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Collision Prevention:
YCC sees the forest and the trees
The three buildings that comprise the
Yonge
Corporate Centre (YCC) in Toronto are
tucked
into a wooded setting with naturalized
plantings
all 'round: a perfect opportunity for
the
centre's tenants to develop an appreciation
of nature. Recognizing this, YCC management
has organized tours of the flora and
fauna.
(One tour led by FLAP's Michael Mesure
yielded
six breeding pairs of Baltimore Orioles!)
Also a nature trail is planned with
plaques
identifying plants and animals to be
found
in that area.
But the centre's proximity to the woods
has
its downsides too. The dark reflective
glass
from which the buildings are constructed
is confusing to birds. Over the years
many
small migrants have hit the glass and
fallen
down into ventilation shafts covered
by grates,
never to emerge alive.
To forestall these collisions, Paul
Valder
of Professional Pest Consultants Inc.
(ProPest)
rigged up an ingenious system. Cables
were
extended from the roof of one six-storey
building to the trees on the hillside
some
20 yards away. Three hawk silhouettes
were
attached to each cable using a fishing
swivel
so that they would move easily in the
wind.
This system drastically reduced the
number
of bird collisions at those spots.
The cost
of putting in these cables all around
the
buildings would be prohibitive, however,
so places remain where bird strikes
continue.
To prevent these unfortunate birds
from getting
trapped inside the ventilation shafts,
FLAP
encouraged YCC to install netting over
the
grates. Paul employed a material, trademarked
under the name Stealth Net, that's
more often
used to exclude birds such as pigeons
from
commercial buildings. Composed of strands
of polyethylene twine, the netting
was fastened
to a frame built out of cables and
attached
to the grates using hog rings. The
material,
which is guaranteed to last over 10
years,
comes in different densities such as
the
two-inch material used for pigeons
and the
three-quarter-inch used here for warblers
and other tiny birds. Since these screens
are permanent, "zippers"
are being
installed to allow utility workers
and maintenance
staff to get in when needed.
Although this keeps the birds out of
the
shafts, another danger has surfaced.
Feral
cats who roam the woods have discovered
that
the netting is strong enough to walk
on,
and have been seen nabbing a few stunned
migrants. However, the centre's security
guards are doing once-a-day patrols
around
the buildings and may be able to prevent
some untimely deaths.
All in all, this is an encouraging
start!
Our hats off to the Yonge Corporate
Centre
and their management company, Cadillac
Fairview.
May others follow in your tracks.
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