Cataraqui Conservation is looking for help to restore dozens of hectares of critical bird habitat at a popular Kingston, Ont., park.
The Environmental Protection Agency has issued a request for proposals to design and implement a 22.6-hectare grassland restoration project at the Lemoine Point Conservation Area. The initiative aims to recover essential habitat for the bobolink and eastern meadowlark, which are native ground-nesting bird species.
Haven Jerreat-Poole, a forestry technician with Cataraqui Conservation, says the birds are facing significant challenges.
“That designation means they’re not endangered yet, but they’re at high risk of becoming endangered if specific action isn’t taken, and one of the key reasons why they are threatened is because of habitat loss or degradation of habitat quality across the province,” Jerreat-Poole said.
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“These are native song birds in Ontario, and if we’re not protecting them, they could be extirpated — locally extinct in our area. We want to protect this population so that they do continue into the future for us and for future generations.”
According to the agency’s tender document, previous monitoring identified nesting pairs in the meadows near the park’s south entrance. However, the area has suffered from habitat degradation in recent years due to the extensive encroachment of gray dogwood and other shrubs.
Cataraqui Conservation general manager David Ellingwood says the current landscape is no longer suitable for the at-risk birds.
“Over time, the dogwood has crept in, so now you have a lot of shrubs. That’s not the habitat for the meadowlark or bobolink and other grassland species,” Ellingwood said.
The successful contractor will be tasked with the removal of the gray dogwood, alongside general vegetation management, soil preparation and seeding.
“Grassland area we’re working on is along the treeline all the way into the distance where the pines are and up this trail as well,” Ellingwood noted, surveying the site.
The agency hopes the project will breathe new life into the meadows.
“To actually design the plan and do the restoration work of these fields — we want to return it to fields of native grasses and herbaceous perennials in order to protect these birds,” Jerreat-Poole said.
“To have a conservation property like this where we can undertake that management, provide that habitat, is a good opportunity,” Ellingwood added.
Interested consulting firms have until noon on March 11 to submit their proposals.