The Gem State Guardian - Spring 2011 - Keep Trees

22 The Guardian
Gowen Airfi eld
Operations
employing hands-on
wildlife management
By Lt. Col. Gary A. Daniel
124th Wing Public Affairs
The message put out by our Joint
Operations Center says it all: “Pyrotechnics,
which sound like gunfi re, may be
used during this time to harass wildlife.”
And it is for their own good. The Joint
Force Headquarters at Gowen Field has
approved the occasional use of noise and
visual means to encourage birds to fl y,
nest, and live away from the fl ight paths
and aircraft traffi c patterns around Gowen
Field and the Boise Air Terminal.
The 124th Airfi eld Management Offi ce
ensures the safety of air crews operating
from Gowen Field by monitoring all airfi eld
conditions. They are now authorized to
use some additional measures that their
counterparts across the runway at the
Boise Airport have found successful.
“This is a prime time of the year to
pursue this as many species are looking
for places to nest,” said Staff Sgt. Chase
Newman. “It is much better for the birds to
fi nd a home off base where they can successfully
raise [their] young,” he said.
Gowen Field and its immediate surrounding
base properties are especially
appealing to birds in the springtime. The
base offers water ponds, manicured lawns,
and a virtual lack of predators. The birds
Bird/Wildlife Aircraft Strike Hazard (BASH)
program. Preparing to deploy their “banger”
(yellow round) and “screamer” (red round)
to encourage some wildlife to relocate away
from Gowen Field are Master Sgt. Michael
Deasy and Staff Sgt. Chase Newman of the
124th Airfi eld Operations offi ce. The rounds
scare, but do not harm the birds who endanger
themselves and Idaho Air and Army
aviation assets when they live too close to
the airfi eld.
Photo: Lt. Col. Gary A. Daniel