Guidelines to be distributed to Yolo County growers following numerous noise complaints
Guidelines to be distributed to Yolo County growers following numerous noise complaints Woodland Daily Democrat
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The Department of Agriculture Develops Best Management Practices for Yolo County Growers
The Department of Agriculture is developing Best Management Practices for Yolo County growers following multiple noise complaints from the area of East Davis.
Noise Complaints and Inquiries
On Aug. 7, the Department of Agriculture received multiple complaints from residents about loud booming noises that had been heard throughout the prior weekend, late into the night and during the early morning hours.
Yolo County Supervisor Lucas Frerichs confirmed that his office, as well as the office of Supervisor Jim Provenza, also received several inquiries and complaints regarding the noise.
- Residents reported loud booming noises
- Supervisors’ offices received inquiries and complaints
The Source of the Noise
The noise was found to be from an automated “bird cannon,” a device used to frighten birds and other animals that may threaten farmland away from crops.
Importance of Bird Cannons
During public comment, Lee Smith of the Yolo County Farm Bureau, also a farmer, reiterated the great importance of these “bird cannons.”
- Lee Smith emphasized the importance of protecting bird cannons
- These devices help protect and preserve agricultural abundance
Resolution and Best Management Practices
While these devices are common and usage is permitted under an existing ordinance, typically these devices are set to only go off on a limited basis when animals may be most active. However, in this incident, this device had been left on and allowed to operate automatically throughout the weekend.
The Department of Agriculture was able to identify the area of concern and the grower, who willingly cooperated with county staff in resolving the immediate noise concern.
“Though since the incident was of great public concern to the residents of Davis, we have tried to inform all growers about the use of these devices,” Agriculture Commissioner Humberto Izquierdo said. “We have worked with the Farm Bureau and other board members to come up with Best Management Practices that we are going to distribute widely to all the growers. At the beginning of the growing season, we want to remind growers, who would use these devices, to follow these practices.”
- The grower cooperated in resolving the noise concern
- Best Management Practices will be distributed to all growers
- Emphasis on following guidelines during the growing season
Voluntary Approach and Future Considerations
Both Provenza and Frerichs agreed with Izquierdo that the implementation of Best Management Practices was the preferable method. Since these occurrences are uncommon, with Frerichs referring to it as an “isolated incident,” and it can sometimes prove difficult to find the exact source of the issue, this voluntary, cooperative approach proved to be more favorable than enacting new ordinances.
However, Provenza noted that they would revisit the issue if they find the voluntary guidelines are not effective.
Next Steps
The final draft of the Best Management Practices is expected to be presented to the board at a later date. These Best Management Practices will then be communicated to growers within Yolo County through existing Department of Agriculture channels.
Conclusion
“This is one of the trade-offs, in a good way, of living in an agricultural county,” Frerichs said. “You have agriculture, that’s sort of the bread and butter of our community of course, but then you also have the urban areas that are directly adjacent to the agricultural areas. On the whole, we are very, very grateful to have such a robust agricultural community here in Yolo County, but I also appreciate the work on identifying the source and having discussions and getting a mediated settlement.”
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 15: Life on Land | Target 15.1: By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services, in particular forests, wetlands, mountains, and drylands, in line with obligations under international agreements. | Indicator 15.1.2: Proportion of important sites for terrestrial and freshwater biodiversity that are covered by protected areas, by ecosystem type |
| SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production | Target 12.4: By 2020, achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle, in accordance with agreed international frameworks, and significantly reduce their release to air, water, and soil in order to minimize their adverse impacts on human health and the environment. | Indicator 12.4.1: Number of parties to international multilateral environmental agreements on hazardous waste, and other chemicals that meet their commitments and obligations in transmitting information as required by each relevant agreement |
1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?
SDG 15: Life on Land
The issue of using automated “bird cannons” to frighten birds and protect farmland connects to SDG 15, which focuses on the conservation and sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems. The article highlights the importance of these devices in protecting agricultural abundance in Yolo County.
SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
The article also indirectly connects to SDG 12, which focuses on responsible consumption and production. The use of “bird cannons” can be seen as a measure to minimize the adverse impacts of animals on crops, promoting sustainable production practices.
2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?
Target 15.1: By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services, in particular forests, wetlands, mountains, and drylands, in line with obligations under international agreements.
The use of “bird cannons” to protect farmland aligns with the target of ensuring the sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems.
Target 12.4: By 2020, achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle, in accordance with agreed international frameworks, and significantly reduce their release to air, water, and soil in order to minimize their adverse impacts on human health and the environment.
While not directly mentioned in the article, the use of “bird cannons” can be seen as a measure to minimize the adverse impacts of animals on crops, contributing to the environmentally sound management of agricultural practices.
3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?
The article does not explicitly mention any indicators related to the identified targets. However, Indicator 15.1.2 (Proportion of important sites for terrestrial and freshwater biodiversity that are covered by protected areas, by ecosystem type) can be used to measure progress towards Target 15.1. This indicator assesses the extent to which important sites for biodiversity are protected, which is relevant to the conservation and sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems.
4. SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 15: Life on Land | Target 15.1: By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services, in particular forests, wetlands, mountains, and drylands, in line with obligations under international agreements. | Indicator 15.1.2: Proportion of important sites for terrestrial and freshwater biodiversity that are covered by protected areas, by ecosystem type |
| SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production | Target 12.4: By 2020, achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle, in accordance with agreed international frameworks, and significantly reduce their release to air, water, and soil in order to minimize their adverse impacts on human health and the environment. | Indicator 12.4.1: Number of parties to international multilateral environmental agreements on hazardous waste, and other chemicals that meet their commitments and obligations in transmitting information as required by each relevant agreement |
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Source: dailydemocrat.com
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