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54 When establishing a pollinator-friendly program, it is important for airports to consider internal and external staffing as well as funding resources needed to initiate and maintain it. This chapter discusses the potential roles and responsibilities that could arise during the planning process and once a program has been implemented. This chapter also presents examples of how pollinator- friendly programs have been initiated, outlines coordination of these efforts with the FAA, and provides examples of program budgets and funding models. 8.1 Airport Staff Roles, Responsibilities, and Resources The roles of airport staffâlikely in different departmentsâwill expand to include a range of responsibilities once a beekeeping operation or pollinator habitat program has been established. The following sections detail the anticipated airport staff and departments who would need to be involved to ensure the success of a pollinator-friendly program. Note that staff titles and responsibilities will vary across airports. 8.1.1 Program Coordinators Program Coordinator(s) would be responsible for overseeing the operations of an airportâs pollinator-friendly program and for coordinating directly with beekeepers. The interviews that were conducted as a part of this study were primarily with airport staff who acted as the Program Coordinators for their airportsâ pollinator-friendly programs. These included airport staff such as Sustainability/Environmental Planners, Special Projects Coordinators, Environmental/Compliance Officers, Environmental Program Administrators, and other sim- ilar roles that are typically housed within airportsâ Environment, Sustainability, or Facilities Departments. Upon implementing a beekeeping operation or pollinator habitat program, the Program Coordinator(s) should brief airport maintenance staff on the logistics of the pollinator-friendly program and any resulting maintenance needs (see Section 8.1.2 for more detail), and inform the airportâs security staff in order to establish site access and safety protocols, particularly near apiaries (see Section 8.1.3 for more detail). The Program Coordinator(s) would oversee the pollinator-friendly programâs operations, including overseeing funding, pursuing new funding sources if needed, and seeking partnerships should the program have the opportu- nity to expand. They would then communicate such funding needs to the airportâs Finance Department. In addition, the Program Coordinator(s) should work with the airportâs Public Relations or Communications Department to promote the program (see Section 8.1.5 for more detail). C H A P T E R 8 Management and Administration
Management and Administration 55Â Â 8.1.2 Airport Maintenance Staff Airport Maintenance or Facilities Department staff typically perform general maintenance work, maintain the cleanliness of airport facilities and public areas, identify needed equip- ment repairs, and oversee airport grounds maintenance pertaining to landscaped areas, lawns, and irrigation. These areas of responsibility for airport maintenance staff would be affected by the implementation of a beekeeping operation or pollinator habitat program. The Program Coordinator(s) should therefore plan to engage airport maintenance staff as a pollinator-friendly program is established. Airport maintenance staff, in coordination with a Wildlife Biologist, would advise as to the preferred location on airport property for an apiary or a pollinator habitat and inform the Program Coordinator(s) of the current use and maintenance requirements at any location under consideration. Airport maintenance staff may need to assist with obtaining or moving the equipment needed to establish an apiary or pollinator habitat. Airport maintenance may also be the first to iden- tify and respond to swarms and will need to be able to contact the beekeepers or Program Coordinator(s) to arrange for a swarmâs removal. Airport maintenance workers should be regu- larly trained to perform any preferred practices relating to landscaping, mowing frequency, herbicide/pesticide use, and seasonal or annual seed mix selection critical to the success of the apiary or pollinator habitat. 8.1.3 Airport Security and Safety Personnel Airports require extensive security and safety personnel to ensure the protection of passen- gers, the security of the airportâs grounds and facilities, and the safety of airport staff who main- tain and operate the AOA. Security staff responsible for monitoring airport grounds may be engaged to help maintain a pollinator-friendly program and ensure that it does not jeopardize the security of airport property in any way. Airport ground security staff will have to oversee access to apiaries or pollinator habitats by beekeepers, landscaping staff, other staff affiliated with the programâs management (such as the Program Coordinator(s) and their department members), as well as the occasional tour group. If there is an on-site apiary, the most frequent visitor will likely be the beekeeper. Pro- tocols and security access should be established to ensure that the beekeeper has secure but efficient access to the hives. Security staff who work on the airfield will also need to be engaged so that they are prepared if a swarm finds its way to the airfield or onto an aircraft. 8.1.4 Wildlife Biologist, Wildlife Specialist, and Administrators An airport Wildlife Biologist or Wildlife Specialist is tasked with ensuring passenger and aircraft safety by investigating any potential wildlife hazards at airports, conducting Wildlife Hazard Assessments, and writing Wildlife Hazard Management Plans. These plans describe strategies to reduce the presence of wildlife that could pose a risk to passengers, airport staff, and aircraft, such as modifying environmental conditions that may attract wildlife to airport property. Grassy areas or pollinator habitats that attract birds or small mammals could lead to larger birds or mammals that prey upon those species finding their way onto airport property. An airport staff member or contracted Wildlife Biologist may need to be involved in the implementation of a beekeeping operation or a pollinator habitat program so they can offer suggestions regarding site selection and existing wildlife risks and ensure that the pollinator- friendly program will not result in undue risks to airport operations.
