Target 25 is A Rocha UK’s project to help a range of declining species, taxonomic groups and threatened habitats. We hear from Polly Eaton at Gold awarded Eco Church, High Street Baptist Church in Tring, who are taking action to protect swifts:
At High Street Baptist Church we have very limited outdoor space, so we sought to engage with the Target 25 initiative where we might have the most influence and impact. So, when local swift expert, Vicky Duxbury, explained in a discussion at a sustainable community event that there are big threats to swift populations and that Tring has some precious colonies visiting each summer, this seemed to be a key species for us to support.
The Bible has hundreds of references to teaching and learning. When you learn more about the mercy of God, you notice it in action. When you learn more about God’s creation, you notice his handiwork. One of the first steps toward environmental action is to learn more about the subject, and knowledge helps you notice.
During Swift Conservation Week 2024, Vicky ran an information evening and swift walk. The event was well attended by both church and community folk and was an absolute delight. We learned that although we still see swifts return to Tring each year, swift numbers have plummeted by 65 per cent in just 25 years nationally.
One of the reasons swifts are in decline is that they have fewer places to breed. Swifts nest under the eaves of buildings or in crevices in walls. New houses are built with fewer gaps and spaces between roofs and walls, leaving no new habitats. We are inadvertently destroying their old cavity nesting sites through renovation, demolition and insulation.
Another reason that swifts are in decline is that they can’t find enough food. They eat as many as 100,000 flying insects a day. With insects declining at a faster rate than ever before, many swifts can’t find enough food to sustain themselves. We can support swifts by helping insect populations grow. This means avoiding pesticide use and leaving areas of our gardens, verges and green spaces wild for insects to breed and live.
After the talk, Vicky led us on a local walk, and we were treated to an acrobatic display from the local swifts. We also learned to spot the swifts, even noticing them when they were just pin dots in the sky. And evidently, a group of people standing on the pavement looking up at the sky is so noteworthy that it caused four cars and a number of walkers to stop and ask us what we were doing. This enabled us to share some information with them about swifts and the reason why we are doing it, to care for God’s creation.
As a church, we have continued learning together and have been considering what action we take. Swifts are a fascinating species, and their survival seems dependent on humans creating more opportunities for nesting and supporting insects for an increase in the supply of food.
