The National Wildlife Federation has a Backyard Wildlife Habitat program. Anyone can create a habitat for wildlife on their property and get it certified. Has anyone heard of this before? Has anyone else here done it? We are in the process of buying a house, and the current owners have the property certified under this program. This is the first I'd ever heard of it, but I'm excited to continue it! They said they see so many species of birds they didn't even have room to list them all on the form.
Here's a link to the program's site: http://www.nwf.org/backyardwildlifehabitat/createhabitat.cfm
Backyard Wildlife Habitat Program
Done it. Have the sign. Haven't put it up yet. LOL. I'm Habitat # 42920. You can search on that number and look at my gallery to see what critters I've had. I only have five photos uploaded -- they have to be 100K or less and it takes a lot of time on my part to update my page.
It's actually quite simple: any one with $15 who answers all the questions on their web site gets Backyard Habitat certification. I was actually honest, but you really wouldn't have to be if you just have to have that sign.
The main thing is to verify that you have food, shelter, water, and nesting sites on your property. I was able to document x number of mammals, x number of amphibians, x number of birds plus a certain percentage of native species plants. What it really does is encourage you to use more native plants in your garden landscape and be conscious and aware that what you might consider to be trash or compost could be someone else's den or nesting site. For example, I don't remove deadfall anymore. I keep a pile of sticks and twigs. The birds raid it for nesting material and lord knows what else takes shelter in it. I try to bring in only native plants that offer some sort of berry or seed or something to provide food without having to feed feeders (I'm lazy). I don't rake leaves because they break down (eventually) and nourish the soil, which feeds the worms, which feeds the birds and who knows what else?
You have to think of your property as a little mini-ecosystem and know that any action you take could affect a dozens species without you knowing about it. So the program also encourages organic gardening practices. For example, my ignorant neighbor sprayed for fleas. He used Sevin dust, which I was not thrilled about, and malathion, which I was downright angry about. I've been gardening for butterflies and hummingbirds for years and this is the first year I've seen nothing because Well Meaning Neighbor sprayed poison close to my property and killed everything I had going.
Anyway, having certification made me buy some field guides. Now I sit in my backyard a lot with binoculars trying to identify birds and critters who happen by.
How exciting that you're buying a house that has already received certification! I'd ask the owner for a garden walk through before you close -- there may be certain things they've done on purpose that you might be thinking, "What's up with that? Shouldn't we get rid of this dead tree?" (The answer: Not if you want to give the woodpeckers some place to dine and live!)
Oh yeah, that's habitat gallery #38757.
Go to "habitats near you" (menu on the left)
Then click on "habitat gallery"
Enter my gallery number under the map of the U.S. and click "go"
Special prize to anyone who can identify my toad from last year.
Very cool! I think I'll have to go through the certification process again, though, since we'll be new owners(?). Thanks for mentioning that about the sticks and stuff-- they do have a pile of sticks I was wanting to take out-- I hadn't even thought about that. I'm really excited: it's neat buying a house from someone who has similar values as we do. We already prefer native plants (or at least whatever noninvasive species will thrive naturally here) and don't use chemicals on our garden. We put out a birdfeeder and a birdhouse, and we had chickadees nest in it this year. It will be so rewarding to do this in a more rural area where we will actually see more critters. I'll have to let you know when I get certified. :) In the meantime, off I go to look up your habitats. Maybe I'll get some ideas!
Ditto everything Dogzilla says! Their website is nice and has a lot of info on it. I got my certification because the city kept giving me citations for my brush pile. Since I got it, no citations. Which is just my stupid dumb luck, not anything to do with NWF or my brush pile! But it is fun to have anyway.
If you still have questions Daves Mail Frostweed, she works with people to get their yards up to par - she is working with me on mine right now!
I'm #34764. I haven't updated my site in ages, I need to do that.
This is really cool. I think I'm gonna apply for certification. Dogzilla, Thanks for that great info!
This really is such a neat program, I think (even though I haven't even gotten involved in it yet!). Currently the number one reason for species extinction is habitat destruction, which is really going on in the United States due to suburbanization (and I bet the current house boom is contributing to that). I think this is a neat way to get people to create a habitat friendly for their animal neighbors, and in seeing the variety of wildlife that people can attract, hopefully it also increases people's appreciation of the animals. We have fun watching what we can here (we have chickadees nesting again!), but it will be so great to move out in the country where we can see a greater variety of wildlife. I'll have to pass on the word about this program: I bet I know a lot of people who would be interested! Thanks for the info, everyone. :) I'm surprised I've never heard of it until now.
yes, a number of DGers are certified for the Wildlife Habitat...if you do a forum search I think you'll find lots of discussion...
also for the Monarch Waystation program that just started this year http://www.monarchwatch.org/ws/download.html
And you get a sign for that, too!
Lot's of fun for the family--We've enjoyed working together to set up the habitat here, but, I confess, I haven't sent in the $15 yet! Thanks for reminding me! t.
