The health of Kelowna’s trees and the health of our bird population are intimately connected. Taking care of our trees is one way we can help support and bolster the bird populations that have been decreasing since the 70’s. At Action Tree, we take our job of nurturing the health of trees, and by extension, all the life that a tree supports, extremely seriously. After all, who doesn’t love entering a peaceful, healthy grove of trees that is alive with bird song?
Pruning is essential to maintaining the health of our Kelowna trees and consequentially pruning trees helps the health of our local birds; however it is equally critical to prune correctly and at the right time. In this article we delve into the why, when and how of fall pruning once the nesting season is finished. But first, we’d like to touch on how to create a bird sanctuary in the urban environment.
Creating an Urban Bird Sanctuary with Trees and Hedges
Trees and other flora such as bushes and hedges are vital for healthy bird populations. A decrease in habitat is one of the main reasons for the decrease of our bird population, and urban areas are a major contributor to the decrease of habitat. Urban areas pose other risks to birds as well: our use of pesticides, our cats and our buildings full of windows all hurt birds. Luckily we can mitigate some of these threats by taking care of our residential gardens and green spaces. Trees, bushes and hedges provide a number of benefits for birds: security from predators, a safe place to nest as well as being a prime food source, both from fruits and seeds as well as from the insects this flora attracts.
Go Native Whenever Possible
The best trees, bushes and hedges to increase our native bird population are native ones; our local birds have co-evolved with our native flora as their food source and shelter, making them eminently suitable to our local birds. Local birds are genetically in tune with native flora; they know when native trees flower, fruit and shed leaves, and they automatically synchronize their life cycles and migration patterns to the flora’s life cycles. A few examples of Kelowna area native trees that attract birds are: Pacific Dogwood, Poplar, Willow and Serviceberry.
Growing Bird Corridors
City hedges create bird corridors by forming a chain of connected, native vegetation that provides food, shelter, and nesting sites for birds and other wildlife. At their best, hedges provide a green network that links the more substantial green spaces, allowing birds to move safely between them. Hawthorn, Hazel and Oregon Grape are Kelowna native species that make great hedges.
How Pruning Maintains Tree and Hedge Health
With a diversity of native trees and hedges, we’ve already set the foundation for protecting our birds. Pruning is an essential maintenance practice to promote the health of your bird sanctuary.
Pruning helps maintain the health of your trees and hedges by:
- Increasing pest control by removing dead, diseased and damaged branches
- Improving growth by directing nutrients to healthy branches
Improving air flow and light, for increased photosynthesis - Increasing structural strength
- Increasing flower and fruit production
Pruning increases the health of our trees and hedges which in turn will boost our nesting bird population; however pruning at the wrong time can seriously damage our birds’ ability to produce young.
Regulations Protecting Bird Nests
In fact, there are both federal and provincial regulations (federal Migratory Birds Convention Act and the provincial Wildlife Act) that aim to protect migratory birds by prohibiting their nests from being damaged or disturbed when they contain a live bird or viable egg.
The nesting season in BC varies with each species; however, it generally lasts from March 1 to August 31. That leaves the beginning of September to the end of February for pruning.
Fall Pruning: When and How
While most plant pruning is best undertaken in the spring to stimulate growth, fall tree pruning has benefits and may even be preferred in some cases.
The time to prune your tree in the fall is once the leaves have dropped. This signifies that the tree has gone dormant. Conifers also go dormant which is apparent by a lack of new growth and when its buds are set. Reasons to prune in the fall are:
- Better Able to See the Tree’s Structure: Once the leaves have fallen, it is easier to see the structure of the tree and what branches need to be removed.
- Preparation for Spring Growth: Fall pruning clears away dead branches, not only removing a possible danger of branches failing under the weight of snow in winter, it also enables the tree to kick start growth in the spring instead of focusing on healing spring pruning cuts.
- Controls Disease and Pests: Removing diseased or pest infested branches in the fall decreases the chance of the disease spreading.
- Less Stressful: Trees go dormant in the fall, so pruning is less stressful. For some trees, particularly ones that bleed in the spring, such as maple or cherry, fall pruning is a must.
Fall Pruning is Best Left to the Professionals
Fall pruning post nesting season can be extremely beneficial for the health of the tree, however, it can also be tricky. It must be done with a high degree of knowledge to remove only what needs to be removed, and only when the tree has gone dormant. Professional arborists are also careful to avoid bird nests. Even if the birds have finished nesting for the year, many species return to reuse the same nest. For fall pruning especially, it is best left to professionals. If you live in the Kelowna area and you need help, give Action Tree a call.
