Making our communities healthy for birds... and people
HIGH FLYER
A. Comply with Wisconsin's "Smart Growth" law for land use planning and resource management. This criterion is an option only for applications submitted before July 1, 2017.
The Village of McFarland approved a comprehensive plan in 2006 that is pursuant with the State of Wisconsin “Smart Growth” plan and has been in compliance since. Under the comprehensive plan rare species occurrences are identified and marked by the WDNR’s Natural Heritage Inventory, and thus have protection. Generally these areas are located in the southeast corner of the Village and along the Yahara River and Mud Lake. Key objectives of the plan include preserving streams, drainageways, floodplains, wetlands, wildlife habitat, steep slopes, woodland areas, and other natural features. Furthermore, the Village continues to recommend that environmental corridors and other key features be preserved and that they aid adjacent Towns, Dane County, and WDNR in preparing the conservation plan for the area containing the Door Creek wetlands, Lower Mud Lake wetlands, and surrounding agricultural land.
B. Describe organized bird monitoring or data obtained from researchers or volunteers in the local park system. (Exclusions: Programs that receive credit under 4C: Christmas Bird Count, Great Backyard Bird Count, Swift Night Out)
The Village of McFarland has volunteers that monitor the Purple Martin houses throughout the Village. Volunteers maintain the houses, collect data and submit the information to the Wisconsin Purple Martin Association.
D. Document that current municipal planning seeks to provide additional bird habitat.
As McFarland continues to expand, additional park areas must be acquired and developed. The Village has developed an extensively detailed master plan for Urso Community Park, which is adjacent to the conservancy lands to the south and west. From the perspective of biological communities, Urso provides a spectrum of community types including wetlands, open water, savanna, and oak woodland. The sites offer an excellent opportunity for restoration of high quality oak woodland, oak savanna, mesic and wet prairie, and wetlands. Public participation is also an integral part of the improving park areas. From public meetings and survey respondents priority has been placed on improving existing park facilities, expanding pedestrian and bicycle trail systems, and developing a management plan for conservancy areas. Preserving the natural features within Penitto Creek, Mud Lake and Door Creek watersheds are also deemed essential. Marsh Woods Park already has a detailed Assessment and Management Plan and provides ample habitat and sustainable resources for birds and other wildlife in oak-hickory woods, Sedge meadow, wet meadow and shrub-carr. McFarland Community Forest, in conjunction with the Township of Dunn, also has a Forest Stewardship Management plan detailing its 10 acres.
E. Describe your community’s ordinance demonstrating that your community does not restrict natural/native landscaping that emphasizes native plants and non-turf lawns.
In addition to the comprehensive plan, the Village of McFarland has approved an ordinance that permits natural landscaping, Chapter 59 - Vegetation, Article III - Natural Landscaping.
The intent and purpose of the ordinance is to promote managed environmentally sound native vegetation landscapes while maintaining public safety and good neighbor relations.
The Village encourages property owners to consult with experts to determine best plants and layout. The Village recognizes the use of such plants to preserve or restore diverse biologic plant communities and increase the inflitration of storm water runoff.
F. Show that your community offers the public information on how they can control and remove invasive species in order to improve or maintain bird habitat.
McFarland Parks provides numerous materials on invasive species removal and control. Village staff regularly makes resources on invasive plants and insects available to the village residents. Hard copies are currently available at the Public Works Department facility.
G. Document that there is a segment of the Great Wisconsin Birding and Nature Trail or a designated Important Bird Area within or adjacent to your community.
On the southside of the Village of McFarland rests Mud Lake. This lake is a widening of the Yahara River. This area generally remains open even on some of Wisconsin's coldests days, if it does feeze up, it is generally open again in a few days. This area draws a wide assortment of waterfowl, migratory birds, and raptors. During a few days span of winter '20/'21, over 500 Tundra Swans could be seen at one time. The Village installed a viewing platform approximately 20 years ago and permanently mounted (non-coin opearted) viewing scopes in 2021.
