Robb, Clearly the fact that this involves private land makes this more difficult. However, I think it is worth mounting a campaign to demonstrate opposition to this development from birders around Minn and from other states (ie, birders such as I who subscribe but live elsewhere). It is best to get both email and postal addresses for those comments. Especially helpful are email addresses for mayor, city manager, newspaper (for letters to editor), chamber of commerce, and economic development office. These should be published on this and the other Minn birding listserve and any other listserve or newsletter you can place them in (with a briefing on the problem and suggested talking points).
I have used our birding listserve for problems (but both were public lands) on 2 occasions--we succeeded on one and the other is still in progress. Getting comments from around the state and especially from out-of-state birders has really gotten the attention of public officials in my state. SeEtta Moss Canon City, Colorado >Hi, > >I recently received this from Greg Hoch of the Concordia College Biology >Department. I thought members of the MOU-NET might have suggestions for >dealing with this matter. I know similar problems have been mentioned on >the MOU-NET before. Any practical advice we can get would be appreciated. > >Bob O'Connor >Moorhead >Clay County > > > >---------------------------- Original Message ---------------------------- >Subject: audubon and housing developments >From: "Greg Hoch" <[email protected]> >Date: Fri, April 8, 2005 10:55 am >To: [email protected] >-------------------------------------------------------------------------- > >Hi Bob, > >Have a question for you. This is email is about 3 months too late but it >just dawned on me last night that I hadn't talked to Audubon. I have a >housing development going in by my house (NW of Hawley). I have talked to > Ducks Unlimited and Pheasants Forever already. This development is on ag > land. But it's ag land surrounded by hayfields, CRP, native prairie, etc > along the beach ridge. It is a 1/2 mile from the Gruhl Wildlife >Management Area, which is home to 8 T&E spp including marbled godwits, >short-eared owls, and chickens. The corner of the development is listed >at the DNR as critical habitat for shrikes. And indeed I see shrikes >along this section of road on a weekly basis in the summer. There are >several prairie chicken leks in the vicinity and neighbors have recently >started seeing turkeys in the area. It's an incredibly diverse area for >wildlife. A development would destroy much of it. One development isn't >too bad, but there are several other landowners watching this and waiting >to sell out as soon as it goes thru. Politically, this is as dirty as >local politics gets, money being exchanged (can't prove it but there has >to be), township board members are business partners with developers, it >was rejected by the planning commission but accepted by the county >commission, etc, etc. I have attached a write-up I did for the Fargo >Forum who may be running a story about this development (told from my >side) this weekend. As you can imagine the neighbors are livid. I think >we are to the point of going to court over this. But with a large >write-in campaign and an article in the paper I'd like to put this in >front of the public court also. I already talked to DU and PF thinking >that Republican commissioners would listen to hunters more than birders, >but now I think we need everyone we can get. Does Audubon have a >listserve or mailing list I could use to alert members to this problem. >Also, would the local, state, or national office have any money (as a >donation or a loan) to help the neighbors with lawyer fees? > >Thanks for any help you might be able to provide, > >Greg > >Greg Hoch >Biology Dept >Concordia College >Moorhead MN 56562 >218-299-3799 ><< Forum.doc >>
