And folks have appropriately asked me what "tone" are we setting tomorrow and what our message is.
And really tomorrow is not a protest. We are delivering the people's signatures to the people's governor urging him to make sure the people's stadium doesn't kill the people's birds It is meant to urge the Governor to be a leader, in fact the leader, that we need at this time to make sure the right thing gets done. And while this has been about one building in particular, we're hopeful that overall this gives the issue of bird safe-design and construction the platform it deserves and the sense of urgency that it warrants. -----Original Message----- From: Anderson, Matthew Sent: Monday, August 25, 2014 3:24 PM To: 'Susan Gilmore'; MOU-NET@LISTS.UMN.EDU Subject: RE: [mou-net] Vikings stadium issue Thanks Susan. We are meeting at the Governor's office at 9:30. We will have a few folks (Rolf Thompson, National Eagle Center, Sharon "Birdchick" Stiteler, myself perhaps one or two others) say a few words at 10:00 and then at 10:30 we are hoping to present the signatures (printed out in small font on large boards and accompanied by large prints by Miranda Brandon from her Impacts series) to the Governor or his representative. We are alerting media today and again tomorrow. Please feel free to come. The Governor's temporary office is: Office of the Governor & Lt Governor 116 Veterans Service Building 20 W 12th Street St. Paul, MN 55155 Directions -----Original Message----- From: Minnesota Birds [mailto:MOU-NET@LISTS.UMN.EDU] On Behalf Of Susan Gilmore Sent: Monday, August 25, 2014 3:11 PM To: MOU-NET@LISTS.UMN.EDU Subject: Re: [mou-net] Vikings stadium issue Thank you Matthew, Gordon and Jim! I admit I have been really worrying over this entire issue and every time it comes to mind I feel sick. I will do another round of emails and calls to all the important decision making people and hope many others do too. I am thrilled there are 73,000 names on the petition which is being presented tomorrow to Gov Dayton. Is this presentation open to the public? If so where could I meet and what time? Is it going to be covered by local media? Thank you! Susan Susan Gilmore http://www.susangilmorephoto.com/ 763-545-4608 mobil 612-382-1171 On Aug 23, 2014, at 10:24 AM, Anderson, Matthew wrote: > Thanks Gordon. Very good, passionate, clear points. > > And thank you Jim. You were able bring to light some new, mportant > information. > > MSFA did not share either the murky glass issue or that the glass had > been ordered when they called on July 17 to tell an Audubon board > member (after 14 months of negotiation) to say no to bird-safe glass. > MSFA did not clearly say this in their public statement in July in > response to us going public with their decision to not choose > bird-safe glass. And MSFA did not share any of this with the score of > reporters who have called over the past 4 weeks. > > All this leaves us wondering - what's the real story, what really > happened and when? We may not ever know. > > What we do know is this: > - We spent 14 months negotiating with them privately and respectfully > around the issue of bird-safe design and construction until they told > us no July 17 (at the time they told it was because it would cost $2.5 > million and that was the reason) > - They will be including Audubon's lighting recommendations in the > operation of the stadium - and that's a partial but real victory for > birds > - Tens of thousands of people rallied to support this particular case > of bird-safe design and construction and in doing so put the overall > cause of bird-safe glass on the radar screen in a way we'd never seen > locally or nationally > - Bird-safe design and construction enjoyed the support of local > groups, the Minneapolis City Council, state legislators, sports-talk > show hosts, architects and many others locally and nationally > - The MSFA may still find itself coming under scrutiny under the > Migratory Bird Treaty Act but that will be years out because we'll > need to wait until birds actually collide and die > > We are disappointed that birds are being valued less than the > aesthetics for a few thousand fans on 8 Sundays a year who happen to > look up from