JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas –
Tree-trimming crews are continuing the process to prune and remove trees in Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph's central housing area in an effort to thin the habitat of white-winged doves, the No. 1 culprit in aircraft bird strikes affecting the 12th Flying Training Wing's mission.
Crews have already completed one phase of the project, trimming more than 600 trees and removing 61 others in the area inside Outer Octagon all the way to the Parr Club. They have begun work in the housing area between Outer Octagon and Main Circle.
Bill Kuehl, 502nd Civil Engineer Squadron contracting officer representative, said crews have started pruning trees in the "pod" between Southeast Road and East Park, across Main Circle from the JBSA-Randolph Youth Programs facility, and will work counterclockwise all the way around Outer Octagon and Main Circle, a process that is expected to continue until mid-June.
Kuehl said traffic on Main Circle will be affected at times, but no long-term lane closures are expected as crews work their way around Main Circle.
"Residents and JBSA-Randolph employees can expect intermittent lane closures on the inner lane of Main Circle," he said. "Drivers are asked to be cautious in this area while work is ongoing, observing obstacles including open-top roll-off dumpsters, traffic cones, signs and controllers. Residents are also reminded that the dumpsters are for contractor use only, for green yard waste."
David Meyer, 502nd CES contracting officer representative, said residents are being asked not to park their vehicles under trees when tree trimmers are in their vicinity.
Residents who will be away from their homes for an extended period of time due to temporary duty or other circumstances and will be leaving their vehicles behind should also park away from overhanging tree limbs before they depart.
Kuehl said residents have been cooperative during the tree-trimming program.
"We have had no problems with residents," he said. "They've been gracious about moving their vehicles."
Kuehl estimated there are some 500 trees in the area between Outer Octagon and Main Circle. Most will be pruned, but some will be removed, especially if they are dead or diseased.
The purpose of the tree-trimming effort is to open up the trees' canopies so that they're not a welcoming habitat for a white-winged dove population that has proliferated in recent years.
Statistics from the 12th FTW Safety Office indicate that white-winged doves lead all species in the number of strikes to the wing's training aircraft. In addition, repair costs attributed to strikes by white-winged doves continue to increase.
Kuehl said tree-trimming efforts may continue in other JBSA-Randolph housing areas - funds permitting - once work ends in the central housing area.
He said tree-trimming crews are doing a great job.
"It's all for the BASH effort," Kuehl said, referring to the Bird Aircraft Strike Hazard program at JBSA-Randolph,
BASH program representatives, using a variety of mitigation techniques, work daily to keep birds away from the flightlines as they head for their feeding grounds south and southeast of JBSA-Randolph.