Lions Bay is the first Small Town in Canada to be certified a Bird Friendly City. The Village was awarded the designation on May 10th, 2022.
Nature Canada’s Small Town Bird Friendly City criteria was created for communities with a population of 15,000 or less. Other municipalities that have been certified are indeed large cities and include Vancouver, Toronto, Calgary, Regina, Hamilton and Burlington. Read Nature Canada’s national press release about Lions Bay here. Our Bird Friendly certificate was signed in November 2022 by Canada’s Minister of the Environment and Climate Change at COP15 in Montreal.
Scientists estimate that bird populations have declined by almost 3 billion since 1970. Clearly action is needed to protect our birds, who face many dangers, especially while migrating and nesting.
Bird Friendly City Certification means that these cities have met or exceeded a minimum standard with regard to reducing threats to birds, protecting and restoring natural habitat and increasing climate resiliency; and actively engaging their community through education and outreach.
In Lions Bay, we are fortunate to see a multitude of bird species all over the Village and in our forests. Backyard bird feeding is a very popular pastime for many of us and we are in fact located within the English Bay, Burrard Inlet and Howe Sound Important Bird Area. And we are also situated within the Átl’ka7tsem/Howe Sound Biosphere Region.
Our hope is, by involving residents in a fun, informative way, by highlighting the dangers birds face, and by identifying simple steps we can each take to be more Bird Friendly, that together we will make Lions Bay a safer place for our birds.
If you'd like to join our enthusiastic team or have any questions, including about birds, please email us at lionsbaybirdfriendly@gmail.com.
For more information about our initiative, including upcoming events, please visit our website: www.lionsbaybirdfriendly.ca. And find us on Facebook.
Lions Bay Bird Friendly Team members: Rod Baker, Taryn and Katrina, Charlie Bradbury, Arlene Halstrom, Penny Nelson, Danielle Wills. Council liaison: Councillor Neville Abbott
