Recommendation to receive and file information about the Winged Wonders Banner Project at El Dorado Park Duck Pond.
Ivan seven Communication from Councilwoman Jeri ships key recommendation to receive and file information about the wing winged Wonders Banner Project at Eldorado Park Duck Pond Council Memberships. Thank you, Mr. Mayor. It was with great pleasure that we bring this in front of the City Council. We were able to implement it after numerous years of working with Lazaridis Wetlands Trust as well as the Audubon Society. I just saw Mary, but she's not here. Oh, there's Mary and a number of individuals who worked on the fifth Council District, Lakes, Ponds and Wetlands Task Force. But the focus of this project was was to try to figure out a way to educate the public about the importance of the birds and the wildlife that live in the duck pond and in many of the other water areas of the city of Long Beach, because we have major wetlands or we had them and we have the proximity to the ocean as well as two rivers. We enjoy being on the flyway for many, many important birds. And so we thought, how can we work with the community to let them know the importance of these birds to our environment and also at the same time understanding that we have a responsibility because we're the stewards, because as they visit our lakes and ponds and wetlands, we have to do what we can to make sure we take care of them. And I have to tell you, I as many people in here in other places, you know, traditionally thought it was okay to go and take bread and go feed ducks and thought, gee, this is great. They come up there, they're obviously very aggressive, very hungry, because why would they be coming up for this food? And what we found in the numerous years of research we did is that the food that we use as humans hurts the wildlife. And so we set about to have a program where we could educate people that we can't tell people they can't feed the ducks or they can't feed the birds. It just doesn't work. So we came up with a program to educate them on what the appropriate food would be if they want to visit. So when if you go to and I invite all of you to do this, go to the duck pond in Eldorado Park, you will find a series of banners as you walk around them at the pond. You can also listen to your cell phone. We work with Cornell Ornithology, Cornell University, their ornithology department. They gave us the rights in the city of Long Beach to use not only the information that we're able to place on the banners, but when you listen on the cell phone presentation, you can actually hear the actual noise sound of those ducks, so and other birds. So you get a better appreciation of these. We worked with local photographer Evan Butterfield, who took the photos. And as you see the banners, the banners are incredible. The color in them is just outstanding. It really gives you a great sense of the majesty of these of these birds. And so if you would just bear with me for a couple of minutes, we have a very short clip. We want to show you that channel, the Cities Channel came out and did for our heart of the city. So if you can roll that. I think that. Some of the Texas employees. And. We've got some very important news to tell by the news about a project called Eldorado Park. One wonders. Today I have kind of the grandmother or the mother or the end of the bird center in this park. She has done just an incredible job since I met her. I am very, very leery. And I think it's a the of. How you all got involved in what you did regarding the ducks and the different birds that around this pond? Well, one thing that we did early is take a census or keep track of what birds are here. And really, we have the birds that are here year round, and then we have migratory birds that come through a lot of migratory ducks. And that's important. A lot of people don't understand. These are not birds that just stay here. These birds sometimes are visitors, and that makes it even important, more important that we treat them as wildlife. Correct. We're on the Pacific Flyway. So, you know, migratory ducks come through any time from October, November. They stay here, usually leaving around February. And that's the thing that's that's very important. These are wild ducks and they're not they're not our pets. Yes. Tell us a little bit about what you think the most important things people need to know about these birds. And there's a variety of them coming up onshore. Uh, that we need to let them eat their proper food that they not eat. That would be things you would find in the grouse or things they find in the in the water. It wouldn't be food prepared by humans like bread or potato chips. Let's talk a bit about what bread does to birds. Because, listen, I. I have to confess, before I really was educated on this, I had brought my children over here and I'm sure generations do you want to bring Bran? And it's fun to feed them. But what is what does bread do to ducks? I think is I think they can't digest it correctly and in incubating them sick basically and then. And they access my understanding excess bread that sits in the bottom starts to grow bacteria which then is unhealthy for water. And then it also because they, they, they defecate or they poop a lot because of the overfeeding personal bacteria problem. Then you have algae and then it chokes off the oxygen and then you have a very unhealthy situation. Correct. And just overcrowding, right? That's right. It's overcrowding also. It makes the birds, some of them aggressive because they depend on human feeding instead of the natural way they're supposed to eat. Exactly. And then there's competition. And, you know, Audubon has a long history of in the schools, educating kids early about the birds and what birds they are. And I think if you're educated, you know more about it, then maybe the more you know, the more you can treat them correctly. Well, I want to. Thank you, Joy, and I. Want to thank you. And I want to thank the Alabama Society. I know when we put the project together that you were very diligent in helping us check out to make sure we were accurate because we wanted to really educate people with the correct information. And I know that we've worked with you in a number of organizations on the issue. You just can't simply tell people they can't feed because people are resistant. So what we've tried to do is educate them about what they can feed. And today, as a matter of fact and we're going to show it in a couple of minutes, we actually brought some samples of beef, the non-human food that you have in your kitchen that you can feed them. I think that's a great idea. Can you give people examples? Then they can understand what they could bring to work. Thank you very much. That's going to be on Heart of the City. I want to thank the following organizations that donated the money so that we were able to do the banners and the guide buy sell tours. I want to thank the partners of Parks, the Port of Long Beach, the last three tours, Wetlands, Land Trust, Waste Management, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, and the Eldorado Audubon Society. And, of course, we want to thank Evan Butterfield for his fantastic photography. So with that, I would make a motion for people to come on over and take a gander at these wonderful birds and to receive and file the report. June 2nd, any member of the public was just counseling him. Seven And he can answer questions. Members cast your votes on item seven. Motion carries eight zero. Thank you. To make the grade.