56 Considerations for Establishing and Maintaining Successful Pollinator Programs on Airports 8.1.5 Public Relations and Communications Staff One of the greatest benefits of a pollinator-friendly program is the potential for improving public relations with neighboring communities and other constituents. An airportâs Public Rela- tions or Communications Department may be involved in promoting the pollinator-friendly program both internally at the airport and externally to the public. Promoting the pollinator- friendly program can happen through media outlets or press releases, planning events at the airport or elsewhere, arranging and conducting educational opportunities, and pursuing award recognition should the program be particularly successful. The success of an airportâs beekeeping program is often linked to the experience of its bee- keeper and effective communication between the Program Coordinator(s) and the beekeeper (see Chapter 4 for more detail). There are several partnership models between airports and beekeepers that can be pursued depending on the airportâs resources, connections, staff avail- ability, and goals for a pollinator-friendly program, among others. A trustworthy, experienced, and communicative beekeeper is crucial; they are a key component in the establishment, growth, and long-term success of an airportâs beekeeping operation. 8.2 Coordination with Other Parties Airports will need to coordinate with external federal, state, and local agencies and depart- ments to ensure regulatory compliance or to seek assistance as they develop a pollinator-friendly program. The following sections detail the anticipated agencies and departments that would need to be engaged or that might be able to assist with establishing a pollinator-friendly program. 8.2.1 Federal Aviation Administration Prior to implementing an airport pollinator-friendly program (pollinator habitat or apiary), airports should contact their local FAA ADO to ensure that all applicable requirements are met to ensure airport safety. The FAA ADO can provide insight on FAA requirements pertaining to safety, security, leasing, revenue, and wildlife management, as well as help with filing an FAA 7460-1 Notice of Proposed Construction or Alteration. The FAA reviews all land-lease contracts prior to an airportâs selection of a bid. If language for beekeeping or commercial sales is included in a land lease, the FAA would review that lease to confirm compliance with applicable grant assurances (see Chapter 7 for more detail). 8.2.2 United States Department of Agriculture Airports seeking to implement a pollinator-friendly program may also want to contact their local branch of the USDA. The USDA supports the critical role pollinators play in agriculture through research and data collection, diagnostic services and pollinator health monitoring, pollinator habitat enhancement programs, and pollinator health grants. The USDA has numerous pollinator-focused offices, laboratories, services, and initiatives that offer a variety of pollinator assistance programs, research, and other resources, including fact sheets, news sites, and blogs. The USDA partners with numerous other federal agencies, including the FAA, EPA, DOE, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Geological Survey, the National Park Service (NPS), and the Department of Defense, all of which have pollinator-specific initiatives and resources. The FAA entered into a memorandum of understanding with the USDA Wildlife Services program, which encourages airports to request technical and operational assistance from USDA Wildlife Services to improve reporting, educate and assist the aviation community (commercial and general aviation airports), and conduct research to mitigate wildlife risk at airports.
Management and Administration 57  8.2.3 State Environmental Departments Many states have implemented pollinator-related programs and policies in response to changes in pollinator policies at the federal level. Airports can also contact their stateâs Environ- mental Protection, Conservation and Recreation, Natural Resources, and Agriculture depart- ments, most of which will have implemented pollinator-specific initiatives designed to protect existing pollinators and their habitats and to create new pollinator habitats and programs to support the long-term health of pollinators across the country. State environmental depart- ments often have grants or other resources available that airports may be able to take advantage of to assist with implementing their own pollinator-friendly programs. 8.2.4 County and Municipal Governments Airports may need to engage with the county or municipal entities in which their facilities are located to ensure that a planned pollinator-friendly program does not have any potential adverse impacts to airport abutters or city- or town-owned land and that the program will be in compliance with applicable plans. 8.2.5 Program Budgets and Funding Models The budgets and funding models for airport pollinator-friendly programs vary according to the goals of the program and the partnerships involved (see Table 7). All of the airport respondents Airport Program Budget/Year Beekeeping Relationship Model Funding Model Notes Chicago OâHare International Airport No cost to airport Nonprofit Airport makes small amount of revenue from lands leased to beekeeping operation Centennial Airport (Colorado) $500 Fee-for-Service Funding for contracted beekeepers to care for hives Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport $7,000 Fee-for-Service $5,000â$6,000 for contracted beekeepers to care for hives, $500â$1,000 for equipment and materials Indianapolis International Airport No cost to airport Bee Club Volunteer bee club manages hives; no money is exchanged between airport and beekeepers MinneapolisâSaint Paul International Airport No cost to airport Academic Institution Airport provided $1,000â$3,000 for initial start-up costs including fence, storage shed, and water line; no annual ongoing costs to airport; airport makes small amount of revenue from lands leased to beekeeping operations MontréalâMirabel International Airport $12,000 Fee-for-Service Funding for contracted beekeepers to care for hives Olympia Regional Airport No cost to airport Bee Club Volunteer bee club manages hives; no money is exchanged between airport and beekeepers Orlando International Airport No cost to airport Commercial Beekeeper Airport makes small amount of revenue from lands leased to beekeeping operation Pittsburgh International Airport No cost to airport Commercial Beekeeper No money is exchanged between beekeeper and airport SeattleâTacoma International Airport $500â$28,000 Nonprofit Cost has varied by scope of work Table 7. Program budgets and funding models of airports with pollinator-friendly programs.
58 Considerations for Establishing and Maintaining Successful Pollinator Programs on Airports interviewed had beekeeping programs and reported on the cost of these apiary programs. Sea-Tac Airport also provided costs associated with other aspects of its pollinator program. In general, the highest-cost programs were those that partnered with a fee-for-service beekeeper. These airports hosted small apiaries of 2 to 4 hives and paid annual contracting fees of $500 to $12,000 per year to their beekeepers. Of the 10 airports interviewed, six reported that their programs presented no direct cost to the airport; three airports reported small amounts of revenue for lands leased to the beekeeping operations. Sea-Tacâs programming budget ranged from $500 to $28,000, varying by scope of work. Over the years, Sea-Tacâs unique program has included an art exhibit, bee surveys, and habitat establishment as well as an apiary.