Bird-Safe Campus – Create Change

Create Change
UNIVERSITY of BRITISH COLUMBIA
Retrofit | Full Coverage Frit | Voluntary Action

What Can You Do?

You may be aiming for your institution to implement measures for reducing collisions at problem buildings, to commit to bird-friendly guidelines for future buildings, and/or to include bird-friendly guidelines in renovation plans. To create meaningful change on campus, you will need to get buy-in from your institution’s administration.

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Building Support

A great first step is building local support for your position. If you are a student, find a professor or faculty member with a shared interest in conservation. A professor is in a better position to enlist the support of other faculty members. Reach out to classmates, student groups, alumni, colleagues, faculty members, department chairs, associate deans, and deans about the importance of the bird-building issue. Build a coalition of people (ideally across faculties and departments) that are willing to lend their support to your position.

Tips:

Other great ways to build support include awareness campaigns and involving others with window-collision monitoring on campus.

Once you have gained local support, request a meeting with the head(s) of facilities and/or planning/development and others with decision-making abilities on campus.

Creating a Strong Argument

Image: Cannon Design

Clearly and succinctly explain the issue and why it matters. If you have done monitoring and have hard evidence for the scale of the problem on your campus, be sure to cover this. Identify exactly what change you are requesting and why. For example, if through your monitoring (or through FLAP’s Building Risk Assessment App) you have identified priority buildings for treatment, talk about how you came to your recommendation.

Detail potential solutions, including their effectiveness and cost. Remember that your proposed changes will likely cost money and that university and college administrations face intense trade-offs, having limited funds and many competing interests. Where possible, focus on cost-effective or cost-neutral solutions (e.g., measures that enhance occupant privacy can also make windows more bird-friendly if applied correctly).

Tips:

Get the facts about the bird-building issue here.
Many universities face lengthy approval processes for modifications to buildings or university policies. You may be asked to submit a formal proposal for your proposed actions.

Demonstrating Support

Demonstrate widespread support for the adoption of bird-friendly practices on campus by mentioning the other members of the academic community who support your position. Highlight what other post-secondary institutions have done or are doing to reduce bird-building collisions, and what side effects their actions have had (e.g., positive media attention and improved public image/reputation).

Tip: A letter campaign is another option to show widespread support across campus for your proposed actions.

Cost of Inaction

You may choose to highlight the cost of inaction. This can include legal issues involving the accidental killing of federal Species At Risk and lack of due diligence in preventing bird deaths due to collisions with buildings. Universities may also face student frustration with inaction or reduced public image from not living up to public promises of sustainable operating practices (if applicable).

General Tips

Ask administrators to identify barriers to action and any concerns, so you can work together to develop a plan to address them.
Identify common goals (e.g. a sustainable campus, a positive public image for the university).
Polite persistence pays off. Set a date to follow-up, to ensure you maintain momentum.
Remember that students are the paying customers of academic institutions. Student-led advocacy can be a particularly powerful tool in creating change.
Always be polite, positive, and professional.

Examples of Bird Safe Products

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Note: BirdSafe and FLAP Canada do not endorse or recommend any commercial glass product or manufacturer, therefore, mention of commercial products on this website cannot be construed as an endorsement or recommendation. BirdSafe recommends consultation with glass manufacturer representatives for answers to your specific questions on price, quality, etc. or to request a quote for any window treatment.

Disclaimer: Results may vary depending on conditions such as landscaping, topography, building design, lighting, local bird populations and the condition of the product itself. No window solution can guarantee elimination of bird-window collisions. Reference Terms of Use.