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Massachusetts Audubon Society Lincoln, Mass. 01773 Position Statement Wildlife Management at Airports November, 1999 John J. Clarke, Director of Advocacy E. Heidi Roddis, Environmental Policy Specialist Introduction: Wildlife (including but not limited to birds) at and around airports can create safety hazards due to the risks of collisions with aircraft. The Massachusetts Audubon Society does not believe it is possible to eliminate all wildlife from airports and surrounding protected airspace zones. Many airports are located within major migratory bird flyways, unavoidably attracting migratory birds during migration for transitory periods. Furthermore, many airports were built in low-lying areas in or near wetlands. The surrounding remaining wetlands often contain highly productive wildlife habitats that support a diversity of animal species. Other wildlife habitat types such as forests and grasslands are also located around airports. In Massachusetts, several airports contain a significant amount of the state’s remaining grassland habitat which supports rare grassland birds. Even artificial, constructed airport features such as runways can attract wildlife due to factors such as the warmth of the pavement or the mistaken perception that pavement areas are water bodies. Some airport-management practices designed to improve safety, such as mowing grassy areas or clearing forested swamps off the ends of runways, have the potential to unintentionally exacerbate wildlife/aircraft hazards. These hazards can be reduced through careful consideration of the effects on habitat of vegetation-management practices and other airport-management activities prior to selection of preferred strategy. Massachusetts Audubon’s Position: In managing aircraft/wildlife conflicts, aviation safety is of paramount concern. However, Massachusetts Audubon believes that a zero-risk approach for wildlife near airports is not realistic — the risk can never be reduced to zero because there always will be some wildlife present in the vicinity of an airport. The goal of airport wildlife management programs and practices should be to maximize public safety while minimizing adverse environmental impacts. Adverse impacts to public interests served by wetlands, rare species habitat, and other natural resources should be considered and weighed against the degree of public-safety improvement achieved by any particular management measure. Airport-management plans and practices must comply with state and federal environmental and wildlife protection laws such as the Federal and Massachusetts Endangered Species Acts, the Federal Migratory Bird Act, and international migratory bird protection treaties. Airport management practices should be tailored to local site conditions and wildlife habitat and species present in the vicinity. Airports should monitor the species, number, and locations of wildlife at the airport, identify the risks of greatest concern, and develop and implement appropriate management plans. The expertise of qualified biologists should be employed in developing airport wildlife management plans. The amount of resources required for wildlife management plans and activities will vary depending on the volume of aviation activity at a Massachusetts Audubon Society position statement Wildlife Management at Airports November, 1999 particular facility and the surrounding wildlife habitat characteristics. Management plans and practices should be reviewed and modified as necessary periodically. Habitat modification and other nonlethal wildlife management practices should be given preference over killing or relocation of animals whenever feasible. Unless modifications are made to the habitat features that are attracting high-risks types and numbers of wildlife, the habitat will continue to attract more individuals of the same problem species. Nevertheless, the Massachusetts Audubon Society recognizes that there may be instances when the immediate public-safety threat presented by wildlife at airports may warrant short-term relocation or lethal control measures, in conjunction with a long term habitat management program. Example - Grassland Management at Airports: Habitat management practices should be targeted to reduce the most significant wildlife/aircraft hazards. Those designing management plans should recognize that modifying habitat to reduce or eliminate one species will enhance habitat for other species. For example, gulls and waterfowl are responsible for more incidents of damaging strikes to civilian aircraft in the U.S. than all other types of birds combined. Flocking birds such as gulls, Canada geese, crows, and starlings often feed and rest on expanses of short turf. These birds will usually avoid tall grass where they do not have a clear, unobstructed view of potential predators. Thus, allowing grassy areas to grow through less frequent mowing can reduce aircraft hazards associated with gulls and geese. At the same time, reduced mowing practices may enhance habitat for rare nesting grassland birds such as grasshopper sparrows and upland sandpipers. These birds are significantly smaller than gulls and geese, and they do not form large flocks. Grassland birds spend the greatest proportion of their time in the grass or on the ground. Since they are rare, by definition there are few of them. Certain airports contain some of the last remaining suitable expanses of grasslands for these species in Massachusetts. Thus, management practices that favor smaller, less common, nonflocking birds over larger, common, flocking birds may be an appropriate course of action at some sites. In such situations, there can be a benefit to both aircraft safety and rare species through management for grassland habitat rather than maintenance of closely mowed turf. While some small risk may remain due to the presence of grassland birds, it is important to remember that no management practice or habitat modification (including paving the entire airport) will eliminate all wildlife and associated hazards. Ongoing monitoring of wildlife presence around airfields and periodic review of management programs by qualified biologists are important to ensure that the optimal practices are engaged. For example, the secondary effects of tall grass as a potential attraction for blackbirds should be monitored and compared with the effects of alternative management techniques. Adjustments to management practices should be considered periodically as appropriate in response to monitoring of wildlife activity at a particular airport. Example - Raptors: Raptors such as hawks and owls are sometimes attracted to airports due to the presence of prey species. At airports located on migratory flyways, the number of raptors present at and around the airport may increase during peak migratory periods. Airport managers should take into consideration the temporary nature of this influx, the fact that the presence of raptors may help reduce the number of other birds in the area, and the legal protection status of the raptors. Live trapping and relocation of raptors by qualified biologists is an option that is 2 Massachusetts Audubon Society position statement Wildlife Management at Airports November, 1999 available and should be considered as an alternative to lethal measures if the numbers and locations of raptors are causing immediate and definite safety hazards. Compliance with Laws and Regulations: Airport managers must comply with all applicable environmental laws when developing and implementing airport and wildlife management programs and plans. Some airports are located near private, local, state, or federally-owned conservation lands. Managers of these airports should work cooperatively with the owners of such properties to develop airport wildlife management strategies that take into account the wildlife habitat values of nearby conservation lands. Applicable legal requirements for on-site and off-airport wildlife management practices may include state and federal Endangered Species Acts; local, state, and federal wetlands protection laws; laws pertaining to the protection and proper management of publicly owned parklands and conservation lands; federal migratory bird protection law; and other environmental and natural resource laws and regulations. These laws protect public interests and must be considered in concert with the important need for aviation safety. Massachusetts Audubon’s Role: The Massachusetts Audubon Society has expertise in wildlife biology and management that may be of assistance to airport managers in Massachusetts as they develop or revise wildlife management programs. Massachusetts Audubon reviews and comments on airport improvement projects undergoing public review through the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) and/or the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA). The Society also comments from time to time on various proposed changes to state and federal environmental laws and regulations. It supports land conservation and habitat-protection projects and funding programs. Massachusetts Audubon supports sound land and habitat management at and around airports, with a goal of protecting the public interests served by a healthy environment and native wildlife populations. In all such activities, the Massachusetts Audubon Society carefully considers public-safety issues in formulating its position on a particular topic or proposal. For more information, contact the Massachusetts Audubon Society’s Advocacy Department at 781-259-9506 x7260. 3