Buffer Zone Distances to Protect Foraging and Loafing Waterbirds from Disturbance by Airboats in Florida

The Effects of Disturbance on the Abundance and Foraging Behaviour of Shorebirds and Waterbirds in the Tropical Mudflat Areas

“…Individuals that flush sooner due to disturbance may be in a better condition and have the capability to respond to the disturbance, while birds in poorer condition may need to continue forage until the last possible moment because the need to consume as much resources as possible (Beale & Monaghan 2005;Stillman & Goss-Custard 2002). Larger species tended to flush when the disturbing agent was further away, likely due to their need for more space to take off compared to a smaller bird (Rodgers & Schwikert 2003.…”

Motorized obsessions: life, liberty, and the small-bore engine

“…Noise also contributed to crime via impacts on education and social development. 25 Unfortunately, unthinking deregulation won the day, with direct impact on the quality of recreation in America: recreational areas are fi lled with noisy machines. Today's recreational vehicles meet voluntary standards established by industry in consultation with the government.…”

“…After a series of measurements conducted from 1999 to 2000 to identify minimum buffer zones for foraging and loafi ng waterbirds, the researchers recommended that buffer zones be extended signifi cantly, from 130 meters to 365 meters for such raptors as the bald eagle, to 165 meters for the tricolored heron, and to 255 meters for the great egret. 25 PWC operators believe that since both boats and PWCs fl ush birds, then both should be allowed, and that since PWCs arrived on the scene only recently, they cannot be held responsible for the long-term decline of various species. As noted, they argue that bird populations have been in decline since the 1940s and 1950s, especially fi sh-eating species, including the common loon.…”

“…This led to a federal standard issued in 1982 that required a rotary blade to stop within three seconds after the user left the operator position at the rear of the mower. 25 The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) followed in 1987 with a mandatory safety standard to reduce the blade-contact hazard of walk-behind power lawn mowers. About 50 percent of all lawn mower injuries and 64 percent of walk-behind mower injuries occurred as a result of contact with the moving blade, amounting to seventy-seven thousand blade-contact injuries annually.…”

“…Towns that permitted ATVs on their roads encouraged more trespassing on private lands and illegal entry onto state lands than did towns that prohibited or seasonally regulated ATV use. 25 The Adirondacks were not alone: illegal ATV use has spread to almost every park in every state.…”