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3 BACKGROUND All wildlife have basic requirements to survive and reproduce, which can be broken down into cat- egories of food, water, and shelter (Scalet et al. 1996). Included in an organismâs necessary resources are those that help wildlife gain access to food, water, and shelter. Wildlife may have to move about a landscape to fulfill all of their needs, and if not familiar with an area, may spend some time searching before finding what they are looking for (Charnov 1976). As wildlife traverse the landscape in search of resources, they are attracted to certain features that may provide what they need or help them acquire it. For example, birds of prey such as hawks, eagles, and osprey (Pandion haliaeetus) are attracted to tall trees, wires, and platforms adjacent to open areas where they can rest while searching for prey on the ground below (Preston 1990). These structures attract the birds not as a direct food, water, or shelter resource, but as an indirect resource that enables them to more easily acquire the food they are hunting. Both direct and indirect resources may occur on or around airport property, which may lead to potentially hazardous situations in aircraft operations areas (AOA). The AOA is defined as any area of an airport used or intended to be used for landing, takeoff, or surface maneuvering of aircraft. (This and many other definitions can be found in the glossary at the end of the main text.) An AOA includes such paved areas or unpaved areas that are used or intended to be used for the unobstructed movement of aircraft in addition to its associated runway, taxiways, or apron. Many airports consist of additional property surrounding the AOA that may contain buildings, parking lots, roadways, undeveloped land, and water. As habitat conditions both within and beyond the AOA can influence wildlife use, which in turn can introduce potential hazards to aircraft, habitat management beyond the AOA needs to be considered (Martin et al. 2011). Habitat management is the manipulation of landscape features and natural resources to control their use by wildlife. Most airports contain some common habitat features likely to attract wildlife, and can employ control techniques to minimize potential hazards to aircraft operations (DeVault et al. 2013). For example, airports often contain large areas of impervious surfaces, which can collect stormwater or create the need for stormwater control structures. Surface water is a natural attractant to most wildlife species, especially many species of waterfowl (Belant and Martin 2011). Finding ways of controlling stormwater while minimizing its allure to wildlife is a challenge that most airports face, and many examples are described here. Elevated areas, including electrical poles, antennas, and other vertical communication structures, are attractive to birds for use as perches and nesting sites (Cleary and Dickey 2010). Other habitat features on or around airports that commonly attract wildlife include turfgrass, natural vegetation, landscaping plants, agriculture, and other airport structures that provide access to food and/or cover (DeVault et al. 2013). These are some of the airport habitat management issues that are discussed in this synthesis. Airport operators are often faced with the task of maintaining the aesthetics and functions of airport property without compromising safety. There are also many regulations set by local, state, and fed- eral agencies including the FAA. These challenges make management of resources used by wildlife difficult, especially when considering the complexity of factors affecting wildlife behavior habits, including specific wildlife populations and variation between species, weather and seasonal changes, and regional variation in issues and conditions. There are not simple solutions to most wildlife conflict issues and solving problems often involves adapting management to changes in wildlife behavior and chapter one INTRODUCTION
4 populations. The objective of habitat manipulation is to avoid attracting wildlife to airports or prevent conflicts with wildlife from developing; however if dangerous situations exist, short-term harassment or lethal control of wildlife may still be necessary to insure safety. Information on techniques of direct harassment and population management at airports can be found in previous reports by the National Academiesâ Transportation Research Board (Cleary and Dickey 2010; Belant and Martin 2011). This synthesis provides a review of resources on airports attractive to wildlife and approaches used to reduce their attraction to potentially hazardous wildlife species. METHODS Data for this synthesis report were collected from primary peer-reviewed literature, books, agency pub- lications, and personal communications with experts; and was supplemented by the distribution of a questionnaire to airport operators (Appendix A) intended to provide examples used on airports of the described habitat management techniques. Peer-reviewed literature was identified using the Mississippi State University Libraries database search by Ebsco, JStor, and Google Scholar. Books were located through personal communication, Bing Search, and Mississippi State University Libraries. Most agency- produced publications were identified through personal communications with federal employees and affiliated airport operation experts. Personal communications were established through a network of collaborators from universities, local, state, and federal agencies, airport employees, and an advisory panel of airport operation experts formed by TRB. The questionnaire was designed by the synthesis authors in collaboration with the advisory panel. Airport operators suggested by the advisory panel as survey subjects were contacted by e-mail, telephone, or both. The questionnaire was distributed and returned by e-mail. This information was then used to develop case examples, primarily described in text boxes throughout this synthesis report.
