California cleared 900,000 lbs of debris, but left old telephone poles for purple martins to nest

Midpen staff had discovered purple martins nesting in holes inside similar poles near the mountain top while working on Mount Umunhum. California crews left old telephone poles standing while restoring about 40 acres of land at Sierra Azul Open Space Preserve because purple martins use holes in the poles as nesting sites. The decision came as part of a wider restoration project in which more than 900,000 pounds of human debris was removed from the newly acquired properties.The Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District recently completed the restoration work on several properties that were added to the preserve. According to it, the land had abandoned vehicles, dilapidated structures and other debris accumulated over the years.While most of these remains were removed, the old telephone poles were kept. Midpen staff had discovered purple martins nesting in holes inside similar poles near the mountain top while working on Mount Umunhum.The discovery was significant because purple martins were thought to have disappeared from Santa Clara County. The western subspecies, Progne subis arboricola, prefers natural structures such as cavities in standing dead trees, known as snags. The birds...