Bird boxes (or nesting boxes) have become an essential conservation tool at the Nature Trust of BC’s Salmon Arm Foreshore property. Many threatened birds including six different swallow species, chickadees, and bluebirds require cavities to nest in and raise their chicks. However, due to increased development and destruction of their natural nesting areas, along with invasive species competition, artificial bird boxes are now critical to their survival.
Devoted members the local community, SABNES (Salmon Arm Bay Nature Enhancement Society), and the Shuswap Naturalist Club have worked to build dozens of these nest boxes, but a few weeks ago 32 of them were destroyed – some with eggs, birds, and chicks inside of them.
Repairing, and in some cases replacing these bird boxes is an urgent, time sensitive issue. The spring and early summer is breeding season and when these vulnerable bird species need safe nesting spaces the most.
In mid-May we started a fundraising campaign in order to ensure these threatened birds would still have a place to nest and to try and stop the destruction from happening again. We are proud to say that together we raised over $2000. The Nature Trust of BC wants to say a big thank you for all the support and the generous donations.
These funds will be put towards plywood, pole mounts and cameras with night vision capability for heightened security.
We appreciate everyone who rallied around this cause so quickly and to everyone from The Salmon Arm Bay Nature Enhancement Society and the Shuswap Naturalist club who organized the bird box program and who will be working to build and replace the new boxes.
