How to get your Yard, Patio or Balcony Certified as Wildlife Habitat
Certification requires having food, water, cover and nesting sites, plus using some sustainable gardening practices.
Certify online at National Wildlife Federation or Download the Certification Application form, fill it out and send it in. You will receive a Wildlife Habitat Certificate, a year's membership in NWF including their great magazine, a Wildlife Sanctuary Sign from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, and backyard habitat information from the Woodland Park Zoo.
Certification requires having food, water, cover and nesting sites, plus using some sustainable gardening practices.
Certify online at National Wildlife Federation or Download the Certification Application form, fill it out and send it in. You will receive a Wildlife Habitat Certificate, a year's membership in NWF including their great magazine, a Wildlife Sanctuary Sign from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, and backyard habitat information from the Woodland Park Zoo.
Here's what you need to get certified:
Food Sources (Minimum Requirement 3):
Plant Food Sources: Berries, seeds, nuts, fruits, pollen, nectar, sap, foliage/twigs
Supplemental Feeders: Seed, Suet, Squirrel, Hummingbird, Butterfly
Plant Food Sources: Berries, seeds, nuts, fruits, pollen, nectar, sap, foliage/twigs
Supplemental Feeders: Seed, Suet, Squirrel, Hummingbird, Butterfly
Water Sources (Minimum Requirement 1):
Birdbath, Lake, Stream, Seasonal Pool, Water Garden/Pond, Butterfly Puddling Area, Rain Garden, Spring
Birdbath, Lake, Stream, Seasonal Pool, Water Garden/Pond, Butterfly Puddling Area, Rain Garden, Spring
Places for Cover (Minimum Requirement 2):
Wooded Area, Bramble Patch, Ground Cover, Rock Pile/Wall, Roosting Box, Dense Shrubs/Thicket, Evergreens, Brush/Log Pile, Water Garden/Pond
Wooded Area, Bramble Patch, Ground Cover, Rock Pile/Wall, Roosting Box, Dense Shrubs/Thicket, Evergreens, Brush/Log Pile, Water Garden/Pond
Places to Raise Young (Minimum Requirement 2):
Mature Trees, Nesting Box, Wetland, Caterpillar Host Plants, Dead Trees/Snags, Dense Shrubs/Thicket, Water Garden/Pond, Burrow
Mature Trees, Nesting Box, Wetland, Caterpillar Host Plants, Dead Trees/Snags, Dense Shrubs/Thicket, Water Garden/Pond, Burrow
Sustainable Gardening Practices (Minimum Requirement 2):
Soil and Water Conservation: Riparian Buffer, Rainwater Capture, Water-wise Landscaping, Drip or Soaker Hose Use, Water Conservation, Erosion Reduction, Mulch Use, Rain Garden
Controlling Exotic Species: Integrated Pest Management, Invasive Plant and Animal Removal, Native Plant Use, Lawn Area Reduction
Organic Practices: Eliminate Chemical Pesticides and Fertilizers, Compost Use
Soil and Water Conservation: Riparian Buffer, Rainwater Capture, Water-wise Landscaping, Drip or Soaker Hose Use, Water Conservation, Erosion Reduction, Mulch Use, Rain Garden
Controlling Exotic Species: Integrated Pest Management, Invasive Plant and Animal Removal, Native Plant Use, Lawn Area Reduction
Organic Practices: Eliminate Chemical Pesticides and Fertilizers, Compost Use
Ideas on how to make your deck, patio or balcony wildlife friendly
For information on providing for the needs of wildlife in small spaces, try this National Audubon website. http://athome.audubon.org/sites/default/files/documents/bbb_apt_0.pdf
