BART has decided to eliminate the population
of Burrowing Owls at the Warm Springs station.
It's not too late to turn this decision around!
Until recently, Ohlone Audubon had nurtured hopes of entering into a partnership with BART for the long term management of Burrowing Owls at the Fremont Warm Springs Station.
However, BART appears to have decided to suspend mowing the grass, which will drive out the owls. They want to develop a retail center for BART commuters on the property.
Rich Cimino identified potential mitigation land directly across the railroad tracks from the station. Instead, BART is offering a small plot in Livermore as a mitigation bank. It is unsuitable for owls, dashing any hope that it might be used for a nesting site.
In order to affect the BART decision to eliminate the population of Burrowing Owls at the Warm Springs station, please email the BART Biologist Janie Layton at jlayton@bart.govbart. Ask her to reconsider the BART decision and suggest keeping the Burrowing Owls on a Fremont site. —RC
Burrowing Owl above.
The burrowing owl's numbers have been markedly reduced in California for at least the past 60 years. The western burrowing owl (subspecies) is a state and federal species of concern.
Learn more about this handsome little owl by using the links below.
California Burrowing Owl Consortium
BURROWING OWL SURVEY PROTOCOL
AND MITIGATION GUIDELINES
Burrowing Owls at Risk
Burrowing Owl habitat is disappearing faster than owls can find alternate nesting and roosting sites in the East Bay. A case in point is the large site soon to be occupied by the new BART station at Warm Springs and Osgood in Fremont. BART plans to break ground in late 2008. Rich Cimino has contacted the BART lead biologist who is hoping to mitigate the Warm Springs site within the Fremont area. Rich has found three sites for sale close by, and notified BART of them. In order for the owls to use these sites, they must be managed by mowing for short vegetation. We need to mobilize our members and friends in Fremont to join in a steering committee and to seek a partnership with BART to find a good solution for the owls.
Secondly, the Army Reserve, owner of Camp Parks, is planning to exchange 180 acres of prime owl habitat to the city of Dublin. Dublin is planning for total development with some “open space.” Ohlone Audubon needs to speak up on the issue to see to it that Dublin mitigates habitat for the Burrowing Owls in this acreage. Cities tend to mitigate impacts in mitigation banks far from the existing owl sites. We need to mobilize our members and friends, especially those who live in Dublin, to join in a steering committee and to seek a partnership with the City of Dublin to affect their plans this spring EARLY IN THE PLANNING PROCESS.Learn what you can do to help the Army Reserve Burrowing Owls.
Please contact Rich Cimino: rscimino@earthlink.net. —RC