If you have a small farm , a big rodent problem, or you’re just interested in environmentally- friendly agriculture, you might want to attend a lecture by Dr. Motti Charter on “Project Bird Box Israel,” which uses barn owls instead of poison to control rodents in Israel, Jordan, and the Palestinian Authority.  The talk is on Tuesday, March 11, 7:15-8:30 p.m. at the Blue Hills Trailside Museum, 1904 Canton Ave., Milton.

The talk is sponsored by Cong. Beth Shalom of the Blue Hills, along with Mass. Audubon, Blue Hills Trailside Museum, Friends of the Blue Hills, Brookwood Community Farm and The Wakefield Estate, and it is FREE and open to the public.

Project Bird Box has assisted in the placement of nearly 3,000 barn owl nesting boxes in seven regions in cooperation with three governmental ministries and private funds.  An important goal of the project is to raise public awareness about the usefulness of raptors and the benefits that human can derive from environmentally friendly agricultural practices.  One British naturalist said, “Amazingly, this barn owl nesting scheme hast transcended Middle Eastern politics and cultures by expanding to Jordan and the Palestinian Authorities with the full support of the governments involved.”

Dr. Charter recently received a Special Achievement Award from the World Owl Hall of Fame for Project Bird Box, which is supported by the University of Haifa and Israel’s Society for the Protection of Nature.  He is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts and earned his Master’s and Doctorate from Tel Aviv University in Israel.

The talk will include free admission into the Trailside Museum, which exhibits local wildlife, including a close-up look at a barn owl.  For more information, contact Cong. Beth Shalom of the Blue Hills at Office@TempleShalomOnline.org or call 617-689-5151.