Keep South Carolina Wild

Month: March 2022

Grant from Richland County helps Irmo library go bird-friendly

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Published at: https://whosonthemove.com/grant-from-richland-county-helps-irmo-library-go-bird-friendly/

A new project that balances wildlife preservation with art will make the area around Richland Library Ballentine safer for local and visiting birds.

Thanks to grant funding from the Richland County Conservation Commission (RCCC), the S.C. Wildlife Federation (SCWF) recently applied a material to the library’s windows to eliminate reflections on the outside of the building, making it easier for birds to avoid colliding with the structure.

A Texas-based company, CollidEscape, developed the material to prevent incidences of birds flying into glass, which can stun or kill them. Richland Library commissioned local artist Nell Warthen to design CollidEscape treatments that feature renderings of birds native to South Carolina. Warthen’s display is called “Birds of Ballentine.”

The S.C. Wildlife Federation recently installed bird-safe window coverings at Richland Library Ballentine. The project was funded via a grant from the Richland County Conservation Commission.

“This project really exemplifies what we want to do with Community Conservation Grant awards,” said John McKenzie, conservation program analyst for Richland County Community Planning & Development.

“It combines the priorities of public benefit in a community space with conservation of our threatened bird populations, and it serves as a great example to others. It also provides energy savings as well as protection of the library’s books and furnishings,” McKenzie said.

CollidEscape was installed on the outside windows of Richland Library Ballentine to reduce reflections and prevent birds from colliding with the windows. The windows feature work by local artist Nell Warthen.

Designing with Safety in Mind
A 2014 study by the Smithsonian Institution estimated that each year, as many as 1 billion birds perish from window collisions in the United States.

Richland Library Ballentine, located in Irmo, features nearly 700 square feet of continuous windows that directly face a forest. Before SCWF installed CollidEscape, the outside windows reflected that forest, a natural habitat for birds, posing a hazard to native and migratory bird populations.

Richland Library Ballentine visitors look out at the forest through the library’s 700 square feet of windows. Though CollidEscape was installed to eliminate reflections on the building’s outside, visitors’ view from inside is unimpeded.

With CollidEscape now covering the outside windows, the library’s glass surfaces, featuring Warthen’s renderings, become a work of art. From inside, the window coverings retain their transparency, allowing patrons to enjoy the view of the forest and its inhabitants as they use the library.

Along with the window installation, SCWF worked with Richland Library staff to design educational materials highlighting the dangers that window strikes pose to bird populations and how the new wall coverings help prevent such collisions. While bird strikes were once a regular occurrence at the library, zero strikes have been recorded since the installation five weeks ago.

Richland Library Ballentine visitors look out at the forest through the library’s 700 square feet of windows. Though CollidEscape was installed to eliminate reflections on the building’s outside, visitors’ view from inside is unimpeded.

Jay Keck, habitat education manager for SCWF, is hopeful that his organization’s partnership with RCCC and Richland Library encourages other public and private building owners to take similar measures to help protect local wildlife.

“It’s the first commercial (CollidEscape) install in South Carolina,” Keck said of the project. “There’s all sorts of places we can apply this.”

Richland Library Ballentine will feature the Birds of Ballentine effort during an Earth Day celebration 2 p.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday, April 12. Visitors can learn more about the project and local birds.

Thanking Senator Graham for backing bipartisan wildlife bill

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  • by Lacey McCormick, National Wildlife Federation

Fifteen local and national conservation groups have taken out a half-page print and digital ad buy in the Sunday Post and Courier thanking Senator Lindsey Graham for cosponsoring the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act.

The bipartisan Recovering America’s Wildlife Act will prevent extinctions by dedicating $1.4 billion annually for collaborative efforts on behalf of at-risk wildlife species. South Carolina will receive $14 million each year to help hundreds of species in need, including bobwhite quail, gopher tortoises, black rails and loggerhead sea turtles.

