Grant-funded program aims to establish 'bird-friendly communities' in Mon Valley

Mar. 15—Last year, members of the Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania were busy putting a state grant to work through their certified backyard habitat program, familiarizing residents with the positive benefits of native plants.

This year, they are combining funding from a federal grant, the Pittsburgh Foundation and R.K. Mellon Foundation to continue expanding the program.

"The City of Pittsburgh and the Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation wanted to use our certified backyard habitat program, and through that we did 105 backyards, including 35 in Mon Valley communities," said Jim Bonner, executive director for the society's Western Pennsylvania chapter. "We reached out to McKeesport, Glassport, neighboring communities and some other partners, and we got a really good response."

Audubon staff are hoping for a bit of a ripple effect. By supplying the types of native plants that local wildlife needs to thrive, they are hoping to create what Bonner called "bird-friendly communities."

Now, with $300,000 in hand, Audubon staff members are planning to meet with homeowners and make recommendations for how to enhance native plants and wildlife, supplying plants from its nursery to get residents started.

"We've been working on a 'bird-friendly' designation," Bonner said. "That means if you do certain things based on a point system, you'd be certified as a bird-friendly community."

Having grown up in Glassport, Bonner said he has seen the impact that decades of industry had on the region.

"The legacy of the steel mills is both economic and environmental," he said. "And there was a lot of impact in the Mon Valley. So it was a great community to work with, and they were very receptive in doing it."

For an avid bird watcher like Vickie Babyak of Dravosburg, the certified backyard habitat program was right up her alley. She enrolled last year.

"One of the Audubon land stewards came out to check my soil and see what types of plants would grow well here," Babyak said. "It's still kind of early, but I saw a white-breasted nuthatch the other day, and I usually don't see those."

Versailles Council President Lisa Fleckenstein, who was an early participant in the program, also is excited to see it expand.

"It's a really nice program and one that's very important," Fleckenstein said. "I think the key to the program is creating awareness. I don't think most people are aware of the connection between native plants and birds, so here in the Mon Valley, I hope it can raise that awareness."

In addition to working with 160 more homeowners through the certified backyard habitat program, Audubon officials will collaborate with two schools in the McKeesport Area School District to create school-ground habitats that include complementary in-school programs and teacher training, bird murals painted in participating communities and a partnership with the Tri-COG Land Bank that will see the transformation of a vacant lot into a bird- and pollinator-friendly habitat.

"Creating bird-friendly communities is at the heart of what we do," Bonner said. "These grants enable us to expand upon people's love of birds as we transform communities into a network of gardens that provide food, nesting sites and safe overwintering spots for Pennsylvania native birds, insects and wildlife — including species that especially need help like monarch butterflies."

Fleckenstein said she loves seeing the society's passion for the program.

"I'm really glad they brought it to our communities at a municipal level," she said. "We have a couple properties here in the borough that I'd like to transform into local 'Edens' for our local birdies."

For more information about the program, see ASWP.org.

Patrick Varine is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Patrick by email at pvarine@triblive.com or via Twitter .