Just wonderful Jody, and everyone who contributed and moved this discussion forward so meaningfully and substantially.
Cannot wait to hear a positive reply. Linda Orkin > On Jun 27, 2021, at 2:56 PM, Poppy Singer <poppysinger.ith...@gmail.com> > wrote: > > > Superb letter! > >> On Sun, Jun 27, 2021 at 2:42 PM Jody Enck <jodye...@gmail.com> wrote: >> Hello birders, >> >> After receiving lots of input, ideas, and resources from many of you, I put >> together the letter below and sent it to the President and one of the Vice >> Presidents at Cornell (as noted in the letter). Thanks to all who have >> expressed their concern and who provided important input to this very first >> step in developing a solution. Special shout out of thanks to Nancy >> Cusumano for her initial contact with the President, and to Suan Yong, Josh >> Snodgrass, and Ken Rosenberg for comments on an earlier draft of the >> letter. >> >> Martha E. Pollack >> >> President, Cornell University >> >> 26 June 2021 >> >> Dear President Pollack, >> >> I am writing as Chair of the Conservation Action Committee of >> the Cayuga Bird Club to communicate and amplify public dismay about recent, >> poorly-timed mowing for forage hay crops on Cornell lands during the peak >> nesting period for grassland bird species listed as being of special >> conservation concern by the New York State Department of Environmental >> Conservation and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. I have been contacted >> by many local birders, including farmers and members of the Cornell >> University community who are saddened and angry about the situation. Recent >> research lead by Cornell scientists and published in the journal Science >> (see Rosenberg, K. V., et al. 2019. Decline of the North American avifauna. >> Science 365(6461)) found that nearly 3 billion birds have been lost from the >> U.S. and Canada just since 1970. Populations of grassland bird species like >> Bobolink, Eastern Meadowlark, Grasshopper Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, and >> others have declined the most, down 53% in aggregate, accounting for more >> than 720 million grassland birds. Poorly timed mowing of hay crops, >> especially throughout the Northeast, is a major contributing factor in the >> decline in grassland bird populations. >> >> Rather than contributing to the problem, Cornell can help remedy >> population declines of grassland bird species by developing a plan for >> sustainable management of the substantial acreage of hayfields and other >> non-woody habitats under the University’s control. The Cayuga Bird Club >> stands ready to collaborate with Cornell in developing a plan. We already >> have accumulated relevant documents about research and practices aimed at >> timing of mowing and other management actions that would be of great use in >> developing a Cornell sustainable grassland management plan. For example, >> mowing earlier in the season before establishment of nests and when growing >> hay is of high forage quality can have nearly as much conservation benefit >> as delaying mowing to a time when quality of the hay forage is lower. We >> also have established contacts with federal and state natural resource >> agencies who are knowledgeable of possible financial reimbursement >> opportunities for which the University may qualify. >> >> Cornell University has an opportunity to be a leader among all >> Land Grant Universities by developing a model grassland management plan that >> could be adopted by other institutions throughout the Northeast and beyond. >> Such a management plan also could be consistent with Cornell’s >> sustainability initiatives. While the current initiatives are laudable, the >> focus on renewable energy, transportation and built environments, and even >> economic sustainability miss an important need. All of these actions are >> means to achieving the fundamental end of a full and functioning ecosystem >> of which we humans are a part and are on which we are dependent for our >> survival. >> >> The modern concept of “sustainability” emerged fairly recently >> in the famous 1987 Brundtland report, “Our Common Future”, prepared for the >> U.N. In that report, sustainability was described in terms of conserving >> the ecosystems and natural capital which are necessary for the basic needs >> and well-being of humans. The fundamental end of sustaining ecosystems and >> natural capital is noticeably missing from the Sustainable Cornell website. >> Indeed, it was unclear what individual from Sustainable Cornell would be the >> most important recipient of this letter. I am copying Vice President, Rick >> Burgess, on this letter because he responded to Nancy Cusumano when she >> expressed her concern about mowing. Also, I think it is somewhat ironic >> that one of four Cornell Chronicle articles headlined on the website of the >> Office of the President at Cornell, under the heading “Academic >> Distinction”, is this headline about the Science article I referenced >> earlier: “Nearly 30% of birds in the U.S. and Canada have vanished since >> 1970.” Knowledge about the plight of birds exists at Cornell, but does the >> administration have the willingness and commitment to actively address that >> plight? >> >> Finally, it is worth noting that the Cayuga Bird Club has a long >> history of collaborating and engaging with other institutions and groups, >> most recently including the Cornell Botanic Gardens. We are actively >> working with the Botanic Gardens, the City of Ithaca, and several other >> partners to restore native plants to the regionally-rare, seasonally flooded >> forests at the south end of Cayuga Lake. This work demonstrates how much we >> value engagement and collaboration, just as Cornell University does. We >> would like to help Cornell become a regional or national leader in >> sustainable management of grassland habitats on university properties. >> Members of the Cayuga Bird Club look forward to meeting with the most >> appropriate group of administrators to discuss this pressing need. >> >> Sincerely, >> >> Jody Enck >> Chair, Conservation >> Action Committee >> Cayuga Bird Club >> >> -- >> Cayugabirds-L List Info: >> Welcome and Basics >> Rules and Information >> Subscribe, Configuration and Leave >> Archives: >> The Mail Archive >> Surfbirds >> BirdingOnThe.Net >> Please submit your observations to eBird! >> -- > > -- > Cayugabirds-L List Info: > Welcome and Basics > Rules and Information > Subscribe, Configuration and Leave > Archives: > The Mail Archive > Surfbirds > BirdingOnThe.Net > Please submit your observations to eBird! > -- -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
