On August 4, the Madison Common Council unanimously adopted the state’s first bird-friendly building ordinance. Introduced by Alders Marsha Rummel and Keith Furman, drafted by City staff, and revised with input from American Bird Conservancy (ABC), the city-wide ordinance will require new large construction and expansion projects to use modern bird-safe strategies and materials that allow birds to see glass. The new requirements are expected to dramatically reduce bird mortalities. The ordinance goes into effect October 1, 2020.
“The well-being of birds and people in Wisconsin are very intertwined, from the economic benefits of tourism and birdwatching to free services like pest control and pollination,” says Matt Reetz, Executive Director of Madison Audubon, one of the organizations that has been advocating for the ordinance. “We really must do what we can to protect birds, and this is a straightforward and important step in doing so. I’m proud of our city for taking this step.”