A few weeks ago, Dave Street mentioned in an article dealing with school enrolment that ‘if it can happen anywhere, it can happen in Ladysmith.’
The words resonate throughout Ladysmith and, in all likelihood, it has been the mantra that has made much of the town.
You can apply that phrase to any number of projects going around town. Want to build a new park from scratch? ... it can happen in Ladysmith. Relocate an entire neighbourhood? ... It can happen in Ladysmith. Help save a species from the brink of extinction? ... It can happen in Ladysmith.
The Purple Martin Recovery program that was undertaken by dedicated volunteers at the Ladysmith Maritime Society doesn’t always get the most splash or coverage on a regular basis, but it is important to sometimes sit back and marvel at what has been done.
If it were not for the colonies on Vancouver Island, of which Ladysmith is the largest, this species of bird may have likely flown the way of the dodo.
This was a bird that was reduced to only five breeding pairs back in 1985 before people stepped in creating new, safe habitats for the migratory avian.
Now, according to the recovery program’s latest newsletter in 2010, 585 breeding pairs were recorded.
It is a remarkable turnaround that has happened because of a supportive program in a supportive community. Be sure to stop by the open house again on July 24 to learn more about the program and how it has restored the bird population.