Burlington earns Nature Canada’s “Bird Friendly City” designation
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Unceded Algonquin Territory – Ottawa, ON, April 7, 2022 – Nature Canada is proud to announce Canada’s next certified Bird Friendly City, Burlington, ON. Burlington is the seventh city in Canada to earn the designation.
The City of Burlington has worked in collaboration with Nature Canada’s partners including Bird Friendly Hamilton Burlington, which is composed of many community organizations and residents of Burlington working to make the city a safe haven for wild birds.
Mayor Marianne Meed Ward:
“The City has done a lot to make our local airspace friendly to our feathered friends, including committing to grow our tree canopy, establishing a firm urban boundary to conserve Burlington’s Natural Heritage System and prevent urban sprawl, and implementing bird-friendly design guidelines in our Official Plan and Sustainable Building and Development Guidelines, just to name a few. This is great news for our city and I commend the fantastic work by Bird Friendly Hamilton Burlington in getting this recognition for our community.”
The city has implemented bird friendly policies and actions to help birds thrive in Burlington. These actions include:
- Protecting natural habitat through the exemplary Cootes to Escarpment Eco-Park System, a multi-partner initiative to conserve, restore, grow and connect natural spaces on public and private lands in the west end of Burlington (and Hamilton);
- A strong commitment to climate change mitigation and adaptation, including nature-based solutions which also benefit birds;
- Establishing an Animal Control By-law that includes a “no-roam” policy for cats, to help reduce the large problem of cat predation on wild bird populations across North America.
- Abundant opportunities to view, learn about, and appreciate wild birds around the city and get involved in activities and citizen science initiatives for bird conservation.
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.
Birds play an essential role in maintaining healthy and resilient ecosystems in our communities and on our planet. But there are three billion fewer birds in North America today than 50 years ago. Much of these losses are caused by human activities. As urban expansion continues, cities must act quickly to ensure that North America’s bird populations are protected and supported.
Nature Canada’s Bird Friendly City 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 Bird Friendly certified, Bird Teams are created and residents are actively engaged in protecting, monitoring and celebrating their local bird populations.
Nature Canada is pleased to acknowledge the support of Environment and Climate Change Canada for the Bird Friendly City program and World Migratory Bird Day.
Quotes:
“Burlington is known for its natural areas. It is one of the most biodiverse communities in Canada, located within the Atlantic Flyway migration corridor and also along the eastern edge of the Mississippi Flyway corridor. Residents, organizations, schools, businesses, and government have taken many actions and initiatives that make Burlington a Bird Friendly City. The Bird Friendly certification is a true testament to the work being done that makes Burlington safer for migratory birds and to reverse their population decline. Birds are an essential part of our ecosystem, and this recognition complements our efforts to become a more environmentally sustainable community.”
– Paul Sharman, Councillor, Ward 5 Burlington and Region of Halton
Additional Resources:
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For more information contact:
Scott Mullenix
613-562-3447 ext. 230
media@naturecanada.ca
