Ohlone Audubon Society

Trust helping to preserve ranchlands -- and wildlife

Local rancher Tim Koopmann's efforts to preserve open rangeland in the Bay Area is highlighted in this article from the Bay Area News Group.  Tim will be hosting Ohlone Audubon for a bird walk to see nesting tree swallows, western bluebirds,  golden eagles and more on his ranch on April 18th.

Download the Inside the Bay Area article here: Trust helping to preserve ranchlands -- and wildlife

February 2010

At the January 16 meeting of the Bay Area Audubon Council (BAAC), some interesting environmental issues surfaced. A
company called Solargen has proposed a solar project in Panoche Valley in an Important Bird Area in the Central Valley, raising
several concerns. The project's 4000 acres is slated to house 1.2 million solar panels, one of the largest projects in the world. The ten or so directors of the company have no experience developing a solar project, and it doesn't appear that engineers or others with solar expertise have been hired. Bird strikes are a concern with such a broad array of panels. Santa Clara Valley Audubon is keeping tabs on this proposal at the moment. Bob Power, SCVAS Executive Director, and Shani Kleinhaus, the Conservation Advocate, are the contact persons.

Dan Taylor, California Audubon's Policy Director in Sacramento, gave the group an update on issues he has been hard at
work on in recent months. A major effort is a proposal to put an Initiative on the State ballot in November that would establish
an $18.00 annual vehicle license surcharge to help fund state parks and wildlife programs. All Audubon members were urged
to volunteer to gather signatures to qualify the initiative. Several training programs will be available around the state to train
volunteers.

The water bond and four water-related laws were described, including Bay-Delta Conservation plans, groundwater monitoring,
statewide water conservation, and water diversion and use. More information on these issues can be found on the Audubon
California website.

September 2009

Point Reyes Bird Observatory recently reported on some research relating to the impacts of climate change on a number of species and the expected decline in their number The white crowned sparrow would decline by 76%, the varied thrush by 87%, the yellow billed magpie by 32%. This decline in the number of birds mirrors the report of Dr. Greg Butcher’s earlier research report for National Audubon.

Those of us who care about our world and our avian friends are concerned about this information.

However, we are often faced with forces moving in the opposite direction.

Case in point- a very large number of concerned citizens recently attended a public hearing put on by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District in regard to the Calpine Russell City power plant slated to be built on the Hayward Shoreline for power to be used by San Mateo County. The majority of speakers were concerned about the amount of pollutants that would be released by the plant when in operation. Speakers were concerned about the increasing number of young children who have asthma, the impacts to students at nearby Chabot Community College, as well as the amount of greenhouse gases the plant would emit. Those in favor of the power plant saw it as a money maker or a job opportunity, oblivious to the long-term damage to the quality of life to the community.

Since birds and other wildlife were unable to speak for themselves it behooves the rest of us to advocate for their protection in order to continue to enjoy the pleasure their sightings bring to bird watchers and other lovers of wildlife.