Connersville is going to the birds.
Carl Wilms of the Mary Gray Bird Sanctuary told the Connersville Board of Public Works and Safety Monday the Indiana Audubon Society started Bird Town Indiana modeled after a program in Wisconsin.
The Indiana Audubon Society owns the sanctuary.
The Bird Town program is modeled after the Tree City USA program.
“If the application is successful, it will designate Connersville as a Bird Town Indiana community and in collaboration with the Mary Gray Bird Sanctuary, it’s a perfect way to have people to draw people to our community,” Wilms said. “People love birding activities.”
He said there are roughly 1.2 million wildlife watchers in the state in additional to hunters and fishermen, spending roughly $750 million on activities.
During conferences and workshops at the sanctuary, the restaurants and hotels in Connersville have seen a benefit, he added.
The Bird Sanctuary will fund the application fee. If selected, signs will be erected notifying motorists of the designation.
There are seven criteria a community must meet to gain the designation. There are currently eight towns that have been approved as Bird Town Indiana communities.
The board voted to support the application.