Gazette File Photo A peregrine falcon surveys the Portage Canal from its nest box on the Portage Lake Lift Bridge in this 2018 photo.

HOUGHTON –The City of Houghton has taken the first step in becoming a Bird City. At its meeting Wednesday, the Council adopted a resolution in support of the Bird City Initiative. If approved by the Bird City Network, Houghton would be the first Bird City in the Upper Peninsula and northern most in Michigan. According to information provided to the council “Becoming a Bird City is a commitment to the long-term health of our local ecosystem and a strategic move for our regional tourism economy.”

Information provided to the council, the designation would boost sustainable tourism due to the fact that birdwatching is one of the country’s fastest-growing outdoor activities. By becoming a Bird City, Houghton would “lead by example” to inspire similar conservation efforts across the U.P. Through education and planning, the Bird City initiative seeks to reduce human-caused threaets while supporting bealthy bird populations and a resilient community. The information also indicated a Bird City designation would enhance Houghton’s community identity reinforcing the “Keweenaw Lifestyle.”

As a Bird City, Houghton would join a network of forward thinking communities dedicated to habitat protection, public awareness and collaborative growth. Houghton’s Bird City application is being coordinated by several entities including the Copper Country Bird Club, Keweenaw Invastive Species Management Area (KISMA), Keweenaw Land Trust, Keweenaw Wild Ones, Keweenaw Wild Bird REC, Michigan Tech, The Nature Conservancy and Visit Keweenaw,

The resolution allowing the city to move forward with the Bird city designation was approved unanimously