Project location
The location of Tejon Mountain Village in relation to condor feeding and nesting areas will disrupt crucial chick-rearing activities.
A study by Dr. Christopher Cogan - California Condor Activity in the Tejon Ranch Region – confirms that the Tejon Mountain Village is planned in a condor “commute” area – a flight path that connects condor feeding grounds with nesting areas.
Human disturbances
Nesting condors are extremely sensitive to human activity. Dr. Cogan also cited the following from an earlier research report:
One man can keep a pair of condors from the egg all night or prevent the feeding of a chick for an entire day merely by exposing himself within 500 years of a nest for a few minutes at one or two critical times of the day. Loud noises can alarm condors at distances of over one mile. Individuals or groups of persons moving about must keep at least one-half mile from condor nests in order to avoid disturbance of the parent birds.
Referring again to Appendix C of the Tejon Ranch California Condor Conservation and Management Plan prepared for Tejon Mountain Village LLC and TRC by Bloom Biological, let’s look at “Human disturbances”:
The intentional or inadvertent harassment of condors feeding on carcasses, roosting in trees or on rock outcrops, or that are otherwise using areas within the TMV Planning Area or adjacent areas could cause significant disruption of normal feeding or roosting behaviors at temporary roost sites in individual condors. Such disruption could occur as a result of noise, nighttime lighting, and activities associated with film production, passive recreation, and occupancy of backcountry cabins. Human disturbances to condors would represent a potentially significant impact under CEQA and could result in take (harassment) of condors. Measures are included in this plan (discussed further below) that would avoid and/or minimize impacts and “take” due to human disturbances.
Again, TRC expects to “avoid and/or minimize the potential for human disturbances” with a “condor education curriculum.”
A condor educational curriculum, as provided above, will be created and disseminated that will include information concerning prohibited behaviors related to condors such as the pursuit, capture, harassment, and all other potential direct interaction of the species …
Recreational activities, particularly organized events, and filming projects in areas where condors are known or expected to occur will be closely regulated to minimize any effects that could disturb feeding or roosting condors.
How will TRC ensure that “the potential for human disturbances” will be avoided and or minimized?
Compliance with condor protection measures will be enforced by means of CC&Rs …
CC&Rs to enforce protection of critically endangered California condors?
Map image: Cogan, Christopher B. 2009. California Condor Activity in the Tejon Ranch Region. Center for Biological Diversity Report, 12 June 2009. San Francisco, CA, USA. 22pp.
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