At the recommendation of the Environmental Advisory Council, the Board of Commissioners adopted a resolution to make Cheltenham an Audubon Bird Town in April 2016.
Bird Town is not just about birds. It is about introducing natural systems into our landscapes that also positively impact stormwater, greenhouse gases, maintenance and aesthetics. A perfect complement to the Cheltenham Sustainability Plan, becoming a Bird Town will both highlight the Township’s incredible ecological resources and extend environmental outreach and education.
For example, Wyncote Audubon helped sponsor the Tookany/Tacony-Frankford Watershed’s CreekSide Bird Garden Tour in June 2016. Participants toured landscapes featuring appealing native plantings that attract birds and butterflies as well as serve as riparian buffers to help slow stormwater runoff and improve water quality.
Before that, Wyncote Audubon worked with teachers and students at Cheltenham Elementary School to form an Audubon Bird Club and learn about winter birds, study spring migration and participate in the “Great Backyard Bird Count.”
Join the Campaign: Bird Habitat Recognition Program
No matter the size, your backyard (and front yard) can serve as a valuable habitat and contribute to bird conservation. Begin by featuring native plants in your yard to provide food (insects and plant), cover and nesting sites. Audubon has created a fantastic web tool to browse thousands of native plants. Add some other key elements like a bird bath, bird feeder or a bird house. Then, register your property with Audubon Pennsylvania and join a growing community of people across the state that landscape with ecology in mind
Just mail a completed form along with a $20 check to Audubon Pennsylvania – Bird Habitat. You will receive a yard sign proclaiming your participation and a Habitat Discount Card good at businesses throughout the state.