The Cross-Watershed Banding Together for Birds Initiative 

As of 2026 SAWIG will be participating in The Cross-Watershed Banding Together for Birds Initiative which is a partnership between PEI Watershed Groups and experts to help conserve declining aerial insectivores. 

Partnered Watershed Groups include, Trout River Environmental Committee, Kensington North Watersheds Association, Wheatley River Improvement Group, South Shore Watershed Association, Hunter-Clyde Watershed Group, Stratford Area Watershed Improvement Group, Bedeque Bay Environmental Management Association, Belfast Area Watershed Group, Tignish Watershed Management Group, and Winter River-Tracadie Bay Watershed Association.

This program aims to establish a standardized tree swallow monitoring  and banding across Prince Edward Island; providing safe nesting habitat for declining aerial insectivore species and educating community members on conservation efforts. 

Tree swallows are cavity nesting birds but are unable to excavate thier own holes. As such, providing safe habitat using tree swallow nesting boxes goes a long way.