Trees are for the Birds — or Should Be
“Speaking of trees without mentioning birds is akin to speaking about human architecture without mentioning its purpose and occupants,” said Gillian Martin, an Arbor Day Foundation member and advocate for bird protection. Bird habitat should definitely be listed among the many benefits trees provide. Birds are an essential component of a sustainable landscape — and they are in serious trouble.
It is not often that nature makes headlines in the mass media.
But that is exactly what happened after Science magazine reported on the findings of Dr. Ken Rosenberg, applied conservation scientist at the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology. Dr. Rosenberg and his team of experts sent a shock wave through the world of ecologists by revealing that wild bird populations in the U.S. and Canada have declined by almost 30% since 1970. This represents a loss of 2.9 billion breeding adult birds. Dr. Rosenberg pointed out that in less than a single human lifetime, we’ve lost almost a third of our birds.
As bleak as this picture may be, it is one that can be changed, and trees — and the people who work with them and those who appreciate them — can play a large part.
In This Bulletin
Here’s what’s inside:
- What Birds Do for Us – hint: it involves lots of insects
- What Birds and Other Wildlife Need and How You Can Provide It – the key elements important for good habitat
- Old Trees Are Good Trees … and Dead Ones, Too – supporting habitat diversity by leaving old or dead trees wherever possible
- Tree Care for the Birds – care practices that can benefit the trees, people, and the birds
- Protecting Wildlife Through Education – groups and programs taking action to stop the downward trend of birdlife and wildlife habitat
