Maidstone's bird box scheme

4.47.56pm GMT Mon 7th Jan 2008

Owls, Kestrels, Jackdaws and other beautiful birds could soon become a common sight in the borough again under a new scheme to introduce a range of bird boxes in the town's parks.

Maidstone Borough Council has teamed up with the Medway Valley Countryside Partnership and Maidstone Prison to bring back a bit of the country into the town by attracting long lost wild bird species.

There are a variety of different style bird boxes, which are being made by Maidstone prisoners with wood donated from Maidstone's B&Q store. They will be installed in local parks in time for the spring breeding season. Nest box sites will include the Archbishop's Palace Gardens, Brenchley Gardens, Clare Park, Mote Park, Penenden Heath, the River Len Nature Reserve, South Park and Whatman Park.

Cabinet Member for the Environment, Cllr Tony Harwood, said: "This is an innovative project designed to attract a range of bird species big and small back into Maidstone. I am particularly pleased that boxes are being designed to provide homes for some of our larger and charismatic bird species such as the tawny owl. My thanks go out to the inmates at the prison who are working tremendously hard on design work and construction of the boxes, and I hope that local community groups and birdwatchers will get involved with monitoring the success of the bird boxes."

North ward councillors Jenni Paterson and Tony Harwood helped fund the exciting initiative from their local budgets.