the football field to look back towards the Minneapolis > skyline. > > We are going to deliver 73,000 petition signatures Tuesday to Governor > Dayton. > > We see Governor Dayton as one of our last, best chances and we're > going to take it. > > Thank you to everyone who has done so much to make this one building > bird-safe and to bring the issue of bird-safe design and construction > to the fore. > > Sincerely, > > Matthew Anderson > > -----Original Message----- > From: Minnesota Birds [mailto:MOU-NET@LISTS.UMN.EDU] On Behalf Of Jim > Williams > Sent: Saturday, August 23, 2014 9:16 AM > To: MOU-NET@LISTS.UMN.EDU > Subject: Re: [mou-net] Vikings stadium issue > > Information about the stadium-glass issue can be found in my blog. > > Jim Williams > Wayzata > birding blog at > www.startribune.com/lifestyle/homegarden/blogs/Wingnut.html > > > >> On Aug 23, 2014, at 1:10 AM, Gordon Andersson <gpanders...@msn.com> >> wrote: >> >> The ovenbird is in third place among bird species collected after >> window strikes in downtown St Paul and Mpls. This was reported in >> the Spring 2010 issue of The Loon after three years of the Project >> BirdSafe study sponsored by Audubon MN. From spring 2007 to fall >> 2009, 111 ovenbirds were picked up of which 101 were dead, 9 were >> released, and one was rehabbed at the >> Wildlife Rehabilitation Center. This constituted six migration >> periods. >> In each downtown a prescribed circuit is walked each day of >> migration. >> In St Paul the route is 30 blocks long. (White-throated Sparrow is >> 1st place >> (N=204) and Nashville Warbler is 2nd (N=173)). In those first three >> years, approx 1400 birds were killed by impacts with glass in the two >> downtowns, >> representing 100 species. This program is now in its eighth season. >> >> >> >> Today the Viking management announced that they would add another >> $20,000,000 for more 'amenities' to the new $ 1 B stadium. (A TV >> report >> tonight cited $46 M in added contribution.) But no dollars will >> be spent >> on bird-safe glass. In an interview, the Chair of the MSFA said that >> 'fritted glass' is not acceptable because it would not provide a >> clear view by the fans of the environs outside the stadium. >> >> Many of you contacted Mpls City Council members, the Vikings >> management as >> well as the MSFA members. The city council voted unanimously that >> the >> stadium should use glass that is more visible to birds. The MOU >> Board also >> passed a resolution to this effect. Nevertheless, the approx >> $1,000,000 >> additional cost for safer glass was considered too expensive by the >> Vikings owners/mgrs. (Fritted glass is also more energy efficient >> than regular >> glass.) >> >> >> >> I know that a bird will fly into the glass side of a skyway or into a >> glass window of a building wall that is framed by solid structural >> non-glass elements. The height and width of the glass surfaces of >> the new stadium >> (~200,000 ft2) will present a very large and invisible "target" to >> many birds throughout the year but especially to neotropical migrants >> in the spring and fall. And this is so that the people who attend 8 >> home games a year at the stadium can look away from the field of play >> for a transparent view outside the building. >> >> >> >> On some nights in the spring, millions of birds fly over the metro >> area. >> As you know, these birds actively feed during the day and also fly >> into windows. >> >> I also know that there are other significant causes of bird mortality >> in addition to window glass--- both winter and summer habitat loss, >> cats, >> poison, vehicles. But one must look at the additive effect of all >> of these >> and then try to mitigate each one. If you subscribe to the belief >> that one more dead bird doesn't matter (or that window kills are not >> important), than I suggest you should not vote either, because you >> are really only one vote. >> >> >> >> >> So to paraphrase FDR or George Marshall--- "A thousand million >> dollars for a football stadium and and not one million dollars to >> prevent unnecessary bird deaths." >> >> It is too late at night to fact check all of this, but I think it is >> fairly accurate. the paraphrase is