Really really glad I came across this thread. I have 12 acres and although guilty of using "imported" plants up around the house I leave the rest of it as natural as I can. I have many owl, bat, squirrel, bird, etc. houses spread around the property and all are used. I leave dead pines up as long as they dont threaten the house - lol for the pilieated woodpeckers and other woodpeckers. Food plots for the deer and turkey, ect., ect. I have not been certified though and I think that would be fun. Going to do that this week I think. Also working on the Monarch thing. Looking for milkweeds right now, anyone have any starts or seeds I could get for postage I would appreciate it.
As for that neighbor that sprayed - wow, your better than I am. I believe I would have given him a good ol southern attitude adjustment. Im lucky, I dont have that blight on a garden called a neighbor. lol
I plan to watch this thread and hope to pick up more from it and hopefully add to it as well.
Well, you know, I'm not going to yell at an old man who thinks he's doing me a favor. My garden will be around longer than he will, so I'm sure it will survive one season of his spraying. We will have a polite, but pointed, discussion before next season rolls around.
I cannot, however, blame him for the slugs I found last night, happily munching on my plumeria. Grrr.
Slgrowers, yay! We can do this together. Well, we won't be in the new house until the end of the month, but I certainly want to get our place certified under our names. :) I think it's such a neat idea, and kudos for keeping wild areas. Sounds like you really see a lot of wildlife there!
Danak - been away for a bit but planning on signing up for this tonight. Yes, we have a good amount of wildlife here = we are very luckin in that.
We are still packing and waiting for our closing date, but we got to see the new house again this weekend. It is so neat, now that I've read about this program, to see all of the components that add to attracting wildlife. They have a little fountain and pond (that had a frog in it), stick piles, natural/native areas, berry-producing shrubs, and lots of bird houses and feeders. I'm so excited to move in! I'll have to find out how it works, though, when I'm taking over someone else's property that has already been registered. At least that makes it easy for me. :)
I'm sure you will enjoy becoming a wildlife habitat in your own name. It surely is a wonderful way to attract birds, animals, butterflies. We have had our certification for nearly a year. When we look at the garden catalogues, we are now looking for the plants that will inhance what we already have.
I recently joined the Backyard Wildlife Habitat program, and today I got this email from NWF:
Backyard Habitat on Animal Planet
The National Wildlife Federation has teamed up with Animal Planet to create Backyard Habitat, a new television series that makes the planet a better place for animals, one backyard at a time. Hosted by David Mizejewski of the National Wildlife Federation and TV personality Molly Pesce, each episode presents fun and simple ways to attract wildlife to your property, whether it's a balcony in the city or a large backyard. From butterfly gardens to turtle ponds to bird feeders, learn how to build, landscape and create a certified habitat at home where you can enjoy the simple pleasures nature has to offer every day. Coming in August. Tune in weekdays at 11:30 AM ET/PT.
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You can also have your own backyard featured on the show. I think some of Dave's Garden members would be great candidates!
http://www.nwf.org/backyardwildlifehabitat/animalplanetcastingcall.cfm
moyesii--thanks for letting us know about the TV show. I think you should make a separate post on the Wildlife forum announcing it. I agree. There must be lots of good candidates on DG!
Wow, that's cool! I can get some good ideas to enhance our back yard. Yes, you should start a new thread so people can find it. I hope that, if anyone from DG is featured, they'll post it! It sure would be neat to see a fellow DGer on the show. :)
Kind of a cute story....
About a month ago I received my NWF Backyard Habitat Certification. And since then I've had one cardinal fly into the house and land on the kitchen counter, one small snake come in and down the hallway, and this morning I had a duck in my swimming pool.
I haven't even posted my sign yet, but word seems to be spreading throughout the wildlife community. They must have heard from the many squirrels and birds that normally hang out here.
I guess I'd better quit propping open the back door for my dog.
8*)
That IS a cute story! I hope we have lots of visitors, too. My suet and birdseed is all ready. We're moving into our new house (with the backyard wildlife habitat, although we'll probably have to renew it in our names) this weekend. We're very excited. But do watch out about propping that back door open-- we ended up with another cat because of that!
lol that is so funny! Can't wait til you get your sign up...wonder what will be visiting, then! t.
Make sure you have LOTS of birdseed, danak. I have 3 birdfeeders, and they are emptied within 8 hrs. I have to refill them at least once a day. I buy my birdseed and sunflower seed in 25lb bags.
Terrie
OH MY GOODNESS! We had some bird visitors here, but nothing like that! The previous owners at our new house talked of the many, many, many bird visitors they had, and their "birdseed budget." I didn't imagine they could empty bird feeders in 8 hours though. I guess I need to stock up some more! I can't wait to sit out on the patio and watch them. It will be worth it. :)
It is fun watching them. We have the normal birds - cardinals, jays, mourning doves, mockingbirds - plus some "tropical" ones. The Monk Parakeet looks like a parrot. I usually get five or six at a time and they really eat! Plus, the squirrels eat bunches and bunches of sunflower seeds. At times I look out my kitchen window and see six or seven on the feeders, the ground, the fence.... 8*D
We were really excited one day to see Evening Grosbeaks. They are very colorful, sort of like parrots. That's the first time I've seen a bird that colorful in our climate. The previous owners of our new house said that they see them there, too. It's such a treat! I'll let you all know what shows up at (hopefully not IN!) our new house... :)
Update on my duck tale:
At 6 a.m. this morning, while reading my paper on the sofa, I heard the unmistakeable "quack, quack" out in my backyard. Sure enough.... my female mallard was back. Swimming around awhile, then she climbed out and ate the fallen seeds under my birdfeeders. She then got back in the pool and took her morning bath. I'm having so much fun with this!
