[BCNnet] more on Cook County hearings

[Judy Pollock]

         Bird conservationists have something important to praise the FPD 
for this year.

          I think we have seen the FPD's best work on their big bird 
conservation projects at Orland, Bartel and most recently Spring Creek 
Valley.  Over the past two years, these restorations have dramatically 
increased numbers of grassland birds at all three locations.  Restoring 
grassland bird populations is of the highest conservation priority in our 
region.  The FPD and its partners have engaged in best-practice habitat 
restoration as well as community outreach to develop public support for the 
restoration actions.  They have put the newly created land management teams 
to very good use at these sites, clearing invasives to improve habitat. At 
all three sites, the results are clear in the increased numbers of rare 
birds using the habitat. (Some highlights: at Spring Creek, sandhill cranes 
nested, and at Bartel, a pair of harriers spent an awful lot of the spring 
and early fall so we have our fingers crossed for next year; numbers of 
Henslow's are up at Bartel and Orland, and bobolinks returned to Spring Creek.)

         There will be many people at the hearings from different 
constituencies with things to complain about, often with good reason.  I 
urge people who speak on behalf of bird conservation issues to include in 
their comments an acknowledgement of the really fine work that the district 
has done on these very important projects.  They went out on a limb to make 
these things happen, and they deserve our thanks for it.

Feel free to give me a call if you are planning to testify and would like 
more info about these projects.



Judy Pollock
Bird Conservation Projects Manager
Audubon Chicago Region
5225 Old Orchard Road, Suite 35
Skokie, IL  60077
phone 847 965-1150 fax 847 965-9282
jpollock@audubon.org