Recent (unusually) high temperatures mean that many of us are suddenly re-visiting our outdoor spaces to address winter cold damage and new plant growth. But we are not the only ones who are busy. The pollinators, amphibians, reptiles, mammals and birds that share our (increasingly smaller) urban backyards are very vulnerable to our activities at this time of year.
As we start to notice insects again, many immediately reach for the pesticides. But these individual decisions add up: households actually use substantially more pesticides per acre than farms.
https://thesegreentimes.com/blog/homes-use-more-pesticides-than-farms/ We are harming our own health—and particularly that of our children—in our very own backyards. https://www.beyondpesticides.org/resources/lawns-and-landscapes/overview
Mowing and pruning can maim or kill wildlife. Eastern Cottontails nest on the ground, so it is important to check for nests before mowing. https://wildlifecenter.org/news-events/news/2025/keep-cottontails-safe-spring Baby birds often have special legal protections. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service states that: “Most bird nests are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA). This law says: ‘No person may take (kill), possess, import, export, transport, sell, purchase, barter, or offer for sale, any migratory bird, or the parts, nests, or eggs of such bird except as may be permitted under the terms of a valid permit…’ Under the MBTA it is illegal to destroy a nest that has eggs or chicks in it or if there are young birds that are still dependent on the nest for survival.” https://www.fws.gov/story/bird-nests
Finally, spring bird migration is starting. Because of our location at the convergence of the Central Americas Flyway and the Mississippi Flyway, one in every three migratory birds passes through Texas in the spring. https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20240410-how-switching-off-lights-stops-migrating-birds-collisions-with-buildings (also describing how between 365 million and one billion birds are killed annually in building collisions, more than half of which are with low-rise buildings like homes). Our individual household light pollution contributes to the decline in migratory bird populations. Please turn off all non-essential lights between 11pm and 6am daily. https://travisaudubon.org/lights-out-texas
North Loop Neighborhood Association 