Buildup of microtrash
“Microtrash” consists of bottle caps, pop-tops, small pieces of glass, plastic and metal (including pennies, etc.). Biologists believe that these items are mistaken for bone chips by adult condors who feed them to their chicks.
Adult condors usually regurgitate these materials, but it is another story with condor chicks. The baby condors cannot digest or regurgitate microtrash, and are dying of microtrash impaction.
Ventana Wildlife Society reported in July that a condor chick was found dead from ingesting microtrash. The chick’s stomach was clogged with shards of glass, a metal fragment, and a penny.
Appendix C of the Tejon Ranch California Condor Conservation and Management Plan prepared for Tejon Mountain Village LLC and TRC by Bloom Biological includes the following carefully-worded gem:
Development and ongoing operations of TMV could result in the buildup of microtrash associated with the development of residences and other structures within condor foraging areas. Associated Ranch activities such as film production, passive recreation, repair and maintenance of roads, and visits to backcountry cabins in areas of the Ranch outside of TMV after initial project development could also result in the leaving of microtrash that could be ingested by adult condors in areas frequented by the species. An increase in microtrash in areas accessible to condors would represent a potentially significant impact under CEQA and could result in take (harm) of condors. Measures are included in this plan (discussed further below) that would avoid and/or minimize impacts and potential “take” due to microtrash.
And those “included measures”?
TMV LLC will retain, or cause to be retained, professional environmental education specialists to create and disseminate a condor educational curriculum that will include information concerning the life history of the California condor, where condors potentially occur within TMV, prohibited behaviors related to condors such as the pursuit, capture, harassment, and all other potential direct interaction of the species. The information will also identify types of microtrash that could be ingested by adult breeding condors and describe measures to eliminate microtrash on and near all construction sites, recreational areas, outdoor filming projects, roads, and back-country areas where human presence has occurred. The education program will include training of key personnel at the Ranch, appropriate signage at trailheads or entrances to Open Space areas, and dissemination of pertinent information at on-site nature centers or other public areas.
And if hiring consultants to tell the residents and guests of Tejon Mountain Village not to litter condor habitat with microtrash doesn’t work?
If it is determined that condors are either ingesting microtrash within TMV or elsewhere on Tejon Ranch, Tejon Ranch and the FWS shall evaluate potential remedies to reduce, and, if possible, eliminate microtrash ingestion. Such remedies may include increased education and awareness to Tejon residents, guests, staff, and workers regarding the dangers of microtrash, increased monitoring of events and activities that are potential sources of microtrash, and more frequent collection of microtrash.
The bottom line:
More people = more microtrash. More microtrash = more dead condor chicks.
Image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kainroadculdesac/ / CC BY 2.0
About Rhishja Cota-Larson
A sickening abuse of power. When will America finally understand that second rate actors make second rate politicians?
Projects like this on the surface will not help the condor. Of course more details woulkd be appreciated.
Speaking of surface…what is the area footprint of the impacted area (building support roads)versus the set aside area on the private property in acres? Also has the developer granted conservation easements to the public good for these acres?
Regardless of the answer….a poorly located project can damge the condor’s recovery.
tks Fv
de area to be On articles like this I always like to see These things alwa
Get a life! When are you people going to start thinking about humans before vultures? Not all species are meant to live forever.
“Take” under Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act can mean more than just killing an individual of a species (in this case, a condor). For the HCP, the obtained “take” permit is to allow the “harassment,” i.e., incidental interaction between human and condor that causes nest abandonment, and only allows 3 “takes” over about 30 years. The “take” permit explicitly does not allow the killing of an individual condor.
TMV does not have wind farms, and there are no wind farms on Tejon Ranch Company property. The wind farms are already in existance in the Tehachapis, so that is a moot point for the HCP. There is an agreement in the HCP that specifically forbids wind farms as part of TMV or any other endeavor on the Ranch in the future.
Just want your readers to have the full story.
Projects like this on the surface will not help the condor. Of course more details woulkd be appreciated.
Speaking of surface…what is the area footprint of the impacted area (building support roads)versus the set aside area on the private property in acres? Also has the developer granted conservation easements to the public good for these acres?
Regardless of the answer….a poorly located project can damge the condor’s recovery.
tks Fv
de area to be On articles like this I always like to see These things alwa
From the author:
Thank you for your comments.
Fair Trade – I agree with you on both points.
Fv – Tejon Ranch Company’s PR site is located at http://www.tejonpreserve.com/index.php … the “Historic Agreement” spin machine is prominently displayed. Pretty clever, eh?
crankpin – the topic of wind farms vs. individual wind turbines is already addressed in the article. Individual wind turbines will be allowed as part of the project – therein lies the loophole.
crankpin – We have done our homework. The first condors that will die on Tejon Ranch from prop turbines will probably be from the new PDV Wind Farm. Tejon Ranch owns some of the land in upper expanse of this project. Prop turbines will be soon spinning on the ranch. Tejon Ranch has entered into the Prop wind turbine wind business and few are aware of it.
Fair Trade said on October 2nd, 2009 at 10:09 am..
“A sickening abuse of power.
When will America finally understand that second
rate actors make second rate politicians?”
GOOD ONE, Fair Trade !!!
O..soooo RIGHT !!!
CHEERS