Greetings...  Craig Lee's program on Latin American and Caribbean IBAs
and community involvement sounds interesting. On the local IBA and
community level, it would be nice if Miami University were a little
more sensitive in regards to their current work in and future plans
for their property at the Voice of America Ohio IBA, which hosts a few
long-distance migrant breeding birds in summer and assorted others
during migration. We knew that the woodlot along Cox Road was going to
be taken for the new school, which is fine. Some sort of educational
component was part of the agreement that brought the land from the US
government into local hands in the first place. But there are
rumblings and plenty of signs that the unviersity is interested in
another twenty-acre parcel to the immediate east of their current
site. Their plans would seem to include moving the current access road
to the east and possibly taking out the larger woodlot. It's not clear
yet what they have in mind or if there are any firm plans in place to
get the land, but people more knowledgeable than I say they've been
talking with West Chester about the parcel.

In any case, I hope they'll be sensitive to the site; thus far, the
development out there has been aggressive--not just Miami
University's, of course, but they're part of the picture. It might be
unfair, but I hold Miami University to higher standards because I've
always believed they aim for higher standards. Hopefully, they'll seek
community input should their plans evolve further.

Take care,
---Mike Busam
West Chester