Solution to the housing crisis in the forest
Every winter and spring, millions of migratory birds arrive in Norway to nest, but where will they live? It may seem like a curious question, but unfortunately it has serious consequences for nature.
Of the 150 bird species that migrate to Norway, around 40 species depend on so-called "ready-made homes" – cavities in trees, often made by woodpeckers. The problem is that there are fewer and fewer of these natural cavities, which has led to a housing crisis in the forestWoodpeckers make cavities in old, dead trees when they search for food such as insects and larvae. But most of Norway's forests were planted after 1950, and have not reached the stage where the trees age and die, which means fewer woodpecker holes.
This means that birds spend longer finding suitable shelter near water and food before they can find a partner and start nesting. In the worst case, they do not find shelter in time and nesting does not occur. Many of the bird species that depend on cavities are also red-listed species.
Trefadder wants to help solve this housing crisis by setting up thousands of bird boxes where the need is greatest – often along the main migration routes. By doing this, we can give these endangered birds a chance to find safe places to nest and help preserve their place in the Norwegian ecosystem.
