Racine Achieves 2021 "Sustained Flight Status" in the Bird City Wisconsin Program 

Since 2011, Racine is one of more than 100 communities at the forefront of statewide bird conservation and education.

To be recognized as a Bird City, a community must meet criteria spread across six categories: habitat creation and protection, community forest management, limiting threats to bireds, educaiton energy and sustainablitiy, and the official recogintioin and celebration of World Migratory Bird Day. Here's  what your community is doing to achieve this status:

Our community complies with Wisconsin's "Smart Growth" law for land use planning and resource management. 

The City of Racine has endorsed the Racine County multi-jurisdictional comprehensive plan developed with assistance by SEWRPC and UW-Extension in 2009 and adopted a city comprehensive plan based upon the multi-jurisdictional plan. The City of Racine is in compliance with Wisconsin’s “Smart Growth” law for land use planning and resource management.

Our community establishes existing bird habitat within the community limits and ensures legal protection.

Sec. 70-103 of Racine’s Municipal Code designates Colonial Park as a bird sanctuary and provides for legal protection of birds and habitat.

Our community offers public information on how invasive species can be controlled and removed in order to improve and/or maintain bird habitat.

Weed Out Racine is a volunteer driven initiative that aims to maintain biodiversity of native spaces and public places by stopping the spread of invasive plants.  The organization works actively to inform the community with park path signage and school group initiatives.

Segments of our community are listed in the Great Wisconsin Birding and Nature Trail and are designated Important Bird Areas.

Racine Harbor Park & Lakefront are listed in the “Great Wisconsin Birding and Nature Trail, Lake Michigan Region.” Racine is designated an Important Bird Area in the Audubon Milwaukee-Racine Lakeshore Migration Corridor. 

Our community has been awarded Tree City USA status by the National Arbor Day Foundation.

The City of Racine continues to be recognized as a Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation following its initial award in 2007 (also 1976-1977, 1979-1983, and 1986-1991). As of 2012, the City of Racine is also a recipient of the Growth Award. Reference the Arbor Day Foundation Tree City USA Directory and Growth Award Winners at www.arborday.org.

Our community offers educational programs to control free-roaming cats.

Free-roaming cat control is supported by the Racine Humane Society and the Hoy Audubon Society through these links Trap Neuter Return (TNR) Program, and the Cats Indoors! Program. 

Our community educates property owners on methods to create and enhance backyard habitat for birds.

Hoy Audubon Society regularly educates property owners on backyard habitat through outreach programming and newsletters.

Our community is represented in at least one citizen science bird monitoring program.

Racine has been active in multiple bird counts throughout the year:  Christmas Bird Count (in December), Great Backyard Bird Count (in February), and Project FeederWatch (in November - April). These events take place in various locations throughout our community, including Colonial Park and Samuel Meyers Park. In addition, Hoy Audubon hosts the “Big Sit” bird count at a publicized location each year in September. The “Big Sit” is an event where an effort is made to count all birds seen in one day while staying within a 17-foot diameter circle. During the day forum discussions about both migratory and urban birds were conducted. The “Big Sit” is also a worldwide event. Those interested in further information about the local “Big Sit” can contact (262) 637-4359.

Our municipality promotes and supports a bird club or other environmentally/ecologically-minded club. 

City of Racine sponsors an Adopt-A-River program that supports area environmental clubs in park clean-up efforts.  Two Adopt-a-River cleanup events are sponsored each year in collaboration with Earth Day and Make-a-Difference Day.

Our community works with traditionally under-served communities to increase their access to natural areas, environmental education, birding resources, and local environmental experts.

Riverbend Nature Center works with under-served populations within the City of Racine to promote access to natural areas and environmental education.

Our community participates in a community solar program or that a municipal building receives a significant percentage of its electricity from renewable energy.

Racine is currently active in the Southwest Solar Group Buy, and Greening Greater Racine.  Both organizations promote and enable access to solar energy.

Our community's municipal body passed the required International Migratory Bird Day resolution. For information on the current year’s theme and event materials, please visit the International Migratory Bird Day website. 

The City of Racine Mayor signs a proclamation each year establishing one day in May as International Migratory Bird Day.