“America’s wildlife are in crisis and this groundbreaking legislation tackles the problem at the magnitude that is necessary,” said Sara Green, executive director of the South Carolina Wildlife Federation. “We thank Senator Graham for cosponsoring this fiscally responsible effort to help at-risk wildlife with collaborative, voluntary measures across every state, territory, and Tribal nation.”

The Senate bill has 32 bipartisan cosponsors — 16 of them Republicans, including Senator Graham. Senator Graham sits on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, which will vote on the bill next week. Nearly 170 representatives have signed onto the House version of the legislation.

“Saving the thousands of at-risk wildlife species will require bold, bipartisan leadership and unprecedented collaboration,” said Collin O’Mara, president and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation. “We are so grateful to Senator Graham for leading the way on the historic Recovering America’s Wildlife Act that will have an immediate impact – saving species and creating jobs in South Carolina and all across the country.”

Nationwide, the Recovering America’s Wildlife Act dedicates funding to collaborative wildlife restoration efforts, largely led by the states and Tribes. Federally recognized tribal nations, such as the Catawba in South Carolina, would share $97.5 million annually to fund wildlife conservation efforts on their lands.

A recent nationwide poll of nearly 1,199 likely voters found that 87 percent of likely voters supported the bill, with only 7 percent opposed.

“Wildlife conservation is an issue that unites all South Carolinians. We hope to see this bill make it to the President’s desk this year,” said Green.

The ad was paid for by the National Wildlife Federation. The South Carolina Wildlife Federation, Hampton Wildlife Fund, Midlands Striper Club, Audubon South Carolina, South Carolina Waterfowl Association, Wildlife Action, South Carolina Boating and Fishing Alliance, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, the Nature Conservancy, Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, the National Wild Turkey Federation, Trout Unlimited, National Deer Alliance, and Ducks Unlimited joined the effort.

SCWF Upstate Nest Box Program

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Arthur Robinson next to his new Wood Duck Nest Box on Lake Wateree.

To restore habitat for two bird species in the Upstate, the South Carolina Wildlife Federation is partnering with Duke Energy to construct and install 40 Wood Duck nesting boxes and 40 Eastern Screech-Owl nesting boxes in the Keowee-Toxaway watershed.

SCWF will coordinate with property owners, volunteers, biologists, and rangers to determine suitable sites for the boxes. The goal is to install boxes prior to the start of the 2023 nesting season. Boxes will be placed in locations that are convenient for monitoring and maintenance.

Species-specific information:

  • Wood Ducks: Once threatened with near extinction from habitat destruction and overharvesting, wood duck populations are now steady or increasing.  Wood ducks begin to pair with each other starting mid-October. The ideal box placement is either in water (3 feet above the high-water mark) or within 100 feet of water, with the box facing the water. There should be no branches or other obstructions in front of the entrance hole so they have a clear flight path into the box.  Once a nest box is used, it will likely help raise many broods over the years to come.
  • Eastern Screech-Owls: Eastern Screech-Owls heavily rely on adequate habitat and nesting sites for survival. They are found throughout a range of sites including, but not limited to, farmland, suburban landscapes, and city parks. Although they are currently listed as a species of Least Concern, Eastern Screech-Owl populations are declining due to habitat fragmentation and deforestation. Providing suitable habitat, such as a nesting box, is integral to the success of this species. Nest boxes should be placed at a woodland’s edge with adjacent fields and/or wetlands. It is helpful if a branch, or something equivalent is installed below the entrance hole, or is located on the post or tree on which the box is attached. There should be no obstructions in front of the entrance hole so the owl has a clear flight path into the cavity.Volunteer involvement is integral in helping to foster community-wide awareness and appreciation for the project. The nest box project aims to engage the community in long-term and sustained conservation actions. This project is great for people of all ages. SCWF is actively searching to recruit volunteers to assist in all facets of the project, including nest monitoring, data recording, and witnessing first hand the life cycle of these birds.
ALL BOXES FROM THIS PROJECT HAVE BEEN CLAIMED. Complete this form to volunteer to help MONITOR NESTS IN THE UPSTATE:
Photo by Richard Sasnett