Turn your garden in a local wildlife habitat

In our urbanized cities, places to eat for local wildlife can get increasingly scarce. You can help the local wildlife to survive by planting native plants and hanging feeders in places that are safe for animals to access. An added benefit is that local plants are usually easy to maintain.

To certify for as a wildlife habitat your garden needs to provide three of the following plants or feeders to make your home a five star restaurant for local wildlife: Seeds from a plant; Berries; Nectar; Foliage/Twigs; Nuts; Fruits; Sap; Pollen; Suet; Bird Feeder; Squirrel Feeder; Hummingbird Feeder or a Butterfly Feeder.

Seasonal changes often mean that local food simply isn't readily available, so make sure that your garden provides bird feeders, hummingbird feeders, squirrel feeders and butterfly feeders to add to the native food sources for resident and migrating wildlife.

Climate change threatens our water resources. In some places the current global environment is warming up and reducing waterfalls resulting in drought and lower water tables. Where some areas of the world see waterfall decreasing, other areas are flooded with the resulting excess manifesting istelf in tornadoes and hurricanes that cause flooding, pollute watersheds and erode the natural eco-system. This is why it is important to provide alternative sources of clean water.

One of the easiest way to provide water for local wildlife is by installing a bird bath. During warm weather, change the water 2-3 times a week, because mosquitoes bread in the warm seasons and lay their eggs in the water. During cold weather, be sure to buy a small heater to prevent the water from freezing.

If you want to certify your garden as a Wildlife Habitat make sure you provide one of the following: Birdbath; Lake; Stream; Seasonal Pool; Ocean; Water Garden/Pond; River; Butterfly Puddling Area; Rain Garden or a Spring

It's not easy being an animal. Not only do they have to content with the seasons, they also have to protect themselves and their offspring from predators. Native vegetation provides the perfect cover that they have adapted to, but is becoming increasingly scarce. You can help by providing shrubs, thickets, brush piles and trees (even dead ones, as they still provide tree cavities and branches.

If you only have a small garden, you can still provide cover by constructing a birdhouse.

To qualify to become a Certified Wildlife Habitat, make sure to provide at least two of the following: Wooded Area; Bramble Patch; Ground Cover; Rock Pile or Wall; Cave; Roosting Box; Dense Shrubs or Thicket; Evergreens; Brush or Log Pile ; Burrow; Meadow or Prairie; Water Garden or Pond.

Creating a Wildlife Habitat must also support new life, and help animals to reproduce and raise their young while keeping them safe from bad weather and predators. The posibilities are almost as varied as there are species: from wildflower patches whre butterflies can safely lay their eggs, fish ponds for amphibians, caves for bats and small burrows for mamamals.

Help animals create a love nest and a loving home by providing at least two of these places in your garden: Mature Trees; Meadow or Prairie; Nesting Box; Wetland; Cave; Host Plants for Caterpillars; Dead Trees or Snags; Dense Shrubs or a Thicket; Water Garden or Pond or Burrow.

How you maintain your garden has a impact on the soil, air, water and vegetation we all use. Here are some of the ways you can contribute (in a small but important way) to help protect our environment and natural resources.

Lawns are often made of a limited type of plants, none of which most animals tend to consume. To compound the problem, lawn areas often need frequent maintenance, and are treated with chemicals and gas-powered lawnmowers (that produce greehouse gases). In other words: grass lawns don't provide the three basic ingredients for local wildlife comforts: food, water and cover.

Xeriscaping is already common pracice in areas drier areas, such as West and Southwest. It is a landscaping approach that employs native drought-tolerant plants in order to minimize water use.

Mulch is a covering, as of straw, compost, or plastic sheeting, spread on the ground around plants to prevent excessive evaporation or erosion, enrich the soil, inhibit weed growth, etc.

You should be doing two things to help manage your habitat in a sustainable way.

Soil and Water Conservation: Riparian Buffer; Capture Rain Water from Roof; Xeriscape (water-wise landscaping); Drip or Soaker Hose for Irrigation; Limit Water Use; Reduce Erosion (i.e. ground cover, terraces); Use Mulch orRain Garden

Controlling Exotic Species: Practice Integrated Pest Management; Remove Non-Native Plants and Animals; Use Native Plants or Reduce Lawn Areas

Organic Practices: Eliminate Chemical Pesticides; Eliminate Chemical Fertilizers or Compost

Join the thousands of wildlife enthusiasts across the country who have been recognized for creating havens for neighborhood wildlife in their very own yards. These individuals have provided the essential elements for healthy and sustainable wildlife habitats and have earned the distinction of being part of National Wildlife Federation's Certified Wildlife Habitat™ program.

Start your certification application here