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HomeMy WebLinkAbout12-02 JANUARY 10, 2012 12-02 RESOLUTION (CARRIED___7-0____DENIED_______LAID OVER_______WITHDRAWN_______) PURPOSE: AUTHORIZE SUBMITTAL OF APPLICATION TO RENEW BIRD CITY WISCONSIN DESIGNATION; DESIGNATE MAY 5, 2012 AS INTERNATIONAL MIGRATORY BIRD DAY INITIATED BY: DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY BOARD RECOMMENDATION: Approved WHEREAS, migratory birds are some of the most beautiful and easily observed wildlife that share our communities, and WHEREAS, these migrant species also play an important economic role in our community, controlling insect pests and generating millions in recreational dollars statewide, and WHEREAS, migratory birds and their habitats are declining throughout America, facing a growing number of threats on their migration routes and in both their summer and winter homes, and WHEREAS, public awareness and concern are crucial components of migratory bird conservation, and WHEREAS, citizens enthusiastic about birds, informed about the threats they face, and empowered to help address those threats can directly contribute to maintaining healthy bird populations, and WHEREAS, since 1993 International Migratory Bird Day (IMBD) has become a primary vehicle for focusing public attention on the nearly 350 species that travel between nesting habitats in our communities and throughout North America and their wintering grounds in South and Central America, Mexico, the Caribbean, and the southern U.S., and WHEREAS, hundreds of thousands of people will observe IMBD, gathering in town squares, community centers, schools, parks, nature centers, and wildlife refuges to learn about birds, take action to conserve them, and simply to have fun, and JANUARY 10, 2012 12-02 RESOLUTION CONTD WHEREAS, while IMBD officially is held each year on the second Saturday in May, its observance is not limited to a single day, and planners are encouraged to schedule activities on the dates best suited to the presence of both migrants and celebrants, and WHEREAS, the City was granted membership to `Bird City Wisconsin' in 2011, and desires to apply to renew its application membership for 2012. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Common Council of the City of Oshkosh that the proper City officials are hereby authorized and directed to submit an application to renew its `Bird City Wisconsin' designation and to execute any and all documents necessary for purposes of same. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that should the City's application to renew its Bird City Wisconsin designation be approved, the City hereby designates May 5, 2012 as International Migratory Bird Day. OJHKO1H ON THE WATER TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the Common Council FROM: Darryn Burich Planning Director DATE: January 5, 2012 RE: Authorize Submittal of Application for Bird City Wisconsin Designation; Designate May 5, 2012 as International Migratory Bird Day Background The City of Oshkosh received its first Bird City Wisconsin designation in 2010. A recertification application is required on an annual basis. Bird City Wisconsin seeks to encourage communities to implement sound bird conservation practices by offering high visibility public recognition to those that succeed in doing so. Benefits of such a designation are in line with the community's desire to create a sustainable future for the city of Oshkosh. Additional Benefits A Bird City Wisconsin designation would also provide the following benefits to the community: • Make a strong contribution to community pride and present the kind of image that most citizens want to have for the place they live or conduct business. • Promote and grow our community's environmental reputation through a program that provides guidance, resources, and recognition. • Sustain healthy, functioning natural systems in our community. • Improve the local environment. New wildlife habitat areas can offer aesthetic, social, economic, and environmental benefits. A complete list of benefits can be found at the Bird City Wisconsin webpage at http://www.birdcitvwisconsin.org or http://www.birdcitywisconsin.org/PDF/ADozenReasonsBecomeBirdCity.pdf Analysis In order to renew the certification, a community must continue to demonstrate the criteria met in the original application, including recognizing International Migratory Bird Day. Oshkosh continues to meet those original criteria. In addition to meeting Bird City Wisconsin's Basic Requirements, a community can seek to strengthen its commitment to urban bird conservation by meeting the High Flyer Requirements. In order to do so, a Bird City Designation Memo 1 community must meet at least 5 of the following 17 criteria from at least 2 different categories. Category 1: Creation and Protection of Habitat El A. Show how and where the community has restored at least two acres of woodlands, wetlands or prairie. El B. Demonstrate how the community offers material assistance to property owners in removing invasive shrubs from woodlands. El C. Demonstrate or document a similar program for helping control other types of invasives. El D. Document a program to support the establishment of"natural lawns." El E. Demonstrate the implementation of a program to preserve Chimney Swift roosting sites and/or to construct alternative Chimney Swift towers. El F. Document the establishment of a program to promote the conservation of Purple Martins through research, state of the art management techniques and public education. ❑ G. Show how the community facilitates Scouting and conservation groups in such projects as establishing Bluebird Trails and erecting Wood Duck nesting boxes. El H. Demonstrate how a public golf course is managed to benefit birds. El I. Document the fact that the community maintains a birding trail or "hot spot" location with educational signage and/or literature. Category 2: Participation in Programs Promoting Effective