National Wildlife Federation Certification
The fifth edition of Learning in the Great Outdoors is up. One entry that caught my attention was My Backyard Wildlife Habitat. Tiffany takes a look at getting her yard certified as a Wildlife Habitat from the National Wildlife Foundation. She even shares a slide show of her habitat. To be qualified you need several things in your yard. I’ll highlight what is in our habitat:
* Food Sources. For example: Native plants, seeds, fruits, nuts, berries, nectar
* Water Sources. For example: Birdbath, pond, water garden, stream
* Places for Cover. For example: Thicket, rockpile, birdhouse (shrubs, woodpile)
* Places to Raise Young. For example: Dense shrubs, vegetation, nesting box, pond
* Sustainable Gardening. For example: Mulch, compost, rain garden, chemical-free fertilizer
If you are interested, check out the National Wildlife Federation’s website and get started. There is a $15 registration fee, but there are other benefits besides the plaque to hang in your yard.
Do you provide more for your birds than food and water? Have you ever considered NWF certification for your yard? It seems like a wonderful way to introduce children to the concept of a habitat and develop a love and appreciation for wildlife.
Don’t forget the comment contest going on for the month of August here at 451 Press. Every comment counts!
birding, backyard birding, habitat, National Wildlife Federation, wildlife
August 21st, 2007 at 2:08 am
That is interesting. I didn’t even know you could get your yard certified. Thanks for sharing this.
Have a great day!
JoAnn
August 21st, 2007 at 9:58 am
Not a problem! If you happen to go through the process, let me know! I’d love to share your experiences, as well. I think we may go ahead, but I feel obligated to weed first. It probably isn’t important, especially since the birds like our weeds!
August 22nd, 2007 at 1:13 am
[...] links to entries from several authors on a common theme. I submitted my post on getting your yard NWF certified to this week’s Carnival of Homeschooling, because I thought some families might be interested [...]
August 22nd, 2007 at 8:45 pm
We certified our yard last year. We also do regular bird counting using eBird. It’s amazing how much wildlife comes through our yard! I understand feeling the need to weed, but I find if I pull a few while I’m outside and mulch the garden areas well, it isn’t so hard to take care of. Look for the book Weedless Gardening by Lee Reich.
September 14th, 2007 at 8:42 am
Sorry I missed this, Cristina. Thank you for sharing your experience and the suggestion!
I haven’t used eBird, yet, but we did FeederWatch last year and plan to again this year.