Hi Folks
I made a "Sunday drive" today and found a small town public park colony that's in very very depressing shape. Thought I'd post a note here, if any PMCA folks nearby want to help out.
This colony is in Clarksville, Missouri, an old rivertown on the Mississippi about an hour north of St. Louis. The town's downtown faces the river, and is mostly antique and art shops. Along the riverfront, there's a long row of about 10 dilapidated old Trio houses, mixed in with two or three old wooden houses. The Trios have nearly all doors partially open or missing, bashed tops and perches; several are just shambles. I think owls have opened the doors and maybe vandals smashed a few houses. Some of the houses are under the canopy of old elms.
I found a community volunteer in town working in the City Hall courtyard garden, who turned out to be the town Garden Club president. (it's a small town). She's very receptive to any suggestions for new housing for next year (maybe has a budget) and I will make some email recommendations to her soon. I learned that these houses were put up some years ago by Boy Scouts, and are now neglected. The houses do continue to house some martins.
I'll be emailing her again to suggest a few houses they can consider for next year, and reiterating that they really need an individual to volunteer to manage the site. I can't manage it myself, as it's an hour and half from my home. If there's someone in the region who wants to help in any way, I'll send you a PM with contact information for the garden club there. It's really a very pleasant site, with a beautiful riverfront view of the Mississippi.
John Miller,
St. Louis, Mo
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