Hi Everyone,
Folks might remember I sent out some email about a proposed bike trail that would harm grassland and bottom woods habitat in Kenilworth Park and Kenilworth Aquatic Gardents. While we had the support of 30+ area birders, MOS, and a variety of other conservation groups, we failed to make any meaningful adjustments to the projects that would benefit birdlife. The following is a summary of what's happened over August...
Earlier in the month, there was a meeting with The DC Dept. of Environment (DDOE) Director Christophe Tolou and a DC Dept. of Transportation (DDOT) representative.� During this meeting, a number of us - including Anne Lewis of City Wildlife and I (representing the DC birding community) expressed our profound concerns about the bike path threatening the Kenilworth park grasslands and the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens river trail.� DDOE seemed supportive and hoped that changes to the trail alignment could ameliorate some of the damage to the grasslands.� DDOE also supported increased grassland restoration for the Kenilworth Park site.� Unfortunately, the National park Service (NPS) failed to attend.
Last week we had another meeting with DDOE, DDOT and NPS where all our hopes were crushed.� NPS agreed with DDOT that the contract was signed and nothing could be done about it.� NPS seemed sympathetic, and said they would have liked our input last year.� Representatives from the DC Environmental network, the National Park Conservation Association and DDOE tried to get NPS to get beyond their bureaucratic talking points and try to find a compromise, but NPS refused.� Even a minimal change to the trail location was dismissed as unworkable.�
So were does that leave us?�
1. Construction of the bike trail will begin this winter (12 wide through the grasslands).
2. No mitigation actions will be taken - except avoiding tree removal during the breeding season.�
Good News?
Opportunities to influence NPS management of the area:
1.� Kenilworth Park has lots of contamination issues and cleanup of the site is being actively considered now. At some point 1-2 feet of clean soil will cover the entire park, and this is when we have a chance to advocate for a robust grassland restoration project.� DDOE probably will support this.
2.� The Kenilworth Park (and Aquatic Gardens) management plan is being developed as we speak and will guide their work for the next 15 years.� The birding community can actively engage NPS in the need for bird habitat.
3.� NPS also made reference to a similar management plan in the works for all the DC Circle parks.�
While we might have failed at preventing this mistake by NPS and DC government, new opportunities to both defend and expand critical bird habitat are in the making.� There's even talk about creating an informal group of birders/conservationists to research upcoming threats and opportunities for bird habitat in DC.
Thanks for your support and if you're interested in discussing what can be done to improve DC bird habitat, let me know!
Sincerely,
Jason Berry
Washington, DC
--
|