Halton Hills has been declared Canada's next 'Bird-Friendly City' by Nature Canada.
The town is the 14th municipality in Canada to earn the designation.
Halton Hills has worked in collaboration with Nature Canada’s partners, including Halton Hills Nature, POWER, Credit Valley Conservation, as well as many other community organizations to make the town a safe haven for wild birds.
The municipality has implemented bird-friendly policies and actions to help them thrive. This includes:
- Establishing a “no-roam” by-law to reduce the impact of cat predation on the wild bird population
- Developing municipal strategies to protect natural features, biodiversity and key habitat
- Providing opportunities to view, learn about and appreciate wild birds around town and get involved in activities for bird conservation.
“I’m so excited that Halton Hills has qualified for Bird-Friendly certification," said Aaron Keating, local birder and Halton/North Peel Naturalist club member.
"I’m proud to be a member of the Bird Team and to share my passion for birds while raising awareness and being a part of protecting the birds that live in and migrate through our area. Birds inspire us, connect us to nature and are a critical part of our ecosystem. It’s great to see our community taking steps to foster an environment where birds can be protected and admired by our residents.”
The Bird-Friendly City designation has been developed by Nature Canada to encourage Canadian cities and municipalities to become safer and better places for birds.
The program encourages communities to take action to:
- Reduce the number of human-related threats to birds such as roaming cats, the use of pesticides, and glass treatment on buildings with large windows
- Create safe environments for birds by promoting stewardship and ensuring that natural habitats are protected and restored
- Engage and educate citizens about the benefits of Bird-Friendly Cities and celebrating birds in our communities.
In each municipality seeking to become certified, Bird Teams are created and residents are actively engaged in protecting, monitoring and celebrating their local bird populations.
“Being bird-friendly is positive and actionable," said Chantal Garneau, local nature meditation teacher, and director of community engagement of POWER (Protect Our Water and Environmental Resources). "Maybe we can’t do everything, but each of us can do something. And right now positive actions that make a difference are really needed."
