Living with wildlife

I’ve been writing about the National Wildlife Federation’s Certified Wildlife Habitat program for so long, that it always surprises me when someone points it out to me like it is a new idea. The truth is, that the NWF started their program back in 1973, and there are now over 150,000 certified habitats, and still growing.

While many people understand the importance of protecting wildlife, few really think there is anything that one person can do to make a difference. Craig Tufts, who recently passed away at the age of 62, felt differently. As Chief Naturalist for the National Wildlife Federation, Tufts was instrumental in creating the Backyard Wildlife Habitat Program. "There is much each of us can do for the environment as we care for our own piece of the Earth,” Tufts said.

The NWF has long believed that we can all choose to create landscapes that help restore the ecological balance of our planet. To demonstrate this, they ran an article in the April 1973 issue of National Wildlife magazine encouraging people to landscape and garden in a more sustainable, natural way, with wildlife in mind.

Response to the article was so overwhelming that NWF began the Certified Wildlife Habitat™ program (originally known as Backyard Wildlife Habitat program) that same year to educate people about the benefits, for both people and wildlife, of creating and restoring natural landscapes. Since that time, the practice of natural landscaping has grown in popularity.

The program encourages everyone to plan their landscaping with the needs of wildlife in mind. "Building a habitat is one example of how a single person or family can do something that can have a long-term positive impact," Tufts said.

Now, more than ever, it is important for all of us to learn to live in harmony with wildlife.

The four elements that are necessary to help turn your yard into a Habitat are food, water, shelter and places to raise young. Most of these can be provided simply by careful selection of the items you choose to plant.

Food: Fruit or berry producing trees may be enough to draw the wildlife to your yard. Any sort of supplemental feeding, such as bird feeders, will broaden the variety of creatures that you can attract.

Water: A simple thing like adding a birdbath can rapidly increase the number of wildlife visitors. A tray of water placed on the ground will provide drink for the mammals and reptiles that may venture into your habitat. Other forms of water supply are ponds or drainage ditches that abut your property.

Cover: Most cover can be provided by your choice of plants. Almost any evergreen tree or shrub offers a year round hiding place. Rocks, logs and compost piles are also effective cover.

Places to raise young: Shrubs, bushes, rocks, logs, ponds and even flowers, all provide areas for animals to lay eggs or raise their young. Nest boxes, birdhouses, evergreen and deciduous trees are also popular spots.

So what kind of wild critters can you expect to attract? I live in Brevard County, Florida and my certified habitat is filled with butterflies, hummingbirds and songbirds, turtles and tortoises, snakes and lizards and rabbits and squirrels. There are families of hawks and barred owls and the occasional raccoon, fox and bobcat. As a critter loving nature nerd, I feel completely at home in my little wooded paradise, NWF Certified Habitat #25,927.

To learn more about how to attract wildlife to your own yard, you may visit my website, Take Care of Florida. Although many of the plant lists are Florida specific, the general information is pertinent to any habitat.

To find out more about the NWF's Backyard Wildlife Habitat program, visit them online.