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This morning at the MB05 entry gate at Monte Bello
OSP, I saw that Open Space personnel had placed a new sign giving notice that a
large area at the top of the White Oak Trail (17 acres if I remember
correctly) will soon be burned for firefighting training purposes. This area
extends from Gate 5 along the wide ridgeline for some distance in a narrow
wedge toward the main MB parking lot (but I don't think it would be
visible from the lot; bad PR otherwise). Problem: the time window given for this
burn is June through November, which includes an extremely important portion of
the breeding season (and of course, it is illegal to knowingly disrupt the
nesting of native birds).
Open Space personnel may not be aware of the
critical breeding habitat this particular scruffy-looking patch of real estate
really is for some of the county's rarest breeders: Chipping Sparrow,
Grasshopper Sparrow, Lazuli Bunting, and possibly, at least once, Black-chinned
Sparrow (back about 1996 we had an excellent BCSP year, as this one is
shaping up to be, and at least one singing bird was in the designated area.) Of
course, if there should be a slip and the flames were to jump containment lines,
a crown jewel of local open space would be at extreme risk as well.
An email address was given for public comments, [[email protected]]. For my part,
I am generally in support of well-planned controlled burns for habitat
improvement and fire danger reduction, but would urge the Open Space District to
commit to holding off until August 15 or later when local breeders should be out
of the nest, at least. This would be a good time to speak up for the
birds!
Sincerely,
Garth Harwood |
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