# Presentation: 624179

## Approaches to Managing Wildlife Hazards at Airports

- Christopher Boggs, Airport Biologist
- USDA, APHIS, Wildlife Services
- Hershey Airport Conference
- March 5, 2009

## The Many Hats

**Notes:**
In general, an airport operator’s staff is responsible for all aspects of operations:
Signage, Lighting, Runways, Communications,
Snow removal, Perimeter security, Equipment maintenance, 
Mowing, Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting, wildlife hazard management

## Resource-dependent

**Smaller airports are generalists**
**Larger airports are specialists**

**Notes:**
How all of these responsibilities are accomplished is resource-dependent.
Smaller airports have fewer staff so personnel are required to be generalists. 
Larger airports can have hundreds of employees, necessitating specialization of positions. 
You have been given another hat to wear which is Wildlife Hazard Management. 
How Wildlife Hazards are managed or staffed at airports is no different. But there are considerations that I will present to you. 

## Wildlife Hazard Management Needs

- Recurrent Training
- Data Collection and Management
- Investigative Curiosity
- Species Identification

**Notes:**
For an effective Wildlife Hazard Management program, a manager should train or hire staff with specific strengths. 
Recurrent Training—can also refer to firearm, pesticide, pyrotechnic, safety, and other specialized needs
Data collection and mgmt—refer to monitoring, actions, observations, analysis, permit renewal, effective resource allocation
Curiosity—don’t need a wildlife biology degree to conduct WHM, dirty boots and hands, willing to research new ways/methods, tough one to get without specialized training or education
Species ID—a minimum for resource allocation, wildlife strike management, 

## Wildlife Hazard Management Needs

- Specialized Tools
- Regulated Tools
- Motivation and Common Sense
- Not Hunting Experience

**Notes:**
Specialized Tools—hazing devices, lethal devices, safety, depredation permits, habitat management, integrates all
Regulated Tools—lethal devices, depredation permits, pesticides
Motivation—with common sense: more effective to look for and fix the gap in the fence than it is to kill several deer
Not Hunting—different motivation (i.e., safety versus overtime pay), different tools, different restrictions, very different outcomes (species, sex ratios,...)
Once an airport operator has hired or trained staff that cumulatively meet these needs, then the program can move forward with effective, comprehensive wildlife hazard management. 

## Three Approaches:

- _Three Approaches_:
- In-house
- Biologist-assisted
- Biologist on staff

## In-house Program

- PROS
- No new staff
- Quick decisions
- Time to respond
- Established relationships
- Favors non-lethal

- CONS
- Collateral duty
- Requires specialized trainings
- Shared responsibility
- Risk can be greater
- True costs?
- Monitoring not routine
- Not centralized
- Data analysis nonexistent
- Favors non-lethal

**Notes:**
Caveat: This is generally how it happens, not how it has to be. 
Training—pesticide; firearms; 
True costs—overtime vs. contracted agency; 
Centralization—if there is a coordinator, s/he usually works midnight shift for some reason.

## Biologist-assisted Program

- PROS
- Good allocation of resources
- Science-based
- Routine monitoring
- Direct management
- WHMP review & update
- Routine reporting

- CONS
- Limited emergency response
- Territory
- Outsider
- Additional cost

**Notes:**
Biologist refers to Qualified Airport Biologist.  A part-time person can assist and support on any issue. 
Territory—often where law enforcement is concerned
Outsider—reduced face time with decision makers; trust issues;

## Biologist on Staff

- PROS
- Complex situations
- Integrated program
- Regular training
- Routine monitoring
- Review of plans
- Data collection & analysis
- WHMP review & update
- Improved strike reporting

- PROS (continued)
- Emergency response
- Off site liaison
- Direct management
- Due diligence
- Routine reporting
- CONS
- Cost is greatest

**Notes:**
Science-based management
Best allocation of resources

## Resources

- Federal agencies
- State agencies
- Private companies
- FAA/USDA WHM Airports Manual
- http://wildlife-mitigation.tc.faa.gov

**Notes:**
Science-based management

## Slide 11