Learning from information on the web
National Wildlife Federation's Certified Wildlife Habitat Program: There is a wealth of basic and "advanced" practical information available on the requirements for a backyard wildlife habitat. You can also apply for certification and, when certified, can purchase an attractive metal sign designating your backyard as an official habitat.
Wild Ones - Natural Landscapers, Ltd. - a non-profit organization with a mission to educate and share information with members and community at the "plant-roots" level and to promote biodiversity and environmentally sound practices. We are a diverse membership interested in landscaping using native species in developing plant communities. There are many local chapters throughout the country.
Audubon at Home in Seattle: Gardening for Life - An Inspirational Guide to Creating Healthy Habitat is a great resource that's free on the web. Even though it's about Seattle, most of the same principles apply.
The National Audubon Society's Audubon at Home website has other good resources on the menu on the left on Reducing Pesticides, Increasing Backyard Diversity, Rethinking Your Lawn, and a number of articles in Learning How to Garden for Birds and Wildlife (reprints from Audubon magazine).
The US Department of Agriculture has some useful materials on their website. At this website, you can also order an attractive booklet on Backyard Conservation as well as some brochures.
The University of Maine's Cooperative Extension has some nice fact sheets on habitat gardening. Although some of the information is specific to Maine, a lot of it applies to Central New York or other areas of the country.
- Beneficial Insects in Your Backyard, #7150
- Components of a Backyard Habitat, #7137
- Facts on Cats and Wildlife: A Conservation Dilemma, #7148 (PDF)
- Keeping Your Yard Safe for Birds, #7145
- Landscaping for Butterflies in Maine, #7151 (PDF)
- Planning the Backyard Habitat, #7133
- Principles for Creating a Backyard Habitat, #7132
- Why a Backyard Wildlife Habitat, #7131
Worm Composting (vermicomposting) how-to information is available from the Worm Woman, Mary Appelhof (see book below). Also, here's an article I wrote for our local environment newsletter, Central New York Environment.
Other Backyard Wildlife Habitats
There are over 29,000 certified Backyard Wildlife Habitats, and you can visit many of them on the web! Every BWH is unique. It reflects the climate of the area, the particular site, as well as the tastes and interests of its steward. Visit these habitats, and you're sure to find useful information - and inspiration!
You can find sample BWHs in your area by visiting the National Wildlife Federation's website and searching for "Habitats Near You" of any type.
Here are some I found that have good websites:
- Biggs' Wildlife Pond - a wildlife pond in California ... that led to writing a book on dragonflies!
- Leisa's Backyard Habitat
- Nature's Thread, an urban habitat project in Troy, NY
- Our Backyard Forest in Ohio
- Robyn's Pond Page and Wildlife Habitat
- A Backyard Wildlife Habitat in Michigan
- John's Place in North Carolina
- Wrenaissance is a BWH and also an official Urban Wildlife Sanctuary. There's a lot of good information and pictures at this website as well as an extensive list of other backyard habitats to visit.
- Ponds and Water Gardens - also has information on creating and maintaining a bog
