Southeast Volusia Audubon Society, P.O. Box 46, New Smyrna Beach, FL 32170; Sevas@cfl.rr.com
Dedicated to the protection of birds, other animals, and their habitats through education and activism

 

 

 
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For the last year we have been working with the City of Edgewater Director of Parks and Recreation, Jack Corder, to get the city to fulfill its responsibilities to preserve the small Scrub Jay habitat there. They agreed to preserve it as part of a mitigation agreement when the YMCA was built but they failed to live up to the agreement. Their neglect and the failure of the US Fish and Wildlife Service and Corps of Engineers to enforce the terms of the federal mandate resulted in the deterioration of the habitat and the loss of the Scrub Jays that once lived there.

7.97 acres of scrub jay habitat were mitigated by the City in return for destruction of ~ 1 acre of the habitat. The City took on the contractual responsibility for protection of remaining habitat and annual monitoring. Since then, on-site survey reports 6/01, 6/02 and 10/06 indicate a loss of all three birds initially found on site. The Scrub Jay Habitat Management and Restoration Plan is unsigned and undated, but documents within in indicate the mitigation process began as early as 10/98. The initial biological survey was reported 11/99.

03/08

Kathy is heading a group of volunteer members to survey the Scrub Jay habitat behind the Edgewater YMCA for use as a field trip opportunity for local schools.  They identified and tagged trees and plants and discussed best ways for presenting the information to elementary and middle school students.  This is a first step in what we hope will become a valuable resource for schools in environmental education. Perhaps the City of Edgewater will be encouraged to restore the scrub jay habitat.  If you are interested in helping, please contact Kathy.

06/05
County Environmental representative and Paula Sisson from the US Fish and Wildlife have visited the habitat. Ms. Sisson’s opinion is that the City of Edgewater, who is the caretaker of the property and is responsible for monitoring and maintaining the habitat since 1998, is not in compliance and she was going to investigate what had been done and not done in regards to monitoring and compliance with the mitigation contract. Ms. Sisson said the habitat needed a controlled burn due to overgrowth, particularly on the front side; the back side was in better shape.

06/07/11
A copy of the biological survey completed November 1999 by biologist Joe Young of Biological Consulting Services was obtained from Mr. Corder. The survey found a family of 3-4 scrub jays on the ~ 8 acres and advised mechanical removal of tall trees, which was done (?), followed with a prescribed burn expected before nesting began in 2000.

06/09/06
Kathy Booth, Conservation Chair, and Co-Chairs, Gail and Richard Domroski, met with Mr. Jack Corder, Director of Parks and Leisure for the City of Edgewater and Mr. Young, both parties conceded that the management plan has not been followed. No burn has ever taken place. Captain Cousins from the Edgewater Fire Dept says they are ready to do a burn as soon as the US Fish and Wildlife approves it. According to Mr. Young, since 7+ years have past, the habitat is in need of mechanical removal of tall trees again. He also said, “This project will not be stalled again”. Ironically, according to Mr. Corder, the City has budgeted for the maintenance of this property every year since 1998.

Subsequent monitoring of the habitat by SEVAS begun almost weekly. One lone banded male jay remaining of the family.

06/10/03
Per phone call with biologist, Mr. Young, he did see one scrub jay yesterday since started survey in October 1st. He will have to redo the map and burn cells since aerial views do not match original mapping of where trails were to be placed. Will send survey report to County and then start burn cycle beginning January or February. Will re-survey after first burn at beginning of nesting season.

07/03/21
lone scrub jay last seen

07/05/30
Several SEVAS members met with Mr. Corder, Director City of Edgewater Parks and Leisure Services again. In 30-45 days the City should be able to remove trees since baseball season is over. Excuses again as to why haven’t burned. Gil Miller described the concept of an environmental learning center (or as Richard says, wildlife refuge) with spots of interest identified on self guided map. Gil said if birds get people to the Habitat, then people will see it and want to preserve it. Community and schools will accept it. YMCA could hold after school program.

07/06/09
County representative emphatic that County has NO enforcement authority to make City of Edgewater honor mitigation contract.

07/06/06
Letter to City and biologist from Linda Walker, USFW, summarizing neglect of habitat resulting in overgrowth from lack of fire; requesting a copy of revised burn cell plan and recommending a prescribed burn ASAP. No mention of penalties for failure to comply over the years or recent delays.

07/06/21
E-mail from Mr. Corder, Director Parks and Leisure: playing phone tag with biologist, Joe
Young. The USFW official has informed me that we need to continue with our maintenance program for the area and would like us to provide them with a revised burn plan. Trying to set up a meeting with biologist and local fire officials, so we can move forward with this project. On another note, city staff are being scheduled to start topping some of the trees within the next couple of weeks.

June-December 2007
Regular monitoring by SEVAS volunteers has noted no scrub jay, maybe a dozen trees topped in only one section of the habitat, continual over mowing so that the trails are wider than the areas of habitat, and no prescribed burn. The County has declined to take over management of the habitat.

Young people are the key to the future of our country. It is their inheritance we are spending and they need to care about how carefully we are stewarding it. They have a great stake in it. Please help us with your financial support.
Audubon Adventures provides classrooms with environmental education prrograms. They cost about $50.00 per class. Will you sponsor a class?
Books to Schools. We are providing environment oriented books to four schools in the area this year at a cost of $350.00 per school. Will you help?
Volunteers. Your help with any of our activities is needed. The more volunteers we have, the less each of us has to do.
Join us!Check out this page for an application.