Iowa’s newest bird conservation area will be dedicated Wednesday in Webster County near Lehigh. Bruce Ehresman, an Iowa D.N.R. wildlife biologist from Boone, says the ceremony will take place at Brushy Creek State Park. Ehresman says the concept of establishing a bird sanctuary started in a neighboring state.
Ehresman says the Wisconsin D.N.R. created the model where at least 10,000 acres are set aside for bird conservation with 2,000 acres protected at the center of that area, then it will make a significant difference for birds, especially those that are area-sensitive or which need a larger habitat to reproduce and thrive.
Ehresman says the Brushy Creek area is a good place for all sorts of native and migratory birds. He says the Boone Forks area is one of the highest bird diversity areas in Iowa for migration and breeding, with 125 to 135 species that regularly nest in the area, which encompasses both Hamilton and Webster counties.
Ehresman says it’s important to have a bird conservation area that’s dedicated to the preservation and prosperity of winged creatures. He says there’s the potential to have documentation on more than 200 species of birds that have nested in Iowa, but about 150 nest in the state regularly and most of those nest each year within the boundaries of the new conservation area.
The ceremony is scheduled for 1:30 P.M. on Wednesday. Learn more at: “www.iowadnr.gov“.
By Pat Powers, KQWC, Webster City