[va-bird] Re: Restoration project at Manassas Battlefield

Richard,

The issue is not that we are unhappy w/the NPS restoring habitat at Manassas
Battlefield but the fact that they are doing it at the height of nesting
season which is blatantly in violation of the Migratory Bird Act.

I sent the following letter to Bryan Gorsira, the Natural Resource Manager
at the Battlefield on June 20.  It sums up my concerns with the project.

Joe Coleman

Mr. Gorsira,

It has come to my attention that wetlands mitigation work has begun at the
Manassas Battlefield National Park.   Over the years I have spent hundreds
of hours enjoying both the natural and cultural history of the battlefield
and think it is wonderful that such a mitigation project is planned, but
deeply regret that an organization as conscientious and prestigious as the
National Park Service would allow such a project to begin at this time of
year!

What I cannot believe is that such a project would start during the height
of breeding season for many of our local breeders, some of which have become
uncommon and rare in recent years.  Furthermore, destroying nests once
species have begun nesting is clearly against federal laws.  The National
Park Service should not only be sensitive to such issues but, even more
importantly, not violate federal law.

The National Park Service is very restrictive of the activities that
negatively impact its bird populations.  Playing tapes to attract birds is
not allowed because of the disruption it can cause.  Certain areas are made
off-limits at nesting season.  I can only guess that someone without a
natural history background allowed this project to begin at such a sensitive
time of the year and did so without consulting anyone.

I request that this project be put on hold for at least a month to allow
those birds which are already nesting to fledge their young.   If you do not
have the authority to do this please let me know who else I can contact.

Sincerely,
Joe Coleman
540-554-2542
----- Original Message -----
From: "Richard Roberts" <catharus_thrush@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <Kelpgull@xxxxxxx>; <paula.sullivan2@xxxxxxxxxxx>;
<va-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, June 30, 2003 9:42 AM
Subject: [va-bird] Re: Restoration project at Manassas Battlefield


> Greetings all:
>
> I don't always see the problem with taking out trees and/or restoring
habitat to a state that it was in 160 years ago.  Half of Wisconsin, for
example, was tall-grass prairie and oak savannah until early settlers
arrived and started planting trees as well as plowing up the ground.  I'd
personally like to see it restored to that state, but that's not going to
happen, of course.  The point is, in the case of Manassas Battlefied, what's
the difference?  It does not sound to me that habitat will be destroyed, but
rather changed into a different type in this case.  Correct me if I am
wrong.  It would be different if the habitat changed into a strip mall,
since that's not a viable habitat for birds except for Feral Pigeons,
English Sparrows, and Starlings.
>
> Habitat changes all the time without the help of man, from just maturing
naturally or from natural disasters such as fires and tornados to name two,
and consequently so do the species that inhabit it.  It happens every day
without our help.  Pileated Woodpeckers, for example, are returning to areas
that they were "kicked-out" of decades ago because of logging simply because
the habitat has matured enough to support them again.  I see it as a part of
nature.  In the case of Manassas Battlefield, I don't see a problem with
changing it back to the way it was in the 1860's.  Man had surely changed
the landscape to what it was then from what it was before Europeans arrived
in North America.  Sure, a few species might disappear from those specific
areas, but others will replace them that were not there before, or that have
not been there for decades because the habitat changed as it matured.  Yes,
there are other issues, like disturbing nesting species, erosion, etc., but
that's no
>  t what I
>  am directly commenting on.  Sure, a major change to certain types of
habitat might be happening, but I don't specifically see it as troubling.
I'd be troubled if it was going to be replaced by "the world's largest
cement slab and waterpark."  THAT would trouble me greatly.
> Kelpgull@xxxxxxx wrote:
> Greetings to all,
>
> I am not sure if Stuart's Hill is the area off Pageland and Groveton,
> but I was on this site this morning in Manassas (SR622, going north on Lee
> Highway, where Groveton is the left side and Featherbed Lane is the
right).
> The idea that the Park Service says that what they want is to bring the
> area to what it was during the Civil War is troubling, because what I saw
at
> 7am today indicated that major change is happening. Would not one expect
that
> to leave the area natural, with possibly the secondary or tertiary growth
> since the 1860s, would be the solution? It had been quite quiet and
supportive of
> the life within for the last years, since it was dezoned for a shopping
> center.
>
> My list for today's visit:
>
> Hay bales curled around drains as though someone expects runoff to be
averted
> from some unnatural substance;
>
> A Spill Kit Salvage Drum noted to be from 1 800 Hot Hogs
>
> 5 big Caterpillar land machines
>
> 1 bobcat digger and its trailer
>
> 1 Whitmans Oil Company tanker from Catlett, VA
>
> One long trailer car, with no name on it, interestingly
>
> Rolls and rolls of extra wide black plastic sheeting
>
> 2 Don't Johns (not sure this is the company they used during the Civil
War!)
>
> 1 barbecue grill
>
> Signs denoting the Environmental Quality Resources LLC of Gaithersburg
>
> 301 208 6123
>
> 1 large pile of trees removed from the first pond, which is rich in bird
> life, and now minus some very close sheltering trees
>
> 1 site of major digging near the cedar or juniper trees ( I don't know
which)
> which I know to be the main Kestrel habitat in the area. This is located
on
> the right, about 100 yards in from the entrance on Groveton.
>
> Usually I visit this location to find birds on the list. Sorry to say the
> list was so scary.
>
> As a taxpayer and a NPS pass holder, I feel that I am in need of further
info
> on what is happening to this land. Any guidance on whom to contact would
be
> truly appreciated.
>
> To comfort myself this am, I went to Gravelly Point and Roaches Run, where
> two black crowned night herons were lazily swooping above water frothy
with
> small mouth bass, too distracted with breeding to take live bait from the
regular
> fishermen there.
>
>
>
> Ellen
>
>
>
>
>
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>
>
>
>
> Richard L. Smallwood-Roberts, Janesville, WI: M-Bander, Wilson Creek MAPS
Station, SBBO Staff: www.wilsoncreekmaps.com
>
> "It seemed to me that, somehow, the Blue Jay was trying to communicate
with me. I would see him fly into the house across the street, pick up the
telephone, and dial. My phone would ring, and it would be him, but it was
just this squawking and cheeping. "What?! What?!" I would yell back, but he
never did speak English."
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ---------------------------------
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