CFE agenda 061019 - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

2019 STATE OF THE ENVIRONMENT 5 Long-running local study of bird populations highlights changes to our local environment and illustrates the global connectedness of the natural world. Each Spring, a group of volunteers travel the roads of Orange County to listen for who has chosen to make a nest in our neighborhood. The mini-bird breeding survey (MBBS), a regional version of the long-running national survey, has tracked local bird populations since 1999. Such systematically collected data makes it possible to examine trends in bird biodiversity on a local scale. Local Declines; Global Connections The MBBS documents declines of over 50% over the last 20 years in iconic specialist species such as the Wood Thrush. Anyone who has enjoyed a summer hike in one of our local parks will certainly recognize the Wood Thrush’s fluty song. Loss and fragmentation of local deciduous forests have certainly contributed to Wood Thrush decline. However, like all migratory birds, its winter range and travel routes are equally important, and land use changes in other regions may be the primary driver of some declines. Changes to a local ecosystem can indeed have global consequences. Ecological Government From backyard plantings to new development to urban sprawl, changes in land use at multiple scales drives loss of habitat and biodiversity. As a primary policy maker regarding land use at a county level, the Orange County government can have tremendous influence on biodiversity. The county’s 2030 comprehensive land use plan adopted in 2008 includes a biodiversity-related goal of “a balanced and healthy diversity of native plant and animal populations.” While work toward some of the objectives, such as the conservation of high-priority natural LAND RESOURCES Common Name Trend Annual Rate of Change Wood Thrush -0.055 Chimney Swift -0.043 Eastern Bluebird -0.012 Eastern Meadowlark -0.004 Field Sparrow 0.003 Brown-headed Nuthatch 0.019 Red-headed Woodpecker 0.296 areas is ongoing (see also land use topic), the status of other objectives is unclear. One objective is to develop “way to measure the ‘state of biodiversity’ in Orange County.” The MBBS provides some clues about a particular aspect of biodiversity, but a full picture is lacking. Another objective calls for a “detailed and consistent methodology for monitoring changes in forest cover throughout the County.” For the State of the Environment report, we used a simple methodology to measure tree cover, but the method misses important metrics such as hardwood forest extent. In the coming years, the Board of County Commissioners and the Commission for the Environment should to revisit the objectives State of Birds in Orange County "UUBDINFOU DRAFT