Over the years, fewer and fewer bats and Chimney Swifts are seen in our area. East Buntynites want to provide safe, suitable housing for these creatures that are so beneficial to our families and the ecosystem.
Leader
Shannon Langellier
Location
461 S. Prescott Memphis, TN 38111
To construct and establish one Chimney Swift tower and ten bat houses within the East Buntyn neighborhood. These structures will provide Chimney Swifts and bats secure places to rest and raise their young. Residents of our neighborhood will build the bat houses from kits, which require simple skills and tools. The Chimney Swift tower will require a bit more skill and it will be constructed from raw materials, so a Master Carpenter will supervise this part of the project. By offering these structures, we will give these two species that suffer from diminishing populations a boost.
The East Buntyn Historic District Neighborhood Association will manage this project. Animal experts from Lichterman Nature Center will provide advice regarding most suitable designs and sites for the bat houses and Chimney Swift tower. Bat house kits, raw lumber and other necessary materials will be purchased. Volunteers will donate their labor (and use of their tools) to construct and erect the structures. The structures will be placed at various locations around the neighborhood by the fall of 2015, so that they will be ready for spring 2016 habitation. With this project, we will spotlight the plight of these creatures and educate the public about their vital role in the environment, while dispelling falsehoods.
Bat and Chimney Swifts numbers are in a severe decline because of various factors including habitat loss and disturbance of roosts, plus there is a lack of public knowledge of their importance. These creatures are very helpful to human in that they are voracious insect eaters. They are particularly fond of mosquitos, thus helping to ameliorate our problem with West Nile virus. Because they reradicate insect pests and are good plant pollinators, they benefit our local organic farmers, too. They also provide tremendous entertainment with their aerial acrobatics. We want more people to be aware of their situation and hope to inspire other neighborhoods to help them.