Updated – Wild Warner: Advocates of Wildlife and Nature Oppose F-35’s in Madison

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Wild Warner, Inc., is a 501.c.3 organization that advocates for the wildlife and natural spaces in Warner Park and our partner city and county parks; for public nature recreation; and for the promotion of nature education for children of all ages as well as the general public.

We are opposed to the stationing of F-35 fighter jets in Dane County. Warner Park and the parks which exchange wildlife with ours are within range of the highest area of impact by the multiple forms of pollution that have been proven to accompany the F-35 fighters.

While advocates of these fighters are determined to ignore all concerns about the noise pollution of F-35’s, studies show that loud noises have a major impact on the health of animals. Noise pollution causes birds to fail to breed, fail to nest, or to leave the area altogether. We have worked hard to restore habitat for native birds, and have drastically increased the number and diversity of birds which nest in our meadows, marshes, and old-growth remnant wood. These aircraft will drive many of these birds out of the area and reduce the viability of those that remain.

In addition, the primary pollution source in Warner Pond and the marshes is from the exhaust of fossil-fuel combustion. Much of this pollution settles out of the air and can be measured in sediment cores. For the F-35s to run operations near our park promises to increase air pollution and the accompanying water pollution. Wild Warner and the City of Madison have partnered for over a decade to improve water quality in our park and adjacent areas and we do not want to see it imperiled by the high-power engines of these fighter jets.

Finally, the impact of the F-35s on nature education and recreation is not negligible.  People sensitive to loud noises, and more importantly children, will be less willing or able to play outdoors in our park, attend our nature education events, or enjoy the quiet, natural areas of Warner Park, any time the F-35 war machines take off or land at the airport.
Please consider siting the F-35’s in an area of the country with degraded habitat, low species diversity, and a high population of rich military contractors and politicians.  The people of Northeast Madison do not deserve to be subjected to the impacts these machines will have on us, and our wildlife and young children deserve to have a pollution-free environment.
Sincerely,
Kathlean Wolf, BS, MMSU
Wisconsin Master Naturalist