To the editor:

No, really. It’s for the birds. Many who read this are aware of the recent Cornell Lab of Ornithology report indicating that since the 1970’s songbird population in North America has diminished by nearly one-third. https://www.birds.cornell.edu/home/bring-birds-back 

The canary is out of the mineshaft and no one is listening. Among the reasons cited in the report is loss of habitat. Even John James Audubon in his time was motivated to document birds due to population diminution and habitat change. 

Those of us enjoying our homes in Barrington need to acknowledge and accept responsibility for the quality of life, all life here. Birds that once fed and bred in meadows, swamp and forest now turn to our backyards. In addition to utilizing municipal funding for open land, it is incumbent on us to use our private property responsibly. Please carefully consider the consequences of pesticide and herbicide use on our lots. In most cases, these can be minimized or eliminated completely. And here’s the kicker, the quality of our flora actually improves!

The benefits of leaving nature to manage itself, granted with a little pruning and proper care, are too numerous to list here. For those taking interest in leaving 3.8 billion years of natural selection to do better than our industrial poisons, please contact the URI Cooperative Extension. They are a Rhode Island gem. They’ve been invaluable to me, offering practical guidance with outstanding results. And the songbirds like it, too. 

James Demick 

Barrington