[BCNnet] FW: [BIRDCHAT] RFI: Wireless Communication Tower

[Eiseman, Ralph]

This may be of interest.

Ralph
Ralph M. Eiseman
Highland Park High School
433 Vine Avenue
Highland Park, IL  60035
(847)926-9280
VM (847)433-9515 ext. 631
Fax (847) 926-9330
CONTINENTAL BIRDING FRS CHANNEL/SUBCODE 11/22


-----Original Message-----
From: Barb Beck [mailto:barb@BIRDNUT.OBTUSE.COM]
Sent: Tuesday, August 21, 2001 12:37 PM
To: BIRDCHAT@listserv.arizona.edu
Subject: [BIRDCHAT] RFI: Wireless Communication Tower


Hi,
This is a request for help came from one of my students and concerns the
effects of towers on birds.  It is not intended to start a thread debating
the presence of these things.  Please reply privatly to Locke with any
information you might have.
Barb Beck
Edmonton

From: "Locke Girvan" <Girvan@strathcona.ab.ca>
 Strathcona County is in the process of developing guidelines for siting =
wireless communication towers within the Municipality.  We have a task =
force with representation from the industry, municipality, and community.  =
There are 3 types of towers, 2 are free standing, monopoles (solid steel =
or wood poles) and lattice tower (triangular structure with steel frame) =
and the 3rd is a supported tower with guy wires to anchor.  From a purely =
environmental standpoint, i.e. non-human issues such as aesthetics, the =
two major impacts of the cell towers that have be envisioned are:
1. the physical loss and fragmentation of habitat for a tower, equipment =
shelter (~ 3 x 5 m), security fence and access road.
2. the effect on avian species in flight.
Industry has agreed they will simply avoid habitat areas to negate the =
loss, however, we are having a great deal of difficulty with the avian =
issue.  Do towers in close proximity to habitat pose any more risk than a =
tree trunk if the tower is of similar height to the adjacent tree canopy?  =
What if it is higher?  Does a 100 m, or more, tower pose a significantly =
higher risk when located closer to habitat than further away? If so how =
close to habitat can these facilities be placed or what is the minimum =
buffer needed for separation. Is it better to have one very tall tower =
(>150 m) that can support the co-location of several service providers or =
several shorter towers (~ 20 m) that service one provider.  We would =
appreciate any feedback you may be able to give on research you are aware =
of, know of similar work being done by another Municipality, if you have =
an opinion, can identify any factors not taken into account, etc.  As =
follow up to a meeting last night, we have a workshop scheduled for =
Monday, Aug 27 to discuss and work to resolve the issues that have been =
presented to date so would appreciate recieving any info you may be able =
to provide by 4:00 Friday.  Thanks in advance for any time and insight you =
may be able to provide, I apologize for the short notice.

Locke


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