Everyone,

I may have created unwarranted concern about the status of Huffman
Prairie.  I received a message from TNC that they had talked to the
USAF custodians of the site, and the part that was mowed was the Wright
Brothers' Flying Field, not the Huffman Prairie.  It is now clear that
I misunderstood the distinction.  Huffman Prairie is separate from the
Flying Field and is still being properly managed for wildlife, whereas
the flying field is mowed regularly for aesthetic reasons to emulate
conditions over 100 years ago when it was in use by Wilbur & Orville
Wright to test their flying machines.  I thought the flying field was
in fact the prairie.  Therefore, I heartily offer TNC, NPS and USAF an
apology, and kudos for continuing sensible management of the prairie.
Nevertheless, this year's mowing of the flying field was done at a time
when Meadowlarks and Bobolinks had established active nests in there,
so my initial observations were not in error.  However, all of those
birds also nest in the prairie area that will not be mowed, so all is
not lost.  Sorry for any confusion and concern this event has generated.

Greg Spahr
Fairborn, OH (Greene County)
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