As an animal control professional, I have witnessed the many benefits a Certified Wildlife Habitat can offer such as: 1. The key to certification is the observed use of the property by 10 out of 42 targeted sanctuary species, or species groups of wildlife listed by ASNV as needing assistance in our area due to loss of habitat. Bringing Nature Home. Backyard Wildlife Habitat. By Carol Crupper | March/April 2009. Click [here] to learn more about the Backyard Habitat Certification Criteria. ©2020 Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania. Volunteers will not count plants to see if you have a majority of native plants. Supply shelter. Wildlife need safe spaces to hide from predators or seek shelter from the elements. Requirements are included with the application materials. Get started by providing these basic FOUR HABITAT ELEMENTS: - Food - Water - Cover - Places to raise young Use SUSTAINABLE GARDENING practices to make your garden safe for wildlife.. North Carolina Wildlife Federation supports wildlife habitat garden and restoration programs unique to the flora and fauna native to our state. Adding water sources, nesting boxes, and other habitat features enhances the habitat value of your garden to wildlife. Once you’ve completed your plan, contact ASWP to let us know that you’re ready to get certified. Community Wildlife Habitat program where residents and communities can collaborate to help provide the requirements of all wildlife: food, water, cover, and places to raise young. Build a Pollen, Nectar, Fruit and Seed Buffet A hummingbird searches for backyard pollen. Certification as a Backyard Habitat means that a site has to have water, food, shelter and places for critters to raise their young. Garden Certification Walk -through Checklist . Her craft includes an eye to practical, helpful solutions, stormwater management, adding whimsy, creating unique spaces for play, and bringing art to the garden. Check out the National Wildlife Federation's Certified Wildlife Habitat Program. Every homeowner is a habitat manager. Planting well-chosen native plants can create wildlife habitat, conserve water and reduce the need for pesticides and fertilizers. The Backyard Habitat Certification Program has three levels: Each level is centered around five focus areas: Native Plants, Natural Products, Wildlife Stewardship, Clean Water, and Homeowner Engagement. Native plants are the foundation of healthy habitat, providing important roosting and nesting spots for birds, and food from nuts and seeds to fruit, nectar, and insects. Step 2: The site visit. The requirements for most programs are similar and involve providing food sources, water sources and … The first Certified Backyard Habitat focus area focuses on native plants and habitat layers. Birds, pollinators, and wildlife are faced with surviving in an increasingly challenging landscape. Backyard Habitat Programs. In addition to birds, it’s also critical to support beneficial insects and our native pollinators in our gardens. Audubon's Certified Backyard Habitat Program, Please note that the program is currently open to residents of ASWP’s chapter territory, which includes Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Washington, and Westmoreland Counties in southwestern Pennsylvania. rock piles, bundles of stems and branches, mason bee house), Reduce outdor lighting during bird migration (March-May, Sept-Nov), Native pollinator meadow which bloom through the growing season, Allow site to be showcased in a yard tour, Volunteer for the Backyard Habitat Certification Program, Attend continuing education classes (i.e. When certifying a site, we look for areas of one’s yard or outdoor space where the majority (50% or more) of plants in a naturescaped area are locally native species (according to the Portland Plant List ), representing multiple canopy layers (3 or more), as recommended in your site report. When adding plants to your garden, be sure to use: Native Plants Valuable to Wildlife South Carolina is currently a LEADER across the NATION in the number of certified Wildlife Habitats per capita! Next, we will contact you in the order of enrollment to set up an assessment appointment. They’re outside schools, businesses, places of worship, community gardens, nature centers, apartments and homes just like yours. She works with a goal to balance the beauty, habitat value, cost and maintenance requirements of each garden project, tailoring design to the unique places and individuals. Restoring balance to the ecosystem 3. eliminating lawn irrigation, water in morning and evening only), Adopt eco-friendly maintenance practicies (i.e. Recognize your habitat! The use of synthetic chemicals such as pesticides and fertilizers has been proven to significantly damage ecosystems. can be very harmful to wildlife, pets and people. We’ll then give you a beautiful Certified Backyard Habitat sign and a Field Guide to Common Species of Southwestern Pennsylvania. Research the most appropriate strategies for your site before implementation. Just how critical is it? Project descriptions are provided by the Applicant. The weeds on our list have been identified through local ecologists and botanists as causing or could cause environmental and economic damage. Wildlife Stewardship: Pick one item from