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It seems that those fighting to maintain habitat for the Swainson's Hawks
in Hampshire area have lost their fight. The Hampshire
Village Board recently approved several large developments that will
obliterate much of their habitat, despite a valiant effort by many on
this listserve and many Hampshire residents. <br><br>
Now a pair of the McHenry County Hawks are also threatened. Bob and
Anita Morgan, who have been monitoring these hawks for the last few
years, found a "zoning change" sign below the nest this year -
it appears a developer has plans for the property. They are
initiating an effort to save this pair's habitat. <br><br>
I'm passing along two requests from them: that you (or your
organization) send a letter opposing the zoning change, and that
you take a minute to think about organizations or individuals that you
know who might be able to support their efforts, and send this
information along to them, encouraging them to contact Anita (copied on
this message) if they can be of help. At the end of this message is
information from Anita and a copy of her excellent letter.<br><br>
I hope that you will be able to take a bit of time to support these
monitors in their efforts to save habitat. <br><br>
Judy Pollock<br><br>
<br>
<font size=2>The McHenry County board chair is Kenneth Koehler at 320
Douglas Avenue,<br>
Crystal Lake, IL 60014. There are three board members in the
district<br>
of the property in question that could also be sent letters: Ann
Gilman<br>
at 19216 Bockman, Marengo, IL 60152; Richard Klasen at 790 Bauman
Drive,<br>
Marengo, IL 60152; Don Larson at 17301 O'Brien Rd., Harvard,
IL 60033;<br>
and Mary Lou Zierer at 707 Olbrich Rd., Harvard, IL
60033.<br><br>
Letters in support of keeping the property zoned at A1(agriculture)
and<br>
denying the zoning to E1 (estate district) are needed.<br>
Also, the letter should have the referral number: Petition 05-07,
Harris<br>
Bank Woodstock Trust 5556/Graft Request from A1 to E1.<br><br>
</font>May 9, 2005<br>
<br>
<br>
Mr. Kenneth Koehler<br>
Chair, Board of Directors of<br>
McHenry County<br>
320 Douglas Avenue<br>
Crystal Lake, IL 60014<br>
<br>
RE: Petition 05-07, Harris Bank Woodstock Trust 5556/Graft Request from
A1 to E1<br>
<br>
Dear Mr. Koehler:<br>
<br>
I am writing to ask that you deny the request to rezone the Harmony Hills
Road property from A1 to E1, based on new information on the Swainson's
Hawks. There is a small woodlot to the east of the house and barn,
separated from the house by a small cornfield. At the time of this
writing a pair of Swainson’s Hawks are building their nest and getting
ready to lay eggs. These hawks are on the Illinois state endangered
species list, and are one of only five pairs in Illinois, in Kane and
McHenry counties.<br>
<br>
Last year these Swainson’s Hawks built their nest in the very same
hedgerow of treesthe land now proposed for rezoning from agriculture
(A1) to estate district (E1). They reared two chicks, one that was
a rare dark-phase color. The Swainson’s Hawks left the nest-site
around mid-September for their wintering home in Argentina 6,000 miles
away. Each year around early April, they return to Kane and McHenry
counties.<br>
<br>
If you look at the enclosed map, you will see the Swainson’s Hawks
breeding distribution in North America. They nest in all the shaded
areas west of the Mississippi River, with a small population in Alaska,
California and Canada. Please take note of the small dot in
Illinois, which represents our extremely rare population. Their
presence has been recorded in Kane and McHenry counties every year since
1973. The legacy of the Swainson’s Hawks in Illinois is now being
threatened and of vital concern.<br>
<br>
We feel that conservation of wildlife is an important aspect of our
lives. People benefit from wildlife in numerous ways and conserving
our heritage for the future should be given every consideration before it
is lost forever. Lessons can be learned from California, which has
been threatened by development for many years. In fact, California has
remaining only 10% of its historic Swainson’s Hawk population. In
order to mitigate the conflict between urban expansion and the needs of
endangered species, it has been proposed that a Regional Conservation
Plan be implemented in Central Valley, California to achieve long-term
protection for a significant number of breeding Swainson’s Hawks, as well
as allowing for controlled urban expansion. The Swainson’s Hawk
Technical Advisory Committee in Central Valley, California has developed
a management plan to ensure the survival of the Swainson’s Hawk that
includes ensuring the availability of suitable nesting and foraging
habitat, and maintenance of foraging habitat suitable for hawks.
These include alfalfa, fallow fields, pasture and row crops.<br>
<br>
It would appear that Illinois has similar choices to make to those in
California’s Central Valley. If we want endangered species such as
Swainson’s Hawks to survive in Illinois, then conservation of sufficient
foraging habitat such as hayfields, pasture, and row crops is
essential.<br>
<br>
We hope you will vote to deny the rezoning of the Harmony Hills Road
Petition 05-07, Harris Bank Woodstock Trust 5556/Graft Request from A1 to
E1, based on new information of breeding Swainson’s Hawks on the
property. Thank you.<br>
<br>
Sincerely,<br>
<br>
Robert Morgan,
Ph.D.
Anita Morgan, MLIS<br>
Instructor, Biology
Department
Technical Services Librarian<br>
Loyola
University
Saint Xavier University<br>
Sheridan Road at Lake Shore
Drive
3700 West 103 Street<br>
Chicago, IL
60626
Chicago, IL 60655<br>
<br>
<br>
P.S. We have just submitted a manuscript for publication in
<i>Meadowlark. </i> The fall August issue will report our
three-year study of the Swainson’s Hawks in Kane and McHenry
counties. We will send you a copy when it is published. <br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br><br>
<x-sigsep><p></x-sigsep>
Judy Pollock<br>
bobolnk at ix dot netcom dot com<br>
Evanston (Cook)</body>
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