Dear Peregrine Enthusiasts:
This web-page is being assembled to honor and remember Harrison B. (Bud) Tordoff, WWII aviator, ecologist, professor, Director of the Bell Museum at the University of Minnesota, and the heart and soul of the Midwest peregrine falcon restoration effort.
It was Bud's vision and ambition in the late 1970's that promoted the idea that we could and should begin the effort to restore peregrines to the Midwest sooner than later. Indeed, under his leadership and with his inspiration, a project evolved that resulted in the release of almost 800 peregrines and the establishment of a self-sustaining population some four to five times that of anything known historically. In less than 20 years, the peregrine was restored and off the endangered species list.
Drawing on a network he had built of academic, conservation organization, agency, and financially capable supporters, Bud, who donned the title of "Busy-body on the Peregrines Behalf", effectively forged a coalition of people that saw the task through. In the process, the foundation was built for the best long-term studied population of any extant vertebrate species that has undergone restoration or recovery. With his passing, it is now our task to continue to ensure the success of the peregrine and to exploit to the fullest extent the research potential that exists in the data collected so far and in the coalition of peregrine enthusiasts that stand-by ready to continue the work.
We intend to continue to add to this page as more material becomes available and as time permits. Please feel free to contribute pictures and stories by sending them to me at: redig001@umn.edu.
Patrick T. Redig DVM, PhD
CEO, Midwest Peregrine Society
August 8, 2008
