The Pennsylvania Audubon Society’s Bird Town Program

The PA Bird Town Program: Partnership between the PA Audubon Society and municipalities throughout the state … … to promote conservation an community-based actions to create a healthier, more sustainable environment for both birds and people.

“A Culture of Conservation …” A Bird Town makes efforts to create a culture of conservation where everyone is a potential steward of nature in their own backyard.

PA Bird Town Goals: Create healthier yards, parks, and schools. Restore natural systems and native plant communities for birds, butterflies, and other wildlife. Track and measure environ- mental impacts individually and town-wide.

Bird Town PA Goals (cont.) Enhance community pride and awareness. Reduce storm water runoff. Save money through creation of of sustainable habitat. Encourage nature just beyond the back door.

Benefits to Being a Bird Town Improved, more sustainable, and healthier environment. Community pride & cohesion. Increased marketability. A safer, more rewarding place to live, work, and play. Economic development and increased property values. Cooperation between community officials, residents, & businesses.

New Britain is Now a Bird Town Pennsylvania’s 23 rd Bird Town. 8th in Bucks County:  Newtown Township  Lower Makefield  Doylestown Borough  Doylestown Township  Solebury Township  Falls Township  Springfield Township  New Britain Borough

Our Borough’s Qualifying Criteria: Adoption of Bird Town resolution (August 2013) Existing park system with natural habitat for birds. Park planning seeks to improve bird habitat. Regular planting of new native trees in parks and public lands. Planting of demonstration garden on public property.

The Borough’s Basic Commitment: Application and annual fee ($450). Fee includes:  Five Bird Town street signs.  Plaque for town hall.  250 brochures.  Quarterly newsletter content.  Usage of Audubon Bird Town logo.

Basic Commitment (cont.) Promote Bird Town status:  “Welcome to Bird Town” article in local newsletter.  Bird Town web page on borough website.  Five Bird Town street signs.  Outreach materials available to public. Demonstration of annual growth and participation to retain Bird Town status.

Our Initial Goals: Promote the Borough’s Bird Town status. Form Bird Town Committee. Educate residents about the Bird Town program. Encourage residents to take the “Healthy Yard” Pledge. Encourage residents to register in the Bird Habitat Recognition Program.

The “Healthy Yard” Pledge The power of Bird Town comes from residents taking actions on their own landscape.

The “Healthy Yard” Pledge Yes, I want a healthy yard! I pledge to: Consider using native plants in the landscape. Remove invasive plant species. Aim to reduce stormwater runoff. Eliminate the use of pesticides on the property. Provide for birds and protect those that show up!

How to Provide for Birds… Plant diversity of native plants for food, cover, and nesting sites. Remove alien, invasive plant species. Stop using pesticides. Install nest boxes and bird feeders. Provide fresh water.

Audubon at Home Bird Habitat Recognition Program Property owners (Homes, schools, businesses, parks, or public land) who create bird habitat are encouraged to register their properties with the PA Audubon Society ($20 annual fee). Yard signs and discount cards for businesses around the state provided by Audubon.

Bird Habitat Recognition Program “ Audubon Pennsylvania recognizes that the people who care for this property pledge to provide healthy habitat that supports birds, butterflies, and other wildlife. “

Our Long-term Goals: Improvement of bird habitat in all the Borough’s open space and parks. Workshops and educational programs for residents. Planting of demonstration garden on public property. Possible adoption of native plant ordinance.

Native Plant Ordinance: Pioneered by Lower Makefield. Also adopted by Warrington. New commercial development is required to use native plants for landscape plantings. Does not apply to homeowners. Developers provided with plant list. No issues with developers. Red Maple

Community Effort & Coordination Borough Council Bird Town Committee Nature Preserve Civic Association Parks & Recreation Orchard Park Planning Commission Businesses Scouts and schools Borough Residents

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