The Boundary is just crazy for bats
By Erin Perkins
If the recent bat house-building workshop at the Boundary Woodworkers’ Guild is any indication, Boundary residents are excited about helping out our winged bug-eating friends, the bats.
On Sunday, March 10 more than 20 eager volunteers of all ages gathered at the Boundary Woodworkers Guild in Grand Forks to help build 14 bat houses that will soon be installed on private properties and on city land. Six of the houses will be installed on private properties in Christina Lake. Four will be installed in the city-owned marsh by the RCMP detachment. The rest will be on private properties throughout Grand Forks.
These summerhouses are made of cedar and painted with a water-based stain to avoid harmful chemicals for the furry flying friends.
Bats are incredible bug eating machines who do a terrific job of controlling the local mosquito populations. Like many animals, humans are continually infringing upon their habitat. These new houses provide a safe place for them to roost during their summer bug-eating activities.
Local biologist and Granby Wilderness Society project coordinator Jenny Coleshill was an enthusiastic contributor to the project. She was thrilled to see so many other people who were also as enthused about bats as she is.
The house building project was made possible with generous donations by the Christina Lake Rona, Home Hardware, the Boundary Woodworkers Guild, a private donation of wood, the City of Grand Forks and Telus, who donated the telephone poles on which the bat houses for the city will be installed.
Also involved in the stewardship project is the Granby Wilderness Society, Christina Lake Stewardship Society, Boundary Invasive Species Society, Grand Forks Wildlife Association, and Habitat Biologist from the Ministry of Forests Lands and Natural Resource Operations.
