Habitat Haven Update

Our Habitat Haven volunteers have begun site visits and been enthusiastically received. At the start of our program, we planned on 20 households as a pilot, but we have 35 folks signed up so far, in just our first month, with more enrolling daily. By planting native plants, creating habitat for birds and pollinators, managing water use, practicing eco-friendly yard care, improving soil, and removing invasive plants, we can all make a difference for biodiversity! We look forward to this being an on-going effort to help people “heal nature one yard at a time.”

People are saying: “I am so happy this program is being offered here!” And “It is apparent from all the materials prepared for the visit, what was done during the visit, and what took place for the follow-up, that a great deal of time and effort is being given by the volunteers. Amazing.”

Why is this important? Aren’t we a bird-related organization? Of course, our main focus is on birds, but ask yourselves, what do birds need? They need shelter, layers of native vegetation to hide in, and for protection from extreme weather, like ice storms. They need caterpillars and other insects to feed their young. They need nest cavities in snags. They need water, seed and berry producing plants, and less clear windows so birds don’t injure themselves trying to fly into tree reflections. We are helping to address all of these things and more.

Thanks to Cecelia Hagen for helping with Canva coupon design; to Hilary Dearborn for Website changes; and to Debbie Schlenoff, for helping with the scheduling of site visits! We are grateful for support from Upper Willamette Soil and Water Conservation District for their start-up grant, Cynthia Lafferty of Doak Creek Nursery for generous coupons and discounts on native plant purchases. We are also grateful to Sheila Klest of Trillium Gardens, Wild Birds Unlimited, and Lane Forest Productsfor their support!

If you are a native plant/bird/pollinator enthusiast and wish to help our community in this endeavor, please see our Volunteer Interest Form here and join us!

We so appreciate our amazing volunteers!!

By Barbara Bryson