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Bowers Field Wildlife Hazard Management Plan <br />5 Habitat management and land use <br />Habitat management is a critical proactive measure to reduce wildlife hazards by not <br />attracting wildlife to the immediate area. All airfields should be managed so the area is <br />unattractive to most hazardous wildlife. It is impossible to make the area unattractive to <br />all wildlife. As discussed in several areas of this plan, water is the primary attractive <br />habitat. The other habitats are notably less attractive to hazardous wildlife. <br />In general, animal abundance and diversity tends to increase in areas where vegetation <br />abundance and diversity exists. Reducing vegetation diversity and edges is a known <br />BMP for airport habitat management. Per CertAlert 06-07, ELN will maintain the habitat <br />in a manner to best reduce the attraction to key hazardous wildlife. <br />5.1 Habitat Management <br />5.1.1 Open Water <br />The WHE identified water as the least abundant, but the most attractive, habitat. Most of <br />the attractive water areas are outside the AOA fence. It is the most significant habitat <br />that attracted wildlife to the airfield in a manner risky to aviation safety. Waterfowl and <br />blackbirds were the primary guilds using open water. <br />The WHE recommended that ELN reduce the amount of open water as much as possible, <br />specifically addressing the pond V in the north pasture area (Figures 1, 4, 9, and 11 in the <br />WHE, Chapter 2 of this WHMP). ELN is undergoing an environmental review, which <br />will aid in identifying which and how water features can be managed. <br />5.1.2 Woodlands <br />This was the second least abundant habitat, but 2nd most attractive. Raptors and corvids <br />were the primary guilds using woodlands. Controlled burning, herbicides, and physical <br />removal/manipulation (e.g., falling) are widely accepted tools. <br />ELN has an ongoing maintenance plan to reduce the amount and diversity of woodlands <br />and shrubs in and outside the AOA fence. This plan will continue as funding allows. <br />5.1.3 Grasslands <br />The area within the AOA fence is composed mainly of grass vegetation with shrubs along <br />the ditches. Maintaining grass as sparse and short as possible is the preferred <br />5-1 <br />31 December 2024 <br />