Michael Smith wrote:

> Tweets who have been out there, what do you think? All it
> really needs is a simple boardwalk from the end of the airport
> parking lot out to the sandy spit. And maybe a low split-rail
> fence to keep watchers from going out too far. This would
> even make it wheelchair-accessible. Maybe even have a tall
> observation platform at the parking lot for people who don't
> wish to walk out to the spit?
>

How about putting in some hides/blinds which completely screen people from
the birds, and a screen (man-made or natural) along the trail. The Royal
Society for the Protection of Birds in the UK has some excellent examples on
their refuges. When done correctly, the birds are completely oblivious to the
presence of humans - so they end up feeding a few metres away from the hides.
The views are stunning and photography really easy.

At first sight one million dollars seems really steep, OK it's not a
fantastic amount of money but spread over a few years the opportunities for
revitalising a small segment of the Aberdeen/Hoquiam economy are good. This
even be a small step to "repairing" relations with the local communities.

The major benefit would be helping people to realise that the golden days of
logging a gone forever and help them wake up to the fact that birders
represent a small gold mine when it comes to providing services, accomodation,
etc.


The only irony might be that the timber used would come from wilderness areas
opened up by Gorton's recissions bill :-O

Stuart MacKay