Got Gophers

The Hungry Owl Project is pleased to announce a nontoxic gopher control seminar with Thomas Wittman of Gophers Unlimited. On May 4,
2006, please join us at the Marin Art & Garden Center, 30 Sir Francis Drake Blvd., Ross,
from 6:30 – 9:30 PM for a presentation on controlling gophers without chemicals. Our
featured speaker Thomas Wittman is the owner of Gophers Limited, based in Ben
Lomand, CA. The event is sponsored by the Hungry Owl Project, and the Garden
Education Council of the Marin Art and Garden Center. The cost to attend is $25 per
person in advance, and $30 per person at the door. Reservations highly recommended!
Funds raised will benefit the Hungry Owl Project (HOP). HOP will do a presentation on
flying gopher control featuring appearances by live education owls. Barn owl boxes and
gopher traps will be available for purchase. Wine & cheese will be served.
The Hungry Owl Project (HOP) is a subsidiary of nonprofit WildCare: Terwilliger
Nature Education and Wildlife Rehabilitation (http://www.wildcarebayarea.org), in San Rafael.
HOP’s mission includes conservation of cavity nesting birds by providing nesting boxes
for owls, bats and bluebirds. Loss of habitat and removal of old farm buildings has
caused a steady decline of barn owls in many areas of the United States. HOP seeks to
prevent such losses in the Bay Area. Did you know that one adult barn owl can consume
up to 1000 gophers per year? HOP also provides educational programs at schools and
partners with school woodshop classes in the construction of nest boxes. All money
raised from the sale of nesting boxes is used to provide more education, and construct
more boxes. HOP educates the public on the harmful effects of rodenticides (rat poison)
on beneficial predators. Barn owls are voracious consumers of rodents, and without the
services of beneficial predators, such as owls, hawks, coyotes and other predators, rodent
populations would soon be out of control. HOP also partners with WildCare in the
rehabilitation of injured and orphaned birds of prey, and consults with farms, ranches,
golf courses, homeowners, HOA’s, and vineyards on the use of Integrated Pest
Management (IPM) on their properties, and conducts research on local barn owl
populations. To date, the Hungry Owl Project, begun in 2002, has sold over 300 boxes in
Marin, Sonoma and Napa counties.
About Gophers Limited
Gophers Limited is dedicated to non toxic methods of pest rodent control in gardens,
lawns, orchard, vineyards and farms. We specialize in removal of gophers, moles, voles
and ground squirrels.
Training programs are available in most of California for large or small groups. Please
call Thomas Wittman at (831) 336-2852 for more information. Web site:
http://www.gopherslimited.com.
For more information, please call 415-454-4587, or visit http://www.hungryowl.org.