H. C. R. No. 9 As Introduced

As Introduced

128th General Assembly

Regular Session

2009-2010

H. C. R. No. 9

Representative Dyer

Cosponsors: Representatives Williams, B., Letson, Chandler, Bolon

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

To designate the Portage Lakes area in Summit County 1
the Purple Martin Capital of Ohio. 2

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF OHIO
(THE SENATE CONCURRING):

       WHEREAS, The purple martin (Progne subis) is a beautiful, 3
iridescent blue-black songbird, the largest North American 4
swallow, and the only species of martin on this continent. Purple 5
martins spend the nonbreeding season in Brazil, then migrate to 6
North America to nest, and their diet consists entirely of 7
insects; and 8

       WHEREAS, Because of purple martins' attractive 9
insect-reducing qualities and the beauty of their flight patterns, 10
plumage, and song, humans in North America traditionally have 11
constructed houses to attract the nesting birds, beginning with 12
Native Americans who cut holes in gourds and hung them in their 13
villages in order to coax the birds there. Gradually, purple 14
martins abandoned their natural nesting sites in deserted 15
woodpecker nest cavities and became dependent on human-supplied 16
nesting houses to the extent that today virtually all purple 17
martins east of the Rocky Mountains rely on human-supplied nesting 18
sites; and 19

       WHEREAS, People in the Portage Lakes area in this state are 20
carrying on the tradition of providing nesting houses for purple 21
martins through an initiative called the Purple Martin Project 22
that was started in the year 2000 by the Portage Lakes Advisory 23
Council. The Purple Martin Project offers an environmentally safe 24
way to control nuisance insects in the Portage Lakes area and to 25
reduce the need for the spraying of insecticides; and 26

       WHEREAS, As a result of the Purple Martin Project, the 27
Portage Lakes Purple Martin Association was formed and consists of 28
over fifty volunteers who built and maintain a Purple Martin 29
sanctuary at Portage Lakes State Park that includes more than two 30
hundred nesting sites. The Association has been successful in 31
attracting purple martins as evidenced by the growth of the purple 32
martin population in the Portage Lakes area, which increased from 33
one pair of the birds in 2000 to an estimated eighty pairs in 34
2003; and 35

       WHEREAS, Fourteen other states have dedicated purple martin 36
capitals. Ohio likewise should recognize the value of the 37
beautiful purple martins and the success of the Portage Lakes 38
Purple Martin Association in attracting them for the purpose of 39
insect control; now therefore be it 40

       RESOLVED, That the General Assembly of the State of Ohio 41
designates the Portage Lakes area in Summit County the Purple 42
Martin Capital of Ohio; and be it further 43

       RESOLVED, That the Clerk of the House of Representatives 44
transmit duly authenticated copies of this resolution to the 45
Portage Lakes Purple Martin Association, the Portage Lakes 46
Advisory Council, the Chief of the Division of Wildlife in the 47
Department of Natural Resources, and the news media of Ohio. 48

WHEREAS, The purple martin (Progne subis) is a beautiful,	3
iridescent blue-black songbird, the largest North American	4
swallow, and the only species of martin on this continent. Purple	5
martins spend the nonbreeding season in Brazil, then migrate to	6
North America to nest, and their diet consists entirely of	7
insects; and	8

WHEREAS, Because of purple martins' attractive	9
insect-reducing qualities and the beauty of their flight patterns,	10
plumage, and song, humans in North America traditionally have	11
constructed houses to attract the nesting birds, beginning with	12
Native Americans who cut holes in gourds and hung them in their	13
villages in order to coax the birds there. Gradually, purple	14
martins abandoned their natural nesting sites in deserted	15
woodpecker nest cavities and became dependent on human-supplied	16
nesting houses to the extent that today virtually all purple	17
martins east of the Rocky Mountains rely on human-supplied nesting	18
sites; and	19

WHEREAS, People in the Portage Lakes area in this state are	20
carrying on the tradition of providing nesting houses for purple	21
martins through an initiative called the Purple Martin Project	22
that was started in the year 2000 by the Portage Lakes Advisory	23
Council. The Purple Martin Project offers an environmentally safe	24
way to control nuisance insects in the Portage Lakes area and to	25
reduce the need for the spraying of insecticides; and	26

WHEREAS, As a result of the Purple Martin Project, the	27
Portage Lakes Purple Martin Association was formed and consists of	28
over fifty volunteers who built and maintain a Purple Martin	29
sanctuary at Portage Lakes State Park that includes more than two	30
hundred nesting sites. The Association has been successful in	31
attracting purple martins as evidenced by the growth of the purple	32
martin population in the Portage Lakes area, which increased from	33
one pair of the birds in 2000 to an estimated eighty pairs in	34
2003; and	35

WHEREAS, Fourteen other states have dedicated purple martin	36
capitals. Ohio likewise should recognize the value of the	37
beautiful purple martins and the success of the Portage Lakes	38
Purple Martin Association in attracting them for the purpose of	39
insect control; now therefore be it	40

RESOLVED, That the General Assembly of the State of Ohio	41
designates the Portage Lakes area in Summit County the Purple	42
Martin Capital of Ohio; and be it further	43

RESOLVED, That the Clerk of the House of Representatives	44
transmit duly authenticated copies of this resolution to the	45
Portage Lakes Purple Martin Association, the Portage Lakes	46
Advisory Council, the Chief of the Division of Wildlife in the	47
Department of Natural Resources, and the news media of Ohio.	48