Nidus Consulting, Tree Care for Birds Chair, and co-author of WCISA's Tree Care for Birds BMPs and ISA's Managing Trees During Construction BMPs, Ryan Gilpin presented a live and recorded webinar on January 25th to help landscape professionals, designers, and architects plan, design, and maintain bird safe landscapes.

Gilpin focused on studies from across the nation that consider the impact and habitat of birds. For example, urban forests pose a great health benefit to the community for mental and physical health according to a study out of the U.K.

He went onto show that designing to create bird safe conditions is only half the battle. Planning for growth, changes in the environment, and maintenance is the key to success.

Attendees heard about basic remedies that help mitigate avian fatalities including pest management, vehicle collision, and window practices.

To earn LA/CES HSW, ISA, PGMS, and NALP CEUs/PDHs, register for the OnDemand session found on LandscapeWebinars.org here.

Learning Objectives:
1. Explore a model for multi-disciplinary collaboration and resources available.
2. Be aware of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and how landscape workers may violate it.
3. Risks to birds and other wildlife to explore and plan for before inviting wildlife into landscapes.
Developing Bird Safe Landscapes

What steps should landscape maintenance workers take to protect wildlife, follow relevant laws, and get their work done? Are there ways to design landscapes that attract desirable wildlife without creating unsafe conditions?

The Tree Care for Birds and Other Wildlife program of the Western Chapter ISA

Landscapers and designers generally want to act responsibly but can be unaware of laws and best practices to navigate these complicated topics. The Tree Care for Birds and Other Wildlife program of the Western Chapter ISA created Best Management Practices, specifically designed to be used by a broader audience of landscapers across North America. Ryan will share the collaborative and interdisciplinary process involving a diverse group of experts from the wildlife and landscape communities. While not every question can be answered, Ryan will share key elements from the Wildlife BMPs, other resources, and his experience to keep an important start tackling these complex questions.

Ryan Gilpin
Ryan Gilpin is the Principal Consultant at Nidus Consulting in Portland, Oregon. Before becoming an arborist, Ryan's background was in conservation and ecology with degrees in Environmental Biology and International Nature Conservation. Ryan is chair of Tree Care for Birds, regularly trains arborists in working responsibly around wildlife, and leads tree and bird walks in the Portland area. Ryan is co-author of two Best Management Practices: WCISA's Tree Care for Birds BMPs and ISA's Managing Tree During Construction BMPs.