By BOB SHRALUKA
WZBD.com
The Indiana Audubon Society has announced that Geneva has been recertified as a Bird Town Indiana community after completing conservation actions that improved bird habitat at the Limberlost Conservation Area.
Geneva has been a Bird Town since 2013.
A news release said that Town Indiana, a program of Indiana Audubon, recognizes communities that take measurable action to create healthier environments for birds through habitat conservation, public education and community leadership.
Geneva’s recertification extends its Bird Town designation for two more years and reflects conservation work completed since 2022, according to the news release.
Indiana Audubon noted that one of the town’s recent bird conservation efforts was the installation last July of a chimney swift tower on a barn owned by Friends of the Limberlost at the Limberlost Swamp Nature Preserve.
Chimney swifts have declined sharply in recent decades as many of the open, masonry chimneys they rely on for nesting and roosting are capped, lined or replaced by modern designs.
The tower added a new site for chimney swifts at the preserve, according to Indiana Audubon.
The society also pointed out that Geneva focused on habitat restoration through tree planting. In May of 2025, 10,000 hardwood trees from the state nursery were planted with the help of ACRES Land Trust and guidance from Ryan Smith, east central region ecologist with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources’ Division of Nature Preserves.
The planting added forest cover used by migratory songbirds during spring and fall migration and now provides habitat for wildlife year-round.
The news release noted, too, that the town’s renewal also included work to improve access to outdoor experiences. The ADA-accessible Canoper Trail was expanded by 1.5 miles, connecting Geneva to Berne and making it easier for residents and visitors to enjoy birds at both nature preserves.
“Limberlost has always been a place where birds draw people in,” Terri Gorney Lehman, secretary of Friends of Limberlost, said in the news release. “This recertification shows how much care people put into protecting that place, and it’s encouraging to see local action that benefits birds and the community at the same time.”
Modeled after the “Tree City USA” program and the highly successful Bird City Wisconsin, Indiana Audubon Society created Bird Town Indiana in 2013.
If a community meets basic requirements, it becomes an official Bird Town. In Indiana Bird Towns, both the public officials and citizens demonstrate an active and ongoing commitment to the protection and conservation of bird populations and their habitats.
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