Ames Recognized As Bird Friendly Community

Press release from the City of Ames:

August 21, 2020

Bird Friendly Iowa announced at the City Council meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 18, that Ames has been designated as a Bird Friendly Community. Ames is the first urban community in Story County to be officially designated as Bird Friendly.

Ames is being recognized for its dedication to improving habitat in its city parks, for encouraging and supporting residents’ efforts to plant native trees, perennials and shrubs that benefit birds, for reducing threats to birds, and for celebrating conservation at a community event such as EcoFair. The City of Ames is committed to preserving and expanding habitat and encourages citizens to engage in birding, bird conservation, and related outdoor recreation activities.

“The City of Ames, through various conservation programs, rebates, and environmental education opportunities, provides tremendous opportunities to citizens,” said Municipal Engineer Tracy Warner. “The City has adopted very progressive storm water management ordinances that improve water quality, manage flooding, protect natural resources, re-establish native landscapes, create stream and riparian buffers, and promote interconnected greenways and environmental corridors throughout Ames.”

Reducing threats to birds is an important aspect of becoming a Bird Friendly Community. Ames does not allow free-roaming cats (the number one human-caused threat to birds), and the Ames Public Library provides educational materials about threats to birds. The Iowa Wildlife Center and City of Ames Animal Control created an educational initiative about the dangers that exist for free-roaming cats and their wild prey, as well as the benefits that “catios” offer cat owners and their pets. Ames Parks and Recreation Department also works to reduce the use of pesticides as part of park management.

Bird Friendly Iowa is a partnership of several Iowa conservation organizations, agencies and individuals including Trees Forever, Iowa Audubon, Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, Iowa DNR, Iowa Wildlife Center, Iowa Young Birders, Wild Birds Unlimited, Friends of Brookside Park, The Community Academy, and Big Bluestem Audubon Society.

More information about Bird Friendly Iowa, including instructions on how Iowa communities and counties can apply for this special recognition, is at www.BirdFriendlyIowa.org

This press release was produced by the City of Ames. The views expressed here are the author’s own.