[BCNnet] Soldier Field and Lights Out
BFisher928@aol.com
BFisher928@aol.com
Wed, 24 Mar 2004 20:57:20 EST
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Several days ago, I attended a meeting with the Soldier Field facilities
management team. The meeting was organized by Judy Pollock on behalf of the city's
Lights Out program. Doug Stotz from the Field Museum also attended.
We were well received. The facilities management group intends to comply as
fully as they possibly can to the Lights Out guidelines. Their mandated
security procedures require they keep a few of the 'can lights' on at all times in
the exterior corridors. On event nights, lighting will be reduced as soon as the
event is over, and then further reduced to the security minimum once cleaning
has been completed. It was noted by the facilities management team that
operating cost constraints made it very desirable for them to use minimal lighting
whenever possible. In almost all cases (Bears games in the fall being the
possible exceptions), they expect to have the light level down to the security
minimum well before the predawn hours which data suggests is when many migrating
birds fly onshore. Field Museum personnel will be accessing the walkway inside
the colonnades beginning immediately to assess the magnitude of the bird
collisions which may occur under these conditions.
A few of my personal observations after walking the entire area on the day of
the meeting and a subsequent nightime drivearound.
The security lighting showing through the special glass is rather dim and
diffuse to my eye. It's dramatically different from the intense beacon like
effect of those high intensity floodlights which were in place last year as the
contractors worked 24/7 to get SF ready for football. The distance to SF from
the lake is much greater than McCormick. Birds have to fly across Northerly
Island and then the harbor to get to SF. As Northerly Island becomes a park with
vegetation, trees, etc., I would expect most birds would simply never get that
far inland. The trees planted on the east side of SF will also help, as they
grow. I wish there were more of them.
Once the Field Museum monitors have compiled some preliminary data, the plan
is to meet again with the SF management team to discuss any other proactive
steps which might be appropriate under the Lights Out program to minimize bird
mortality at SF
Regards
Bob Fisher
on behalf of the Bird Conservation Network Executive Committee
BFisher928@aol.com
phone & fax 630 985 2956
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<HTML><FONT FACE=3Darial,helvetica><HTML><FONT SIZE=3D2 PTSIZE=3D10 FAMILY=
=3D"SANSSERIF" FACE=3D"Arial" LANG=3D"0">Several days ago, I attended a meet=
ing with the Soldier Field facilities management team. The meeting was organ=
ized by Judy Pollock on behalf of the city's Lights Out program. Doug Stotz=20=
from the Field Museum also attended.<BR>
<BR>
We were well received. The facilities management group intends to comply as=20=
fully as they possibly can to the Lights Out guidelines. Their mandated secu=
rity procedures require they keep a few of the 'can lights' on at all times=20=
in the exterior corridors. On event nights, lighting will be reduced as soon=
as the event is over, and then further reduced to the security minimum once=
cleaning has been completed. It was noted by the facilities management team=
that operating cost constraints made it very desirable for them to use mini=
mal lighting whenever possible. In almost all cases (Bears games in the fall=
being the possible exceptions), they expect to have the light level down to=
the security minimum well before the predawn hours which data suggests is w=
hen many migrating birds fly onshore. Field Museum personnel will be accessi=
ng the walkway inside the colonnades beginning immediately to assess the mag=
nitude of the bird collisions which may occur under these conditions.<BR>
<BR>
A few of my personal observations after walking the entire area on the day o=
f the meeting and a subsequent nightime drivearound.<BR>
The security lighting showing through the special glass is rather dim and di=
ffuse to my eye. It's dramatically different from the intense beacon like ef=
fect of those high intensity floodlights which were in place last year as th=
e contractors worked 24/7 to get SF ready for football. The distance t=
o SF from the lake is much greater than McCormick. Birds have to fly across=20=
Northerly Island and then the harbor to get to SF. As Northerly Island becom=
es a park with vegetation, trees, etc., I would expect most birds would simp=
ly never get that far inland. The trees planted on the east side of SF will=20=
also help, as they grow. I wish there were more of them.<BR>
<BR>
Once the Field Museum monitors have compiled some preliminary data, the plan=
is to meet again with the SF management team to discuss any other proactive=
steps which might be appropriate under the Lights Out program to minimize b=
ird mortality at SF<BR>
Regards<BR>
Bob Fisher<BR>
on behalf of the Bird Conservation Network Executive Committee<BR>
BFisher928@aol.com<BR>
phone & fax 630 985 2956<BR>
</FONT></HTML>
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