@ B.C.’s Environment Ministry

hopes a new-grass roots conservation —

campaign will take flight
mismo :

Peninsula News Review
They're small, quick and Colorful:
They survive on nothing but a diet of insects.

‘And they're also on the red list of endangered species i in
British Columbia.

The largest of the swallow family, Purple Martins once flew
over open fields and waterways in healthy numbers, but those
“numbers have taken a dramatic dive in recent years.

Now, a conservation effort is taking flight on lower-Vancou-

ver Island to help slow that drop, and the Ministry of Environ-
~ ment, Lands’and Parks is looking for your help. :
_ Aimed at encouraging community-level volunteer efforts to
replace Purple Martin nesting sites, the project was launched
; by the ministry last week.
- «Without our intervention, we could have easily lost our 1 Pure
~~. ple Martin population years os
~ ago,” said Myke Chutter,
provincial co-ordinates, for ania

~ Management. - : dee
_ The ministry i is hoping to en
courage community groups, °-

-- schools and interested individu. *.
-als to construct and place nest-
‘ing boxes for Purple Martins.

“Purple Martins havere.
© sponded well to man- -made.

‘nesting | boxes, provided | the
‘are installed in the right areas,
-Chutter said...

‘According to data ralessed
by the BC ‘Conservation Data
Centre, : es along « docks.

> Malt Hinge "=>.
sens a nee

Locking Hall

ing. vith a minimum ‘of 25. tones pers
“of success for’ establishing anew colony, but the centre advises
getting permission and co-operation with marina owners and
operators, boaters and yacht clubs before starting any conser-

~-Placing nestboxes near ‘known colonies should continue to:
= increase local numbers. Boxes should be constructed of cedar”
and maintained regularly, resulting i in approximately 10 years of.
active use,
: Presently, the e Purple Martin population in B Ci is estimated

“Western Purple Martin Nest-box Plans ae
eeere ipaeeaaines — on Vancouver pesieae oS

O34 ine

0 74 In

: DAVID E FRASER PHOTO
An adult Purple Martin perches atop’ a next-box.

“-atless that 75 pairs and Pentel toa small area of the Chast

On Vancouver Island, that population is found on the east side,

~ from Campbell River to Victoria.~

Human encroachment in areas normally lived i in by Purple
Martins has contributed crastically to their decline in numbers,
_as have House Sparrows and

the introduction of European.
Starlings, Chutter’said. “Both -.
types of bird, particularly the.

FRONT ViEV vIEW

2742 In ad

| Purple Martins out,” he said.
- | sNever abundant in the
-. province, the Purple Martin.

OMAR inate

~|°cated local naturalists inter-.
--vened, Today,. virtually all Pur-
se ple Martins found in B.C. nest
in man-made boxes attached on
pilings near or over salt water.
There; are some recovery,

yas take ict
cat ‘Lambrick Park pues the. Cone Rowing: ‘Club, ‘the Cit

: ‘of Victoria, MacMillan Bloedel Lid. And TimberWest ‘Lid

For more information on the Purple Martin or other ‘conser
vation efforts, contact the BC.
Conservation Data Centre, © *

BC Environment, Ministry ot : m

~ Environment, Lands and
: Parks, Parliament Buildings,
Mt BC, ‘V8V- 1X4.

You z are invited -

‘TRAVEL. SHOW.

_. April 16, 1998
~ Sidney Library 10-a.m.
Brentwood Library 2 Pm.

Please call
to reserve

eS ~ starling, have helped push the

| population declined rapidly un- i |
~ til the 1980s, when a few dedi- >»

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