Wildlife Habitat Certification

The National Wildlife Federation offers a certification program for gardens that provide wildlife habitat – with food, water, cover, and places to raise young. More information can be found on the NWF website.

I personally have not applied for certification, since I haven’t been able to figure out a low-maintenance way to provide a water source in my garden without risking breeding mosquitoes. I know better than to sign myself up for changing water every few days! Besides, I’m just a few blocks from the Mystic Lakes, and most flying things that come to my garden can fly that far for water.

If you feel differently than I do about maintaining a bird bath or butterfly puddle, you might want to consider joining the 140,000 sites around the country that have been certified as wildlife-friendly. Whether or not you get officially certified, every bit of habitat-friendly garden matters.