Good morning, all - I've been in touch with Jennifer Tavares at Tompkins Chamber and Fred Bonn of the Parks Services. Jennifer let me know they have received feedback from a number of people and are considering what may be possible at this point. I imagine they will send a notice out to all but if I hear anything definitive I will be sure to let you know.
Thanks, Rachel On Mon, Apr 15, 2024 at 12:00 PM Regi Teasley <rltcay...@gmail.com> wrote: > Astrid, > Thank you for your comments. > But I think compromise isn’t our answer here. In my view, this issue > has developed because human beings see Nature as an afterthought. Humans > see their own goals and actions as primary and, if they care at all, they > might try to “minimize” their impact. God forbid they could reschedule or > reconsider this project. > As long as we don’t understand that Nature is not under our dominion, > we will be unable to solve our environmental and climate problems. We are > watching and participating in the 6th Great Extinction; but apparently that > hasn’t sunk in yet. > > Regi > ____________ > Creativity is the heart of adaptive evolution. > Terry Tempest Williams > > > > On Apr 15, 2024, at 10:27 AM, Astrid Jirka <ast...@discovercayugalake.org> > wrote: > > > Hi everyone, > > I appreciate the care and attention being given to the peregrines and the > ravens in light of the lightshow being planned this weekend, as I've seen > expressed through the Cayuga Bird Listserve. > I also appreciate NYS Parks for all they do to promote recreation and > conservation of our natural resources. > And I appreciate the Chamber and Visit Ithaca for all they do to promote > tourism in our area which is so crucial to our local economy. > It is understandable to me that there is an interest in a celebration and > that Tgnk Falls should be (literally) highlighted due to its beauty and its > attraction to locals and visitors alike. > > *Could one of the birders please explain exactly what they think the > repercussions would be to the bird nests that are of concern? * Are the > females likely to abandon their nests, eggs or chicks, and never return? > > It is nice to see a community caring so much for our natural resources in > so many ways. Let's do our best to make it work for the birds and the > humans and all involved! > > Take care, > > Astrid Jirka > Director of Tourism Initiatives > Discover Cayuga Lake > > ---------- Forwarded message --------- > From: <t...@ottcmail.com> > Date: Sun, Apr 14, 2024 at 4:25 PM > Subject: Re: [cayugabirds-l] Taughannock Falls light show? > To: Geo Kloppel <geoklop...@gmail.com>, CAYUGABIRDS-L < > cayugabird...@list.cornell.edu> > > > Sounds like there is a lot of momentum behind this and it might be easier > to deflect than to stop unless the weather is like today. Celebrating the > 100th probably is a huge deal for the agency, which certainly have manages > a lot of great habitat for birds. And they people behind this particular > event have put time, money, and effort into planning and executing it and > probably will be reluctant to abandon it. > > Is there a way this could be done and disturbance minimized? What if they > lit up the falls from right below so the gorge itself wasn't illuminated, > and instead of hiking up the gorge they centered the celebration on the > overlook rather than hiking the gorge hike? Maybe there's a local > bird-loving food truck or caterer who would be willing to offer food at a > discount to the parks for the three nights up at the visitor center by the > overlook? > > Is there someone on the list with contacts at the Regional State Park > office or at the Chamber who could sound them out on whether they are open > to alternatives? Does the bird club have any programming it runs in > partnership with any of the local state parks? We could try to shut this > down but there's a good chance that would fail and, whether or not it did, > trying to shut it down entirely will piss off a lot people which might not > be good for birds (or even birders) in the long run. Note the Chamber of > Commerce seems to be running the hikes so anyone on the list who is a > member might want to gently explain the issue to Jennifer Tavares, who > seems like a decent person. Not sure if Fred Bonn is still the Regional > Director of State Parks but he has been flexible in the past when > approached given actual evidence and alternatives - but whoever approaches > him should be prepared with published evidence or personal reports by > someone (maybe Tim G) who is an acknowledged expert on peregrines and can > show that the light show is going to disturb the peregrines. Keep in mind > that these folks know peregrines nest on urban bridges and buildings that > are lit at night so they will need to know why this is different. > > > On 4/14/2024 12:06 PM, Geo Kloppel wrote: > > Below is the press release for the evening light shows at the great falls > in Taughannock Falls State Park later this week, which have potential to > disturb the Peregrine Falcons and Ravens that are currently on nests there). > > Note that the event is jointly hosted by NYS Parks, Visit Ithaca, and also > the Tompkins Chamber, which is handling online registration for after-dark > hikes up the gorge trail to the lighted falls. > > [image: new-york-state-parks-recreation-and-historic-preservation-1.jpg] > > Go for a hike and view the lights to celebrate 100 years of NYS Parks at > Taughannock Falls > <https://www.mytwintiers.com/news-cat/regional-news/go-for-a-hike-and-view-the-lights-to-celebrate-100-years-of-nys-parks-at-taughannock-falls/> > mytwintiers.com > <https://www.mytwintiers.com/news-cat/regional-news/go-for-a-hike-and-view-the-lights-to-celebrate-100-years-of-nys-parks-at-taughannock-falls/> > > <https://www.mytwintiers.com/news-cat/regional-news/go-for-a-hike-and-view-the-lights-to-celebrate-100-years-of-nys-parks-at-taughannock-falls/> > > > On Apr 14, 2024, at 10:16 AM, Tim Gallagher <t...@cornell.edu> > <t...@cornell.edu> wrote: > > I heard some disturbing news last night. Apparently Taughannock Falls > will be brightly illuminated from 8:30 to 10:00 this coming Thursday, > Friday, and Saturday night (April 18, 19, and 20). I guess it’s some kind > of PR stunt to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the New York State Park > Service, but it couldn’t possibly come at a worse time, with the eggs just > about to hatch in the Peregrine Falcon eyrie and a pair of Ravens nesting > right beside the falls—not mention all the other wildlife in the park. > There certainly should be other, less potentially harmful, ways to > celebrate the Park Service. You can contact the Taughannock Park office at > (607) 387-7041. (Photo by Arthur A. 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