Help Create Wildlife Habitat . . . One Yard at a Time

[DizzyDaff]

Help Create Wildlife Habitat . . . One Yard at a Time
For over 30 years, the National Wildlife Federation's Certified Wildlife Habitat™ program has helped to make a place for wildlife in the modern world, while at the same time helping people to connect with the nature around them.
The program provides educational materials, practical advice and official certification to homeowners, educational settings, businesses, community groups and entire communities!

To date, they've certified over 75,000 habitat sites - special places that provide the essentials for attracting songbirds, butterflies and other wildlife.
For more information, visit them at National Wildlife Federation

 

[Gloria]

I started to do this. I have so much wildlife around me that I was very interested. Hubby and I had a pond dug a few years ago next to our house, within 30 foot of our back door. I was told that if I had a change of heart about the pond that I could not cover in the pond if I decided I didn't care for it anymore. The National Wildlife Federation had the last word if I joined this organization! Does anyone know if this is true?? I would love to do what I can for wildlife but to be told what I can do on my own land..well..that's going a bit too far. I'd like more info if anyone knows or has done this.

 

[GardenBear1]

Gloria, I heard the same thing about a pond and I haven't done any thing yet I have to do some checking, first I may just forget to say anything about a pond in my back yard and see what happens later on, that the same reason I never reg. my home on the historical list to darn many do's and don't don't need some one telling me what I can do or can't do with my house or yard so until I find out more I'll just keep feeding the wild life the way I do

 

[Gloria]

I think I will do the same. There's enough rules and regulations as it is with out inviting more. The one thing I don't like about my pond is that it lures snakes in the dry season and I'm talking the poisonous ones. I'll keep feeding the wildlife and enjoy it as it is.

 

[Jade]

I have a city girl as a neighbor, she was out walking in her yard and found some poop from some animal. Now she wants to put poisened meat out to kill whatever is pooping. When she told me that I decided that we are too different to be good neighbors. So sad. It is so hard to move and then have not good people next door. I asked her why she bought a house that backed onto the woods.

 

[Gloria]

That's really bad...to want to put poison out and not know what might get it.
I had an o'possum to visit Monday night. He/she stayed just near enough to the fence to drive my little dogs crazy for hours...but it's ok, it's welcome and my little pinscher dogs are confined to an area so they nor the possum was in any danger.
I love country life, no neighbors close enough to bother me. The closest is my brother and he and I can deal with each other's prohibitations. Since we both grew up on a working farm and in the country ..we don't have a lot of disagreements.

 

[Jade]

That's really bad...to want to put poison out and not know what might get it.
I had an o'possum to visit Monday night. He/she stayed just near enough to the fence to drive my little dogs crazy for hours...but it's ok, it's welcome and my little pinscher dogs are confined to an area so they nor the possum was in any danger.
I love country life, no neighbors close enough to bother me. The closest is my brother and he and I can deal with each other's prohibitations. Since we both grew up on a working farm and in the country ..we don't have a lot of disagreements.

I am wondering if she needs a fence. It might be the best solution. She has planted evergreen trees around her whole property and doesn't know how big any of them will get. Two of them are on our property and we don't know what we are going to do about that yet. We are hoping that she will sell and we can just cut them down. Interesting situations when you move.

 

[Gloria]

If I liked the evergreens, I would leave it alone...hehe ..but if not, I would try to be nice and resolve the issue. If that didn't work, I'd remove the issue!

 

[Randy]

We had some neighbors several years back that would turn their dogs loose and at least one of them would come over into our yard for relieving himself. He was an ornery little dog (miniature schnauzer) too and had bitten a couple of people. As much as I disliked the dog though, it was the neighbor who was ultimately responsible for the dog. I could have poisoned the dog, but I wouldn't do that even to an ornery dog. Now if one comes onto our place and kills our chickens or chases our goats or horse, chances are it will get shot. But I don't think that is likely to happen anyway.

 

[Jade]

The issue that we have with the evergreens is that we may not be able to get into our shed if they grow huge. There are no tags on the trees so I don't even know what they are or how big they will get. I am not stirring up trouble, so will let the issue go, unless she puts poisen out, that will be bad.

 

[Randy]

If I knew a neighbor had set out poison and then a dog died from it, I would not hesitate to let the authorities know that she had indicated that she would do that.

 

[Gardengoddess]

I think this is the same the little questionaire I did for my home in Oregon. I qualified for a backyard habitat but I didn't formally register because it cost money and I didn't see any benefit for me. It seemed like more of a money raising/educational activity not something that was meant to boss folks around and tell them what to do with their property.

Dora/Garden Goddess

 

[Wombat]

The Wildlife Habitat idea is a really good one, we have a something similar over here. I recall reading about the very subject many years ago and decided there and then to plant a little rainforest at the back of my place. Over the years I noted the increased number of native birds, mammals and insects frequenting my yard. By planting mainly native species and a few exotics, I now have a yard full of ''locals''. I think the main reason for the success of our project is that every plant in my yard has flowers or produces nectar and there seems to be plenty to share amongst my visitors. I also use no poisons of any description. I'm increasing the size of the rainforest slowly, as there's an added incentive, apart from the extra wildlife.......less lawn to mow!