Airport Tree Removal Depends On Bat Study

The decision on whether or not trees near the Fulton County Airport are removed depends on bats.

Joe Short, Fulton County commissioner, said last week that a study was done by R.D. Zande, a Toledo consulting firm. They conducted a study and searched the woods for the Indiana brown bat, an endangered species.

The study determined the bats might be living in the woods, but even if the woods were removed, there is a larger woods, offering a similar habitat, nearby.

Because the trees are being removed as a Federal Aviation Administration requirement, the United States Fish & Wildlife Agency may need to conduct its own study. If they do a study, it will be in May 2008, when the bats return.

Short said he will contact the Fish and Wildlife agency, asking them to accept the Zande study.

Two other tree removal requirements have been met. Short said the Fulton County commissioners have decided to designate between 3.75 and 4 acres of ground as wetlands, to mitigate the loss of wetlands when the woods are removed.

An archeological study at the site was conducted by digging holes two feet square and two feet deep every 50 feet. No significant artifacts were found.

Wind blowing through the trees becomes turbulent, making landings difficult and dangerous for pilots.

The trees were implicated in a May 2003 crash of a private plane, which killed three persons.- David Pugh