As part of the city’s Green Year 2015 celebrations, Glasgow Housing Association (GHA) have donated 100 free bird boxes to schools to help grow native bird species in the city. The 100th bird box has gone to Scotstoun Primary, who was presented with the new wooden house which is being put in their school garden.
Bailie Liz Cameron, chair of Glasgow’s Green Year 2015 and a councillor with Glasgow City Council, said: “Glasgow is very lucky that we have a vast array of parks, outdoors and gardens to support nature in the city. A lot of garden wildlife is in desperate need of our help.
“By providing shelter and a safe place to make home for our bird populations, we hope our schools will be helping to reverse some of the decline in native species that has been seen in the last few years.
“Green Year is about enthusing and getting Glaswegians involved with nature and be greener to make our city a nicer place to live not only for the human inhabitants but for our wildlife inhabitants too.”
GHA free flat packed bird boxes were offered to Eco Schools across Glasgow. Those lucky enough to receive the boxes were also given a hand out covering how best to site and maintain the nesting box and how to support and improve local bird numbers.
Colin Reid, Energy & Sustainability Manager at the GHA, part of the Wheatley Group, said: “GHA is committed to supporting our communities to thrive; that also includes the environment we all share. It is our aim that these bird boxes will be used for years to come to help promote education and appreciation of our environment.”
Scotstoun Primary’s box will be placed in the school garden and they are hoping to build a bird hide there after an exciting trip to the RSPB’s Lochwinnoch reserve. The children learned about the importance of giving nature a home in their garden.
Scotstoun Primary School have an eco-committee known as “The Eco Kidz”, which is made up of pupils from P1 to P7, parents, school staff and members of the local community which meet regular and promote a greater awareness of sustainability and ecology in their school and community.
There has been a steady decline in the health and population of our native bird species. However, many areas are by no means empty of opportunities for our indigenous birds and with the right support and a safe nesting site, we can improve the prospect for local bird numbers, which in turn can help improve our urban ecosystem. For more advice about giving nature a home in your garden, click on the RSPB’s website.
Links
Eco Schools Programme in Glasgow