The City of Adelaide has introduced a range of measures, based on expert advice, to improve the welfare of tree martins roosting in Rundle Mall.
Following a resolution passed at last night's Council meeting, several key actions are being implemented including:
- Engaging a skilled ornithologist to advise and help inform decision making
- Adjusting lighting in Rundle Mall to help the birds navigate around infrastructure
- Supporting Rundle Mall traders and retailers in relation to additional window treatments to potentially prevent strikes
- Removing netting from four trees on Leigh Street.
A working group comprising representatives from the City of Adelaide and Green Adelaide as well as wildlife rescue volunteers and retailers has met to ensure a co-ordinated effort to addressing the problem now and in the long term.
Lord Mayor Jane Lomax Smith said Council is listening and being guided by specialist advice from wildlife experts as it responds to "a very complex and moving situation."
"These initiatives are just some of steps we are taking for the remainder of the season and further work will be done to protect the birds during future migrations," she said.
"We are very grateful to Green Adelaide for its guidance and advice and to all the wildlife rescue volunteers for tending to, and caring for, the birds."
The Lord Mayor said the situation was an unintended result of creating green infrastructure in the city.
"We've planted so many trees and in doing so, we've created micro-environments and now we are trying to manage the amazing colonies of birds that have moved in," she said.
"It's a challenge we've uncovered and we are going to manage it very carefully into the future."
Green Adelaide Acting Director Dr Stuart Collard said the initiatives were positive steps forward.
"The Adelaide tree martin roost is a significant aggregation and shining case for how our city can play an important role in wildlife conservation," Dr Collard said.
"We remain in conversation with the City of Adelaide to help address immediate impacts on the tree martins and develop longer term strategies to improve the conservation and management approaches for the birds into the future."
