Kids art and letters campaign for cavity nesters

Meet Dessi, Emmie, Alex, Lorenzo, Teodalina and Celia. They are members of Pasadena Audubon Society. Their creative and engaging leader, Susan Gilliland, asked if they would let their voices be heard on behalf of cavity nesting birds. A great opportunity had presented itself.  With lightening speed, the youngsters merged art with advocacy! We display the outcome here. Now the fuller story.

The National Urban Community Forestry Action Council (NUCFAC) in Washington DC is in the final stages of recommending goals and actions for our nation’s urban forests. This is a comprehensive plan, one that sets priorities and guidelines for the management of our urban forests for the next ten years. Congress will consider these recommendations later in 2016. Currently the plan emphasizes the energy savings, human health and environmental benefits of healthy trees. It does not recognize, however, the need for dead trees for wildlife and for habitat diversity. These young Audubon members know that about 85 species of birds nest only in holes in dead trees. They also know that dead trees provide food and other resources for uncountable numbers of other wildlife and that dead trees are in short supply.

To address this issue, the Cavity Conservation Initiative has been soliciting endorsements for its recommendations to the Council. Our document will be mailed early in February. We are proud to include the work of young advocates along with a swelling number of endorsements from great environmental thinkers and diverse community stakeholders. Our hopes soar on their efforts. You see, most people recognize that children generally tell the truth. When they raise their voices to speak for our natural resources, we trust that the NUCFAC will recognize the merit in their message. Dessi, Emmie, Alex, Celia, Teodalina and Lorenzo are working to protect the health and diversity of our urban forests.  If you have an interest in joining them by endorsing our recommendations to the Council, please contact Gillian Martin: GM99oliver@cox.net .