Liz Pratt
Star Middle School
Star, Idaho
Red-winged Blackbird
Habitat
In the 1989 movie, Field of Dreams, an Iowa farmer builds a baseball field in the middle of his cornfields, in hopes of past baseball greats returning to play on his property. The famous line from that movie is whispered into his ear from his father’s ghost, “If you build it, he will come.” We can apply that same advice to the habitat in our backyards, school yards, and open spaces. If we build habitat, nature will return. In the last several years I have seen this happen near my own home. Many years ago, the Ada County Highway District built a water retention pond near my neighborhood. It was a long dirt pit surrounded by a solid green fence that prevented the pedestrians on the nearby Five Mile Pedestrian path from looking inside.
Sometime later, ACHD transformed the space. The solid green fence was removed, and a slatted fence was added, so pedestrians could view the space and birds and small wildlife could easily pass through. Weeds were removed and native pollinator plants were added. What was once an eyesore is a beautiful marsh full of trees, cattails, flowers, and wildlife. Not long after the transformation a large group of over 100 Red-winged Black Birds filled the space. They share the space with Mourning Doves, Mallard Ducks, and House Finches. It is a perfect example of how a relatively small area wedged between a neighborhood, canal, and busy road can provide habitat for native species. Now when I go on nature walks, I can enjoy the space and collect data for citizen science projects.
How Can We All Help Build Our Own Habitat?
It is easy to admire the work of others, but sometimes a little more daunting to figure out how we can all make a difference. You can start by transforming your own space. In the last couple years, I have added bird feeders to my backyard, a bee hotel, a bird bath, and several native blooming plants. My backyard has taken on a whole new life of its own. It is visited by Dark-eyed Juncos, House Finches, Lesser Goldfinches, American Robins, Mourning Doves, squirrels, and mason bees. None of the projects were very expensive or difficult and were added in small phases over time.
Habitat in Our Schools
At school with my students, we started small, too. This last school year, we added three bird feeders to our school yard and a bird bath. We attracted all sorts of “feeder birds”. Over time, the “feeder birds” attracted Red-tailed Hawks and we created our own lesson on food chains. In the winter, we used our classroom grow lights to sprout native milkweed to add to our school garden. After a very intense “April Shower”, our transplanted milkweed sadly washed away. Not all projects went as planned, but it still provided opportunities for my students to learn.
Marshlands
Habitat in Our Communities
In our communities, we can volunteer to support habitat restoration projects. In the Treasure Valley, the Boise River ReWild Project is working to restore 50 acres of habitat along the Boise River. They are removing invasive weeds and trees like the Russian Olive Trees. Volunteers help to sprout native plants at their homes and then transplant them along the river. After decades of misuse, the Boise River is returning to its original glory, covered in sagebrush, chokecherry, and milkweed. With a small army of volunteers, the project is making a tremendous impact. Every little bit of habit restoration can draw the beauty of nature back into our open spaces. It is worth our efforts.
Resources
Idaho Native Plant Society
Ada Soil and Water Conservation District
Boise ReWild Project
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