FreeLists / tn-bird / [TN-Bird] FWD: CBBT Closure for birding

[K Dean EDWARDS <kde@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

This message has been making the rounds on other listservers
but haven't seen it on Tn-birds yet.  Not directly related to
TN birds but I know lots of us have been to the Chesapeake
Bay Bridge-Tunnel for birding in the past and would like
to do so again in the future.

Dean Edwards
Knoxville, TN

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---------- Forwarded message ----------


PLEASE POST, PASS, AND FORWARD THE FOLLOWING TO ALL PARTS:

Hi all birders, in Virginia and beyond,

We stand the chance of losing our privilege to bird on the northern
three islands of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel THIS COMING TUESDAY,
at a meeting of the CBBT Commission.  For those who can come, THIS
MEETING HAS A PUBLIC COMMENTS SECTION.  You should arrive at the
Administrative building (just west of the North Toll Plaza) at about
0900-0915 to sign up to speak.  The meeting will start at 0930 sharp.

I spoke with Lorraine Smith, Director of Public Relations at the CBBT
today, and she reports that it is the CONSENSUS of the Security
personnel that birding be terminated on these islands "for security
reasons."  This decision has been forwarded to the Commissioners for
their consideration at their next meeting, which is this coming
TUESDAY, 8 MARCH 2005 at 0930.

Over the next FOUR DAYS, then, we have an opportunity to make our voice
heard by FAXING LETTERS (postal service is very slow and often comes
through Maryland here); that is the best way to make your sentiments
known.  The CBBT fax number is 757-331-4565.

Two individuals could be addressed in this matter.  The most important
is the current Chair of the Commission:

Mr. Lucius J. Kellam III, Chairman and Interim Executive Director
Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel Commission
P. O. Box 111
Cape Charles, Virginia 23310

(Again, it's best to FAX this letter to him.  If you DON'T have access
to a fax, you could easily email your thoughts to a friend who has a
fax machine.)

The next person to fax, at the same number, but with a slightly
different letter, would be:

Mr. Clement Pruitt
Security
Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel
P. O. Box 111
Cape Charles, Virginia 23310

There are 1000 things one might say in crafting letters to these
people.  A few ideas are below, but everyone will have a different
idea.  The main thing is (as this is the Eastern Shore) to keep the
tone calm, civil, and constructive .  Angry letters reduce the chances
for success; please take my word in this.

A few ideas to be directed to Mr. Kellam:

1) Birders have visited the islands for 41 years without incident.  All
  genuine problems of which we are aware have been occasioned by people
stopping without authorization.

2) We truly appreciate the opportunity to observe birds from these
islands (which are superior to the public island for viewing birds, for
many reasons), as they have added immensely to our enjoyment of
Virginia wildlife (a good word to use often) and to our knowledge of
Virginia avifauna.

3) In the birding community, we tend to police ourselves well and put a
stop to behavior that's unethical or improper, which is fortunately
very rare.

4) We contribute thousands per year to the coffers of the CBBT and tens
of thousands of dollars to the Eastern Shore, where ecotourism - thanks
to the CBBT in part - is flourishing.

5) The fruits of the marvelous public relations campaign to attract
birders to the CBBT, funded by the Commission, are just now starting to
be seen in terms of tourist dollars here.  We would be dismayed to see
that end.

6) The first island, where the amenities are much appreciated,
nevertheless is the least rich in birdlife of the four islands, in part
because of disturbances and lack of habitat, in part because of its
position closest inshore, where birds are similar to the adjacent First
Landing State Park, etc.

7) The Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel Christmas Bird Count, now 11 years
old, will cease to be (it is conducted from the northern two islands).
This count detected not only a host of species not recorded anywhere
else in Virginia but two gull species not previously recorded on
American Christmas Bird Counts.   The loss of this data stream, which
is archived with National Audubon Society, would be lamentable.

8) University groups would lose the opportunity to teach their classes
about sea ducks, maritime sandpipers, Great Cormorants, and other
speciality species in Virginia - especially at the close range afforded
by these islands.

9) People who have crossed the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay by ferry,
and who have birded every year on the CBBT since 1964, will have their
privileges erased - people who certainly pose no threat to the facility
or to shipping traffic.

10) Young people and people who have just begun birding in the East
will be deprived one of its prime locations before they even have the
chance to appreciate it.

11) The reputation of the Commission as an open, fair, beneficent body
open to ecotourism and other sorts of tourism (biking, walking) will be
jeopardized.

12) Birdwatching groups - from Audubon societies, bird clubs, the
Virginia Society of Ornithology, large tour companies, and small-group
tours - will be denied access to sites that have been on their regular
rosters since the CBBT was completed in April 1964.  The opportunity to
advance the cause of wildlife and waterfowl conservation in Virginia
will be lost if this showpiece is off-limits.

To Mr. Pruitt, whose concern is security, a few other points:

1) We understand that the Dept. of Homeland Security will close the
fences recently erected.  If this is the case, then we will respect the
Dept.'s decree that we remain behind the fence and observe birds only
on the open end of the island.

2) We understand that there is concern for birders' and other motorists
safety in the scenario in which the jetty-end of the islands are off-
limits to birdwatching.  The fear is that birdwatchers will fail to
observe the rule that they not cross a lane of traffic when entering or
exiting the tunnels.  We suggest instead that we would be most happy to
continue to adhere to this rule, which we currently follow, and would -
instead of crossing traffic - return to areas where U-turns are safe
and authorized by Security personnel (such as the first island) -
again, instead of crossing any lane of traffic illegally.

[This last point is important to get across and SHOULD be emphasized
ALSO to Mr. Kellam.]

3) We sometimes fail to appreciate our DEEP APPRECIATION to your
Division for its hard work to keep us all safe on the span, in the
tunnels, and on the islands.  We understand that the extra burden of
keeping track of birdwatchers - and checking our permits and licenses -
is a chore that most any Security force would sooner be without, like
so many additional duties we all carry after the 11th of September.  We
would ask that you reconsider your position to close the northern three
islands because we take such tremendous pleasure from watching the
ducks and other birds out there that our lives as Virginia wildlife-
watchers would be severely curtailed.  It would be like ending deer
season permanently in a whole county because of the possibility that
one hunter will be a threat to security.

4) So many security measures after 11 September have gone overboard in
their attempts to protect life and property - we birdwatchers are now
frequently stopped by law enforcement officials when pursuing our
hobby, and when one has spent [many decades] in Virginia without such
treatment, it's a hard pill to swallow living in this modern age.  We
truly hope that the Security folks understand how important our hobby,
our passion is to us and how hard it would be to be excluded from one
of our very favorite places in the state.

That's it.  There's more to say, but my nerves are rattled and my
fingers sore.  If possible, please pass this message on to your local
listserves, to Bird-Chat, to any state/regional listserves, etc.  The
more faxes they get at the CBBT, the better!  You might also phone 757-
331-2960 to confirm that your fax(es) was/were received and put in the
receipient's mailbox at the Administrative Offices.

Let's not give up our privileges without at least having our voices
heard!

Ned Brinkley
Cape Charles, VA

------- End of forwarded message -------

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