Delay Tree Trimming to Protect Nests
By Mike Serruto
E.E. Cummings wrote of spring in one of his many odes to this season:
“all the merry little birds are
flying in the floating in the
very spirits singing in
are winging in the blossoming”
During spring, we all look for the return of warm green life to our gardens and our neighborhoods, to our towns and our cities, and to the countryside.
We look in these places for the return of the birds, some passing through to their summer destinations, some are summertime residents here to renew the cycle of building nests, raising young, and singing to the morning.
However, in the lifetime of many people reading this, fewer and fewer birds have returned to us each spring. We now know from research reported last October that, since 1970, there are more than 2.9 billion fewer birds sharing the same places with us.
In this spirit we must each attend to the small measures within our reach that safeguard what remains to us.
Therefore, we are asking everyone to please defer tree trimming to the dormant autumn period. If you do not own your home, please discuss this with your homeowner’s association or property manager. Delaying tree trimming matters because:
- Your trees are likely to contain mated adults, their nests, and their young from April 1 through August 15.
- Nests, eggs, young birds and sitting adults are all protected by state and federal law, including the Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and Colorado statutes.
In addition, please consider leaving dead trees that do not pose a threat to you, your property, or the public in place for the use of cavity nesting species.
Replace or add trees and shrubs to your property that provide bird habitat. Visit the National Audubon website for native plant ideas.
We thank you for considering this small action you can take. We hope you find as much joy this spring as E.E. Cummings did:
“It’s spring!
All the pretty birds dive to the heart of the sky
All the little fish climb through the mind of the sea
(all the mountains are dancing; are dancing)”