Private Residential Falcons
Apr 10, 2010 - Orders of Business and Seeking StewardsAs you know, these falcons are a labour of love for me, and often a time-consuming one at that. As a team, residents have helped in the past to manage the annual falcon process, which as always is greatly appreciated.
Heading into the current nesting season, I need to advise of a change of plan on my part, and seek stewards from our residence to help monitor and otherwise manage the process. I will continue to contribute, but I am unable to devote as much time, and may not be here for parts of the summer. So, I seek to have a 'Plan B' in place.
This week, not wanting to be so responsible for the process, I sought support from the building and was informed of a few things I'd like to share:
1. Camera
Cameras assist with monitoring, and as you know I have been trying to coordinate the logistics of installing one at the new nest location.
I was informed this week that "the board does not wish to spend any additional funds on a camera this year", which is interesting considering we had the first camera donated by an external contractor 2 years ago, and I secured funding from the MNR for all our costs last year. So, there has actually never been a cost to the building, a detail that apparently flew under the radar. My costs and loss of work time on the other hand have never been acknowledged, except by my accountant.
To address this year's camera requirement, I have obtained support from the MNR who may be able to assist with camera costs, so it's now more a matter of installation, if we bother at all. This takes time and effort, another issue.
2. Lobby Cam and Video feed
The Board decided that the lobby channel feed will not exist this year, it is considered a security issue given 2 screens alternated between 2 lobbies, leaving people unable to view a lobby for 10-second intervals.
As for the web based video, I have devoted time and resources to ensure this runs in past years, this year I doubt I will, and without a camera the point is moot.
3. Management Involvement
The board prefers that our Management team does not spend any time on the falcons. Since the falcons arrived, I have sacrificed my own time and minimized the efforts of management by keeping them apprised of any pressing issues, and only seeking assistance on items when required.
This said, anyone can correct me if I'm wrong, but when our current management was being interviewed, I was told that an awareness and ability to support the falcon process was part of the criteria being considered in hiring a new on-site manager.
4. Stewardship
This year, given my reduced availability, I figured it was a no-brainer to seek help from the building, to take at least some ownership of the process, since it is our building, not mine, and technically a building management issue, not to mention an exercise in corporate and social responsibility.
While asking for support, I was informed that the board and management feel it should be the MNR's responsibility to manage the falcons on site.
This ignores the importance of stewardship explained to us by the MNR and Minister of Natural Resources a year ago when we held a "town hall meeting". That meeting, incidentally, was held to a) help clarify our responsibilities when it comes to the Endangered Species Act, and b) to help dissuade our board from wasting our funds pursuing legal options in the hopes of removing the falcons from our building. We were advised by the MNR that this probably wasn't a cause we'd have much success with, as I had previously explained.
The position of the board is odd, considering it doesn't factor in a) the large number of residents the board represents, who gladly volunteer and contribute to this process, and b) the claim I recently read in a condo management magazine, which highlights our condo-of-the-year candidate building. The article, written by the Board of Directors, mentions that "The [our building] has teamed with the Ministry of Natural Resources and is implementing a program to support an endangered wildlife species that resides on our property.". The things people say for contests... We're a proud leader in waste diversion and recycling, but birds, well, that's apparently not our bag...
All around the world, folks work together to support at-risk species. It's the least we can do considering Man's activities are the reason why these species are at-risk in the first place.
I understand, not all people love these falcons, evident from the rude sneers I get from some residents (don't worry, I'm not a big fan of you either) when I'm standing outside trying to figure out what the birds are doing. I understand, some people hope our efforts are in vain, like last year when a resident shared her hopes that our falcons all fly to their death at the airport. I understand all that, or at least respect the right we have to our individual opinions.
All this said, I know many residents here (and folks elsewhere) DO care, and I'm asking for your help. As a group of residents, we can do what's required, or more importantly, what's right.
If you have the time and ability to contribute, please contact me and let me know what you can do. If you have any comments about this post or suggestions on how we can proceed, feel free to drop me a line, I'd like to hear from you. Contact me through this link.
In the unlikely case that apathy prevails and we can't assemble a team to work through the season, I will do my best to keep the MNR informed of things and post updates here, and I guess we'll just let nature manage the process.
Don't get me entirely wrong. I am proud of our residents, and our successes in the past, and find it rewarding to hear about something like Marla's appearance in Ohio this week. This is what it's all about, making a contribution as a team - making a difference. The rest of this is just irritating static.
Apr 15, 2010 - Legislation UpdateIt was brought to my attention today that some changes have been made to legislation regarding Peregrine Falcons and the definition of their protected habitat.
As a result, mapping of our nest site and area will be taking place at some point in the near future, by the MNR.
Please rely on the official documentation, but some interesting enhancements to the legislation are that it now applies to a radius of 10 meters from any nest location for a period of two years, and on a broader level, also includes 200 meters from any location that is being used, or was used by a Peregrine falcon. This would cover our entire property, and in fact, even the trees on adjacent lands beyond our property.
For more information, see the new document in the Article Library which also contains a link to the new E-Laws regulation.
Note, the below excerpt is merely that, and is only one regulation under the broader and prevailing Endangered Species act. Please refer to E-Laws for official information, this is a summary only.
Source: http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca/html/source/regs/english/2009/elaws_src_regs_r09436_e.htm
Peregrine falcon habitat
29. For the purpose of clause (a) of the definition of āhabitatā in subsection 2 (1) of the Act, the following areas are prescribed as the habitat of the peregrine falcon:
1. A natural cliff face on which a peregrine falcon is nesting or has nested at any time during the previous 15 years, excluding any part of the cliff face where the top of the cliff face is less than 15 metres above the base of the cliff face.
2. The area within one kilometre of an area described in paragraph 1.
3. An artificially created cliff face, such as a vertical or very steep rock cut in an open pit mine, on which a peregrine falcon is nesting.
4. A nesting site on a building or other structure that is being used by a peregrine falcon or was used by a peregrine falcon at any time during the previous two years, and the area on the outside surface of the building or structure that is within 10 metres of the nesting site.
5. An area that,
i. is on or within 200 metres of a building or structure described in paragraph 4, and
ii. is habitually used by peregrine falcons.
The Endangered Species Act, 2007 can be found here:
http://www.search.e-laws.gov.on.ca/en/isysquery/caba7157-cc2a-4175-8f43-e1248a8c5b5b/3/frame-body/#hit2
In case the above link ever becomes outdated, E-Laws are located at: http://www.e-laws.gov.on.ca
Please consider, Peregrines are also covered under additional Federal laws, namely the Migratory Bird Act among others.
