UMD Recognized as Maryland Bird Campus

The University of Maryland has been recognized as a Bird Campus by the Maryland Bird Conservation Partnership, designation recognizing colleges and universities committed to reducing threats to birds and becoming more healthy for students, faculty and employees (as well as birds).

UMD joins three other Maryland universities named a Bird Campus; the organization began recognizing bird-friendly cities in 2019 and added the Bird Campus program in 2021.

It adds to the university’s other designations as a Tree Campus Higher Education by the Arbor Day Foundation and a Bee Campus USA.

“We are delighted to add expanded conservation and awareness of native birds to our arboretum stewardship efforts,” said Karen Petroff, the UMD Arboretum’s director of landscape and special services.

UMD’s recognition was due in large part to student volunteers, including those who are learning to increase bird habitats and members of the student chapter of the Wildlife Society, who track how many and what kind of birds have died from window collisions. (The collected data is used to determine which buildings are most threatening to birds and may contain clues on how to prevent deaths.)

Other efforts of note include maintaining native plant gardens and integrating native species across campus—the University of Maryland Golf Course is one of 19 International Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuaries for Golf in the state—and developing LEED-certified buildings.

UMD will commemorate World Migratory Bird Day on May 11 as part of its participation in the Bird Campus program. The theme will be insects’ importance to birds and how UMD protects them. Visit the UMD Arboretum website for more information.