-Reducing Wildlife Hazards through Habitat Modification -34 th Annual Airports Conference Loomacres Wildlife Management

-Designed to drain within 48 hr. -May fail to properly drain *Poor installation *Poor Maintenance Loomacres Wildlife Management

 Creates an artificial habitat for wildlife Wetland Open Water  Attracts a variety of wildlife Wading Birds Blackbirds Waterfowl Shorebirds Loomacres Wildlife Management A hazard; even at night

 Detention Pond Near Runway  Approximately 800’ from a runway  Long-term open water and tall emergent vegetation  Attracted large number of Waterfowl  Muskrats living in bank  Sediment clogged drain Loomacres Wildlife Management

 Removal of Pond Removed majority of feature  Eliminated wildlife habitat Altered remaining  Increased functionality  Easier to maintain Loomacres Wildlife Management

 Eliminated use by hazardous wildlife Loomacres Wildlife Management

-Required on most airports -Divert water from airport -When working properly do not pose a significant risk -Often go unmaintained *several reasons Loomacres Wildlife Management

 Creates an artificial habitat for wildlife Wetland Open Water Nesting Habitat  Attracts wildlife Wading Birds Blackbirds Ducks Loomacres Wildlife Management

 Overgrown drainage ditch  Approximately 500’ from a runway  Standing water and tall emergent vegetation  Attracted large amounts of RWBL  Sediment clogged drain Loomacres Wildlife Management

 Remove tall vegetation  Specialized equipment  Dedicated staff  Focused effort Loomacres Wildlife Management

Removed all tall vegetation  Eliminated nesting habitat  Reduced RWBL ~%90 Loomacres Wildlife Management

-Common on or near airports -Often impossible to remove -Creates several wildlife hazards -Flooding Loomacres Wildlife Management

 Creates Habitat Wetland Open Water Nesting Habitat Food  Creates a corridor Beaver Deer Carnivores Loomacres Wildlife Management

 Steam within airport fence  Standing water  Tall emergent vegetation  Flooding  Deer Loomacres Wildlife Management

 Remove tall vegetation  Specialized equipment  Dedicated staff  Focused effort Loomacres Wildlife Management

Removed all tall vegetation  Significantly reduced nesting habitat  Reduced obstructions  Less flooding  Eliminated thick cover  Removed cover  No Corridor  No refuge  Reduce food supply  Beaver Loomacres Wildlife Management

 Man-made Pond Objectives  Remove large pond and restore natural stream  Reduce large waterfowl  Improve fishery  Increase diversity of woodland songbirds Loomacres Wildlife Management

-If you build it, they will come. -If you don’t they won’t. Loomacres Wildlife Management