This doesn't surprise me at all. Pardon me if this sounds like a rant but ...
BGE has repeatedly shown an utter disregard for the ecological sensitivity of what I assume is the area in question (name withheld to protect the innocent), and part of the blame for this lies with the apparent inability of the area's managers to communicate effectively with the utility, at least from my limited perspective.
The worst case has to do with butterflies. A few years ago, a small population of Edwards' Hairstreak was found there, a species that has been in serious decline in Maryland. This past year, when I visited there looking for the hairstreak, I discovered that BGE had stripped the area clean of the scrub oak that is essential to the breeding success of the hairstreak. And I mean stripped along the BGE right of way! The area's managers knew the butterflies were there. They knew its habitat requirements. And yet they weren't able to communicate this to the utility? Very troubling.
In this case, what I find troubling is that, assuming the area's managers knew about the owls (and they certainly should have), they somehow failed to protect the owls by erecting a "do not disturb" zone using crime scene tape or whatever. Though can we assume that such a zone would have deterred the utility's tree trimmers?
By the way, I'm assuming the area in question is a certain serpentine barren in Baltimore County. If not, well, then ... as Emily Litella used to say, never mind. Though my concerns about BGE stand on their own.
Tom Stock
Silver Spring, MD
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
-----Original Message-----
From: <kmlathroum...>
Sender: <mdbirding...>
Date: Thu, 07 Feb 2013 11:10:06
To: <mdbirding...>
Subject: [MDBirding] Long Eared Owl disturbance
To all concerned I inspected the area this morning with another Officer from the Natural Resources Police, we walked the area approximately 50 yards going in each direction of the roost site which is in the middle of this discussion. It is our professional opinion that the cutting in question was done by BGE and or their contractors. We located apprxoimately 20 fresh trimmings. Allof the trimming apears to have been done with a chain saw and based on the height of some of the trimming most likely a pole type pruning saw. All of the selective pruning appears to have been done to branches/trees which were sticking out into the ccess road which coud be problematic to getting a bucket truck or similar piece of equipment into the area for maintenance. At this time we believe that it is comincidental that the tree near the roost site was impacted.
Thanks to all for the heads up regarding this potential misuse/abuse of public land.
Corporal Mike Lathroum
Maryland Natural Resources Police
3738 Gwynnbrook Ave
Owings Mills, MD 21117
cell - 443-924-4006
(410)260-8888 24 hour dispatch
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