Why not be creative with gift ideas this year and consider making something that will be help local wildlife and save you money? That would be a green gift. The Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program (FWCP) has posted a variety of instructions and plans online at www.fwcp.ca on how to make some wildlife-friendly products.
The gifts don’t have to be complex. Drill holes in a log or a piece of scrap lumber and you have made a native bee condo.
“Of course the basic native bee condo can be prettied up by adding a roof and an interesting design to make it more of a special gift. The fact is that even simple construction can be a great gift and, more importantly, really valuable to wildlife,” said FWCP senior wildlife biologist John Krebs.
The website has instructions or links on how to build an owl box as well as a variety of bat roosting boxes, from day roosts to larger maternity roosts. The site also contains information on how best to install the boxes and how to look after them to increase the chances of them being used.
“Adding suitable habitat like this can make a big difference,” said Krebs. “And it can be fascinating for both young and old to watch the roosting or nest sites being used. Having something like a native bee home in the backyard is a great way to connect with nature.”
