Birder to Ashland commissioners: Solar panels bad for wildlife in Byers Woods

Barry Fortune
Updated ·3 min read
Christina Stump shows Ashland County commissioners the different wildlife that could potentially be harmed if solar panels are installed in Byers Woods.
Christina Stump shows Ashland County commissioners the different wildlife that could potentially be harmed if solar panels are installed in Byers Woods.

Ashland County Board of Commissioners

Thursday, April 13, meeting 

KEY ACTION Jeromesville resident Christina Stump, a birder and conservationist, presented a detailed PowerPoint presentation on potential harm that might come to wildlife if solar panels are constructed at Byers Woods.

DISCUSSION Stump offered potential solutions to the solar panel project, including a proposal that would locate the panels at Avian Acres, a 300-acre Ashland County park.

More: Work progressing on new Ashland County dog shelter, Health Department buildings

“Avian Acres for instance, is an ideal site,” she explained. “We could grow alfalfa and mow after the nesting season. This would accommodate the bobolinks.”

The bobolink usually nests approximately 300 feet away from trees or similar structures and make a migratory stop at Byers Woods, where they typically nest in the open grassy area. Because that open area is the proposed site of the solar panels, Stump said, it will leave nowhere for the birds to nest.

Stump also is concerned about other birds such as sparrows and purple martins competing for space with bobolinks in the grassland.

“You are saying the bobolink will not come in because other birds will come in, or nesting,” Commissioner James Justice asked.

“Yes,” replied Stump. “The bobolinks will probably not attempt to nest there.”

Other action at the Ashland County commissioners meeting

  • Approved and entered into a contract with Asphalt Materials, Inc. for liquid asphalt for the highway department at a cost of less than $1.4 million.

  • Approved and entered into a contract with U.S. Bridge in the amount of $435,700 for installation of the superstructure and bridge deck replacement on County Road 1575.

  • Voted in favor of having 1% of the county’s sales tax that is accumulated in an Employee Payouts Fund to instead be put into the Capital Projects Fund, effective May 1.

  • Approved travel for Job and Family Services employee Dana Gillespie, and Ryan Athy and Kevin Pasho from the Engineer’s Office.

  • Accepted donations to the Ashland County Dog Shelter in the amount of $5,546.

  • Accepted a quote from Magic Garage Door, Inc for a new overhead garage door at the Perrysville Garage for $4,950.

  • Approved advertising to set a public hearing for 9:15 a.m. on May 11 to announce projects to be funded with Community Development Block Grant money.

  • Solid Waste District Coordinator Jim Skora spoke on the Freon appliance program with county residents getting two vouchers for Freon appliances, and said the 2023 household hazardous waste and paint collection day will be 8a.m. to 1 p.m. May 6 at the fairgrounds.

  • Opened one bid at 9:15 a.m. for road sealing. The $228,000 bid came from Melway Paving and was below the $230,000 estimate.

UP NEXT Meets at 9 a.m. Thursday, April 27, in the conference room on the second floor of the County Office Building. Meetings are open to the public and livestreamed on the county's Facebook page.

This article originally appeared on Ashland Times Gazette: Ashland commissioners cautioned against solar panels at Byers Woods