Community Forest Management El Document an ongoing community program to incorporate native hardwood trees and native shrubs in public landscaping (for cities that do not choose to meet Tree City criteria). Category 3: Limiting or Removing Hazards to Birds El A. Document laws or regulations in place to eliminate feral cat populations. ❑ B. Demonstrate that the community enforces a law or regulation that requires domestic cats to be kept indoors or in an enclosure that prevents them from preying on native birds. El C. Show how the community regulates construction and siting of communication towers to mitigate their risk to migrating birds. ❑ D. Document that the community operates a "Lights out for Birds" program to dim the lights of tall buildings to reduce collisions and save birds' lives during spring and fall migration. El E. Show how the community supports a bird collision monitoring program and/or offers information and material for preventing window collisions in homes and commercial establishments. El F. Document that the community has registered as a bird-safe community on the Wisconsin Humane Society/Wildlife Rehabilitation Center website: http://www.wihumane.org/wildlife/wings/birdsafebuildings.aspx Category 4: Public Education El Demonstrate that the community is active in raising awareness of its bird assets. Examples include placing a remote web camera on a nesting platform, offering field trips to observe threatened Bird City Designation Memo 2 or endangered birds, or creating a significant educational resource on the community's bird life. Planning staff has analyzed the High Flyer Requirements, and believes Oshkosh currently meets the necessary criteria for the following categories: Category 1: Creation and Protection of Habitat ❑ C. Demonstrate or document a similar program for helping control other types of invasives. Draft Sustainability Plan ❑ D. Document a program to support the establishment of"natural lawns." Draft Sustainability Plan ❑ G. Show how the community facilitates Scouting and conservation groups in such projects as establishing Bluebird Trails and erecting Wood Duck nesting boxes. Girl Scout project building Bluebird houses for the Coughlin Center Nature Area ❑ H. Demonstrate how a public golf course is managed to benefit birds. Since the last application, the City has added a half acre of natural area to the Lakeshore Municipal Golf Course. Category 2: Participation in Programs Promoting Effective Community Forest Management ❑ Document an ongoing community program to incorporate native hardwood trees and native shrubs in public landscaping (for cities that do not choose to meet Tree City criteria). Over and above the Tree City requirements, both the Draft Sustainability Plan and the Great Neighborhoods Program within the Capital Improvements Program for 2011 and 2012 both make recommendations and plans for additional hardwood trees in the community. Category 3: Limiting or Removing Hazards to Birds ❑ F. Document that the community has registered as a bird-safe community on the Wisconsin Humane Society/Wildlife Rehabilitation Center website: http://www.wihumane.org/wildlife/wings/birdsafebuildings.aspx City Hall has been registered as a Bird Safe Building. Category 4: Public Education ❑ Demonstrate that the community is active in raising awareness of its bird assets. Examples include placing a remote web camera on a nesting platform, offering field trips to observe threatened or endangered birds, or creating a significant educational resource on the community's bird life. UW Oshkosh Peregrine Falcon Cam on top of Gruenhagen Hall 2011 Oshkosh Birdfest Exhibitors Oshkosh Birdfest Website http://www.oshkoshbirdfest.com/ Bird City Designation Memo 3 Fiscal Impact None anticipated. Recommendation The Sustainability Advisory Board requests Council's support of this renewal application for continued Bird City Wisconsin designation and to designate May 5, 2012 International Migratory Bird Day. Approved, City Manager Bird City Designation Memo 4 Bird City Wisconsin - Short History of Bird City Wisconsin Page 1 of 1• .�t ''3 .s..'"1 54' A ' norm imiertir wiscoNsiN _ ,tahird Short History of Bird City Wisconsin In March 2002, leading bird conservation organizations in Wisconsin created a cooperative partnership called the Wisconsin Bird Conservation Initiative (WBCI),which is part of the National Bird Conservation Initiative. The goal of this coalition is to work in close coordination to deliver the full spectrum of bird conservation statewide, emphasizing voluntary stewardship. To date, 167 organizations--from the statewide Audubon Council to local bird clubs and bird-related businesses-- have endorsed WBCI's principles in support of bird conservation.These include: • Coordinate the efforts of private and public landowners and institutions,and all citizens who care for birds • Focus on the full array of wild bird species • Promote voluntary partnerships • Promote conservation based on the best available scientific information • Take an ecological landscape approach • Share knowledge to encourage voluntary stewardship and bird-based recreation. WBCI's Urban Committee introduced the concept for Bird City Wisconsin early on, based on the success of the Arbor Day Foundation's Tree City USA program.They wanted a program that could do for communities and their bird life what Tree City USA has managed to accomplish in the field of urban forestry. In 2009, WBCI members received a planning grant for Bird City Wisconsin through the TogetherGreen program, a unique alliance between the National Audubon Society and Toyota. During this initial phase of the program,the Milwaukee Audubon Society is serving as the program's fiscal agent and the Schlitz Audubon Center is its home base. 1, tiaitzrfcee TOCiet P c s V I Bird Prcotecti 1 Fund i 1 Bird City Wisconsin-1111 E. Brown Deer Road-Bayside,WI 53217-Phone(414)416-3272-Email Us http://www.birdcitywisconsin.org/History.htm 12/12/2011