I. Document a recent project that created or restored bird habitat in your community. (Exclusions: Bird feeders and small-scale artificial nesting structures)
In early 2019 the Village of McFarland started construction on a disc golf course at Urso/Schuetz park. Primary steps included removing invasive understory and oak release of an approximately 8 acre oak woodland. Barred owls and Coopers Hawks are frequently seen utilizing these new areas. Additionally, the Village is currently restoring an additional 5.5 acres adjacent to the disc golf course. This land will be utilized to expand recreational activities including creating easily accessible bird viewing habitat.
L. Show that your community has restored at least two acres of woodlands, wetlands, or prairie.
Approximately 4 acres of oak woodlands is well into the restoration process at Marsh Woods park. Invasive shrubs and trees have been removed from the site with continued efforts to managed invasive seedlings. Village Fire Department conducts prescribed burning. Some oak release has been done with continued monitoring of future removals being assessed. Future activities include herbaceous invasive species removal, continued prescribed burning, native shrub plantings and ground layer supplement seeding.
Efforts from volunteers and Village staff have created habitat and hiking trails for park users. Trails have created access to Lower Mud Lake providing another excellent opportunity for waterfowl viewing.
Q. Document the establishment of a program to promote the conservation of Purple Martins through research, state of the art management techniques, or public education.
Purple Martin houses that were previously erected continue to provide the Martins with shelter, a safe place from predators along with a place to raise their young. These Martin houses are common destination for park visitors to enjoy these wonderful birds. Purple Martin houses are located in four public parks in McFarland, with two next to our Bird Observation deck. A viewing benches are near all houses so citizens can sit and relax while watching the birds. In the fall of 2016, a new warming shelter was built with 2 large overhead glass garage doors that overlook Lower Mud Lake. Several citizens have taken advantage of this site to bird watch with their telescopes during inclement weather. In the fall of 2017 we received a donation of a new Purple Martin bird house from an involved citizen.
R. Show how your community aids a local youth group (e.g., Boy Scouts of America, Girl Scouts of USA, 4-H Club, etc.) or conservation group in bird conservation projects (e.g., bluebird trail, habitat restoration, Wood Duck nest boxes, etc.).
In 2019, the McFarland Girl Scout troop aided the Village with building and installing nest boxes on Conservancy and School Forest lands. They built and installed House Wren, Eastern Bluebird, and Eastern Screech
-Owl nest boxes.
T. Document that your community maintains a birding trail or hot spot location with educational signage and/or literature. (Note: A birding hotspot alone is not sufficient - your community must actively promote birding and public education at the site itself.)
In 2021, The McFarland Girl Scout troop aided the Village with designing, developing, and installing educational signage on Village conservany and park land as well as the McFarland School Forest. As you walk the area and the trails you will find signs with flora, fauna, or natural histroy of the area. There are 37 signs throughout the trail. These signs have QR codes that brings the user to the McFarland School Forest webpage. Each signs QR code provides the user information about trees, mammals, ecotypes, and birds. There is also a bird song board. When the QR code is selected for that bird it plays the birds song. Here is the link to the webpage: https://www.mcfarland.k12.us/families/Forest.cfm .
A. Demonstrate that your community has been awarded Tree City USA status by the National Arbor Day Foundation.
The Village of McFarland continues to be recognized as a Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation annually. The Village of McFarland will be recognized for its 13th year along with a growth award.
C. Document an ongoing community program to incorporate a significant number of native trees, native shrubs, native herbaceous plants, and/or cultivars of native species in public or large-scale private landscaping.
The Villages street tree planting program utilizes a high percentage of natives and cultivars of natives. The 2020 planting resulted in 100% native/native cultivar trees (86 out of 86 trees planted).
A. Describe your community’s educational program to control free-roaming cats and/or the manner in which you actively publicize the Cats Indoors! initiative.
The Village of McFarland regularly has an informational packet available at the Parks/Public Works Office on keeping cats indoors and the hazards free roaming cats pose to birds. The information comes from the American Bird Conservancy and their “Cats Indoors!” program. The same information is also made available to the public during the Village’s annual International Migratory Bird Day celebration and Bird Festival.