Terrie
danak,
I've never seen the Grosbeaks around here. I've seen them in my birding books, though. I bet they are beautiful in person. How exciting. I'd love to hear what kinds of birds you see at your feeders.
Terrie
Another wildlife story:
I've recently begun butterfly gardening. At one point I had 15 Gulf Fritillary caterpillars on my passionflower vine. One of the caterpillars came into my screened porch to pupate. I was keeping an eye on her so that I could take the chrysalis outside before she "hatched". While I was at work one day, she emerged and I found her just sitting on the patio. Following a friends instructions I got a piece of paper to slide her on to take outside. She wouldn't get on the paper... instead, walked right up on my hand. I took her outside but every time I tried to get her to get off my hand and onto a plant, she just continued walking on my hand. I think she thought I was her Mom!
Terrie
Another picture of my "baby".
8*)
I have been enjoying this thread. We are not certified as a wildlife habitat, but I'm sure we'd never enjoy golden warblers or rufus sided towhees etc. if not for designing our garden like one.
Now that frost is on many of our pumpkins and ponds, what's happening in your habitats now?
A good source of inexpensive bird seed is http://www.audubon.org/ . Buying seed from your local chapter of Audubon is a great way to support that organization and the work it does in conservation and education.
Well, of course, I haven't seen first frost yet. I have enough seed-producing shrubs and berry plants (not just in my yard but in adjacent yards as well) to feed the birds who all flew south from your neck of the woods to overwinter in mine! So I just leave things alone out there and watch the camellias bloom.
So while you all will sit vigil awaiting the robins to return, I'm busily feeding them down here. Fatten 'em up for their journeys back to your feeders!
The butterflies are just about finished but every day I see at least one flitting about -- and my passionflowers are about to bust out into full bloom. They have no idea tomorrow is Thanksgiving!
Hope you have a good one!
I'm glad to know that my robins have a happy winter home!
Yay! I finally got our new property certified! We've had a treat here also: SNOW, even this early in the season. I can't believe how busy the birds are in this weather! I've seen just about all our local birds these last couple of days, including thirty-three quail , over twenty house finches, juncos, chickadees, sparrows, a northern flicker, red-winged blackbirds, starlings, Stellar's jays, spotted towhees, nuthatches-- to name a few. :) I'm having a great time watching them. I'm amazed at the diversity of wildlife we have here.
So here's another thing I just discovered: does anyone here do Project FeederWatch through Cornell University Ornithology Lab? Since we all seem to watch our feeders anyway, we can turn in the information on what birds we see, and then Cornell can use the information in their research. Here's a link if anyone's interested: http://www.birds.cornell.edu/pfw/index.html. I signed up a couple of weeks ago, and now I'm anxiously awaiting my information packet.
Have fun watching the activity in your backyards, too!
--Dana
Danak, can you take any pictures? There were some beautiful woodcuts done in Japan with landscapes featuring all kinds of birds, including quail - would be fun to match these woodcuts with pictures from folks' backyard habitats.
We don't have a digital camera - the pair of doves that waddle up and down the middle brick walk would make a nice one. Really need to bring our squirrel-proof feeder down from the back hill closer to the house for our winter bird extravaganza.
It has one of those trays that are weighted in such a way that heavy critters like squirrels just fall off plus is made in such a way that they can't get a really good grip in order to rearrange the feeder's configuration.
Congratulations on getting your habitat certified! very inspiring to the rest of us. Do other critters enjoy your garden too?
I have been a member of the backyard wildlife program for quite some time. I am member number 27504 and have two of the signs posted,one on each of my backyard entrances. All creatures are welcome in my yard. I have had to install guards around some of my roses and other bushes that the rabbits consider tasty. At this time of year it is important to supply food and water for the critters.
I haven't posted any pictures on the Habitat site. I have a lot of photos that I have taken with my digital camera,I just haven't done any posting yet. My daughter is also a member and has posted pictures of her backyard.
I have plenty of pictures. I'll post a few. :) We also have squirrels, racoons, lizards, frogs (including a one-eyed frog), possums, chipmunks, bunnies, moles, mice, voles, and more.
Bluespiral, do you know the artist who did the woodcuts? I would be interested to learn more about those.
Here's the one-eyed frog. (I contacted Fish and Wildlife and was able to speak to a famous researcher about this. Luckily he suspects that its deformity is NOT a result of pollution. But I still want to get our well water tested!)
I like this picture of the Northern Flicker that visits us. Here he's taking refuge from the rain and stretching after grooming himself.
We have many house finches constantly fighting for their turn at the sunflower feeder. Here's one waiting on a wisteria vine.
I got one good picture of a junco making his way to the feeder in the snow.