my own. >> >> There is a good write-up of this issue on Sharon Stiteler's blog >> "Birdchick" >> dated July 26, 2014. >> >> >> >> I know many of you are concerned about the effect the stadium, as >> planned, will have on flying birds of many kinds. I don't know what >> to suggest >> except more phone calls and emails. or protests with placards. >> If anyone >> has any ideas or direction, please share them. There was a lot of >> email >> about this issue here a couple weeks ago. >> >> >> >> (You should also read about the poor ovenbird.) >> >> >> >> Gordon Andessson >> >> St Paul >> >> >> >> >> >> From: American Bird Conservancy [mailto:i...@abcbirds.org] >> Sent: Friday, August 22, 2014 4:30 PM >> To: gpanders...@msn.com >> Subject: ABC's Bird of the Week: Ovenbird >> >> >> >> >> <http://support.abcbirds.org/site/R?i=Cmr7sW-1k4Nj_KFv3LyU5g> The >> Walking Warbler >> >> >> <http://support.abcbirds.org/site/R?i=Tt3_BoNWkyoIu3hq7OoatQ> >> >> >> >> >> >> Teacher, Teacher! >> Ovenbird >> >> The Ovenbird gets its name from its unique nest, which looks like a >> domed oven. This inconspicuous, ground-nesting warbler is best-known >> for its emphatic and distinctive song-a series of progressively >> louder phrases often described as "teacher, teacher, teacher." >> >> Like the Wood Thrush >> <http://support.abcbirds.org/site/R?i=E9SDxP7P3HJr6C5ZvPIn6g> and >> Kentucky, Cerulean >> <http://support.abcbirds.org/site/R?i=XpLcXg8ZxZ4hLW2vdH902Q> , and >> Worm-eating Warblers >> <http://support.abcbirds.org/site/R?i=XOp9FK986OlputnPBnlHOA> , >> Ovenbirds require undisturbed expanses of forest for successful >> breeding. Although more flexible in habitat requirements on their >> wintering grounds, Ovenbirds and other Neotropical migratory species >> benefit from habitat conservation in these regions as well. >> >> Learn more and listen to the Ovenbird's song >> <http://support.abcbirds.org/site/R?i=pT6Qv_XFfTV6uCjn3DnRpg> >> >> >> <http://support.abcbirds.org/site/R?i=j1QuGSN3GReApXhWBQq5Xg> >> >> >> >> >> <http://support.abcbirds.org/site/PixelServer?j=xgmRb3iQwkhUjlpw8S- >> oNw >>> >> >> >> >> <http://support.abcbirds.org/site/R?i=4jrtTRgHyPte38ehWow4PQ> >> >> <http://support.abcbirds.org/site/R?i=9gQTdMN3agr5uW0zBPVI0g> >> >> <http://support.abcbirds.org/site/R?i=3vfkPm7nx5WRR94VVkWJNA> >> >> <http://support.abcbirds.org/site/R?i=TskT4uElZGmAiLwsMX2yqA> >> >> >> >> >> <http://support.abcbirds.org/site/R?i=86ET7ZpiNU3YgqmnOtpAIg> >> <http://support.abcbirds.org/site/R?i=86ET7ZpiNU3YgqmnOtpAIg> >> <http://support.abcbirds.org/site/R?i=86ET7ZpiNU3YgqmnOtpAIg> >> >> <http://support.abcbirds.org/site/R?i=oplYtIUAISZVyJ06kaFF9w> >> <http://support.abcbirds.org/site/R?i=oplYtIUAISZVyJ06kaFF9w> >> <http://support.abcbirds.org/site/R?i=oplYtIUAISZVyJ06kaFF9w> >> >> <http://support.abcbirds.org/site/R?i=T-sqAjzOLS9uDlIRj01NsQ> >> <http://support.abcbirds.org/site/R?i=T-sqAjzOLS9uDlIRj01NsQ> >> <http://support.abcbirds.org/site/R?i=T-sqAjzOLS9uDlIRj01NsQ> >> >> <http://support.abcbirds.org/site/R?i=tbgP9HJsqwA2BRSaeHVGdw> >> <http://support.abcbirds.org/site/R?i=tbgP9HJsqwA2BRSaeHVGdw> >> <http://support.abcbirds.org/site/R?i=tbgP9HJsqwA2BRSaeHVGdw> >> >> >> >> <http://support.abcbirds.org/images/content/pagebuilder/ >> green_rule.jpg >>> >> >> >> American Bird Conservancy | P.O. Box 249 | The Plains, VA 20198 >> >> >> <http://support.abcbirds.org/site/CO? >> i=HaaHZvgTL2dlf4cnj0AmEW5cQNC5gXi >> r&cid= >> 1042&RemoveInterest=1021> Unsubscribe >> >> >> >> <http://support.abcbirds.org/site/R?i=zBBlDfuVcwT5LukdcIoigA> >> nonprofit software >> <http://support.abcbirds.org/site/R?i=SJc7wHpLYi0D70-yROYf7g> >> >> >> ---- >> Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net >> Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html > > ---- > Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net > Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html > > ---- > Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net > Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html ---- Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html ---- Join or Leave mou-net: http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=mou-net Archives: http://lists.umn.edu/archives/mou-net.html