C. Show that your municipality practices Integrated Pest Management, using natural pest control and the best available science to minimize pesticide and herbicide use.
The Village of McFarland utilizes IPM practices. Historically, staff research or solicit information on best practices to minimize chemical use. In 2020, the Village developed a formal pesticide use policy that will further minimize pesticide use on Village property. An example would be identifying herbicide free parks. Weed control in these parks will occur through mechanical means such as mowing and hand pulling weeds. This year we received 100s of hours of volunteer labor pulling weeds from within our playgrounds.
L. OTHER: Demonstrate in a narrative.
The Village of McFarland’s Natural Resources Committee identified several sensitive bird nesting areas that had significant dog issues. The Village had custom signs made and placed at Marsh Woods Park on the shore of Lower Mud Lake. The signs explicitly denote the area as sensitive bird nesting grounds and prohibit unleashed dogs. The signs have worked out very well in controlling off leash dogs. The Village will continue to evaluate property to determine additional areas as sensitive bird nesting habitat.
D. Describe your community-sponsored annual bird festival. This must be a multi-day event or a truly exceptional one-day event.
The Village of McFarland Library and Birdfest Committee was excited to host an in-person event in 2022. The event was located at Lewis Park which resides next to Lower Mud Lake. The event incorporated booths of educational books from E.D. Locke Public Library, eBird, Madison Herpetological Society, Dane County Human Society, face painting, and student art from McFarland High School.
Highlights of the event include two guided bird walks and a visit from Uncle Butzie the turkey vulture!!
G. Provide a link to your community’s Bird City Wisconsin webpage, which must be visible from the main page of your municipal website (it may be located at the first level of a drop down menu on the main page but cannot be any less visible) OR demonstrate that your Bird City effort has a significant social media presence.
The Village of McFarland has it's community Bird City webpage link on the first level drop under departments. Village of McFarland web address: https://wi-mcfarland.civicplus.com
I. Show that your municipality promotes and supports a bird club or other environmentally/ecologically-minded club. (Exclusions: Garden clubs, unless you demonstrate a strong focus on native plants)
McFarland's birding club is celebrating 12 years. The club is operated by citizens and supported by the Library and Parks Department. The annual community-sponsered bird festival is hosted by the Bird Club and sipported by the Village. The Village provides location and shelter reservation as well as promotes the event through Village social media. The Bird Club has also donated funds towards permenantly mounted observation scopes. These scopes were acquired and mounted in 2021.
D. Document that your community has been recognized as a Green Tier Legacy Community.
On September 14, 2020, the Village Board adopted Resolution #2020-16 approving participation in the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Green Tier Legacy Community Program. The mission of the Green Tier program is to help communities across the state of Wisconsin move continuously toward a sustainable future through initiatives that promote environmental stewardship, economic growth, public health, and social equity.
J. OTHER: Demonstrate in a narrative.
The Village of McFarland Public installed new solar panels on the Public Works building in 2020. The old solar panels provided approxoimately 56 kWh per month from roof top installed solar panels. The new solar panels will provide approximately 972 kWh per month (an increase of over 1600%). This will provide 85% of the buildings electrical needs.
A. This community's municipal body passed the required World Migratory Bird Day resolution.
B. Document and describe your event that incorporates the annual IMBD theme in some fashion. If the event has not yet occurred, please share your detailed plans. For information on the current year’s theme and event materials, please visit the World Migratory Bird Day website. To see what other Bird City communities have done in the past, please view some other profiles on our website.
The Village of McFarland Library and Birdfest Committee was excited to host an in-person event in 2022. The event was located at Lewis Park which resides next to Lower Mud Lake. The event incorporated booths of educational books from E.D. Locke Public Library, eBird, Madison Herpetological Society, Dane County Human Society, face painting, and student art from McFarland High School.
Highlights of the event include two guided bird walks and a visit from Uncle Butzie the turkey vulture!!
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