Pictured left to right are Council Member Amy Tucker, Council Member Nate Post, Council Member Linda Tenney, Council Member Nancy Wulfekuhle, Mayor Andrew Wenthe and Patty Reisinger from Bird Friendly Iowa. City recognized April 19, 2021
Fayette, Iowa (April 19, 2021) — Bird Friendly Iowa announced Fayette has been designated as a Bird Friendly Community at the April 19, 2021 Fayette City Council meeting. Fayette is the first community in Fayette County to be designated and seventh community in the state.
Fayette is being officially recognized for its commitment to managing public park lands with an ecological focus, protecting stream corridors, and providing direct support to residents who implement water quality practices such as planting native grasses and trees or installing rain gardens. Fayette is committed to preserving and expanding habitat and encourages citizens to engage in birding, bird conservation and related outdoor recreation activities.
“Birds are an extremely important means of connecting communities and citizens with our environment,” said Patty Reisinger on behalf of Bird Friendly Iowa. “Educating individuals and community leaders about how birds serve as indicators of healthy soil, water, air, native vegetation, and other natural resources can help reverse the dramatic decline of populations of birds, Monarch butterflies, and other forms of critical biodiversity, locally or even at statewide and higher levels.”
The City of Fayette and Upper Iowa University student, Jake Dale pursued the Bird Friendly Iowa recognition on behalf of Fayette. The project was part of Jake’s Capstone program. The Bird Friendly Iowa program focuses on habitat protection, improvement and creation; public engagement and reducing threats to birds.
“It is exciting that Fayette is one of the first cities in Iowa to receive the Bird Friendly Iowa designation,” said City of Fayette Mayor Andrew Wenthe. “I want to thank Jake Dale, his professor Dr. Paul Skrade, and all those who support this important environmental initiative.”
The Fayette Community Library is also encouraging everyone to step out and experience the wonderful world of birds. The library has three pairs of binoculars and additional material on birds for anyone to check-out.
Bird Friendly Iowa is a partnership of several Iowa conservation organizations, agencies and individuals including Trees Forever, Iowa Audubon, Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, Buchanan County Conservation, and Iowa Department of Natural Resources. In 2018, Waterloo was the first Iowa community recognized as a Bird Friendly Iowa community.
More information about Bird Friendly Iowa, including instructions on how any Iowa community can apply for this special recognition, is at www.BirdFriendlyIowa.org. To find a checklist of birds in Fayette, visit www.fayetteiowa.com/community/bird-friendly.
