The North Shore Adventure Park has 34 telephone poles holding its elements and courses and woodpeckers really like searching for food in them. Woodpeckers do millions of dollars in damages in the adventure industry, just as they do to utility poles.
The park has been fighting woodpeckers for three years. To repair damage, the staff must work at height since the woodpeckers favor the tallest poles. Staff inserts a fiberglass expanding polymer, which restores the pole’s integrity. They then add an expanding metal mesh wrap to the pole. Unfortunately, this does not prevent woodpeckers from just moving down the pole to an unprotected spot.
Woodpeckers are territorial, so they often return to damage the same areas every year. To deter them from returning when the park is closed, the park uses a recording of predator birds to discourage them. “The winter of 2023 was our first test, and we saw less damage when we re-opened the park this spring,” said Alice Tibbetts, President of the business.
The recordings are plugged in mid November when the temperature drops and neighbors do not have their windows open. They are then turned off when spring weather warms up. “Last year we waited a bit too long, so we have to make sure we turn it off before it bothers neighbors,” Tibbetts said.
For questions or concerns, contact the park at 218-220-5330
The North Shore Adventure Park in Silver Bay is the only forest climbing park in Minnesota, providing high views of Lake Superior and adventures for families, individuals, and groups! Serving ages 3 and up with high ropes, zip lines, and axe throwing.
