was considerably different than the <br />whooping crane group at the September workshop. Three whooping crane <br />experts were unable to attend or otherwise participate in the workshop. In <br />addition, two experts that attended the September workshop were only able to <br />participate for a limited time via conference call at the February 15 workshop. <br />There were several biologists familiar with the Platte River and whooping <br />cranes that participated in the workshop but were not identified by the FWS as <br />species "experts. <br />C. River Reach Definitions <br />The Cooperative Agreement defines the central Platte River as from Lexington to <br />Chapman, Nebraska, and it defines the lower Platte River as between its confluence <br />with the Elkhorn River and its confluence with the Missouri River. For the purpose of <br />this report for least terns and piping plovers, the central Platte River is defined as from <br />Lexington to Columbus, Nebraska. Columbus is where major tributaries (principally, <br />the Loup River) enter the Platte River and where the character of the river changes <br />2 April 19, 2001 Minutes of Follow -up Whooping Crane Workshop, February 15, 2001. <br />4 <br />