below. Plant roots, create a habitat… The Monarch Butterfly population is at its lowest since scientists began tracking in the 1970s. The intent of the Backyard Habitat Certification Program (BHCP) is simple: it provides technical assistance, financial incentives, encouragement and recognition to people that want to create natural, low … It’s the creation of the habitat that takes the time. During this time, the ASWP staff will talk with you about your goals for the property, determine site conditions, and determine where your yard stands in the program requirements. Use this walk-through checklist to confirm you have ... your habitat in a sustainable way-to better help w ildlife, we advocate employing one or morepractices from each category: Soil and Water Conservation: Enroll now to get in early for the 2021 spring season. Habitat layers, also called vertical structure, provides places for birds to hide from predators, locations to nest and sources of nesting material, and helps to ensure food sources are available throughout the seasons. Turning your backyard or garden into a Certified Wildlife Habit is an ideal solution for both you and the wildlife that frequents your property. The use of pesticides (insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, etc.) CERTIFICATION CRITERIA Silver Invasive Species: Remove all “silver” aggressive weeds Native Plants: Naturescape > 5% of property with locally native plants* - at least 3 out of 5 vegetation layers Pesticides Reduction**: No use of RED zone chemicals. It’s easier than you might think. Portland Audubon and Columbia Land Trust teamed up to design a unique program that supports urban gardeners in their efforts to create natural backyard habitats. You can become one of the more than 140,000 sites across the country that are benefiting from this important program. … The Backyard Habitat Certification Program has serviced landowners throughout Portland, Gresham and Fairview, within Multnomah County, and the City of Lake Oswego. In the first 3 years of the program, over 350 households participated which resulted in over 350 acres of property being certified – this is an area 2.5x the size of Beechwood Farms Nature Reserve! It’s critically important that we take collective action to protect and improve the environment. The confluence of two great rivers, the Columbia and the Willamette, and is located along the Pacific Flyway for bird migration. Once you get started on your backyard habitat, we’re sure that you will want to learn more and share your passion and excitement with friends and neighbors. Take things to the next level to achieve Platinum status. Ninety percent of all insects are specialized, meaning they share an evolutionary history with native plants and rely on them to survive. After the walk-through, they review with the participant the resources, information, and discounts provided by Backyard Habitat and discuss the certification criteria to create a plan to help the participant reach their certification and habitat enhancement goals. Apply to recognize your backyard as a wildlife habitat through our Habitat at Home Program. A complete proposal to mitigate for impacts to Waters of the U.S., Waters of the State and/or water quality Since animals directly or indirectly depend on plants for their food, the diversity of animals in a particular habitat is very closely linked to the diversity of plants in the habitat. Food for the wildlife year round. The largest habitat gardening certification effort in the U.S. is the National Wildlife Federation (NWF)'s Community Wildlife Habitat Program , which offers tools and a certification program not just for individual backyard gardens, but for whole communities interested in participating. It’s easier than you think to create your own wildlife garden! Rapid and large-scale changes to our lands and waters mean wildlife are losing the habitats they once knew. ), and schools certified by NWF. Keep an eye on our calendar for habitat gardening workshops and Citizen Science opportunities – these will enrich your knowledge and count towards your Certified Backyard Habitat requirements. After you enroll, ASWP will provide resources and offers a variety of programs that can help you get started on your Backyard Habitat before we conduct your assessment. A Certified Backyard Habitat must include each of the following 5 focus areas: Native Plants, Natural Products, Wildlife Stewardship, Clean Water, and Homeowner Engagement. For details about the requirements for the Natural Products focus area of the program, click [here] to view certification criteria. The Backyard Habitat Certification Program has serviced landowners throughout Portland, Gresham and Fairview, within Multnomah County, and the City of Lake Oswego. Step 5: Get Certified! Backyard Wildlife Habitat Program National Wildlife Federation 8925 Leesburg Pike Every habitat garden is a Turning your yard or garden into a beautiful wildlife sanctuary that your family, neighbors and visitors will enjoy 4. When adding plants to your garden, be sure to use: Native Plants Valuable to Wildlife South Carolina is currently a LEADER across the NATION in the number of certified Wildlife Habitats per capita! petroleum-free yard care, use landscapers from, Wildlife water feature (natural source, maintained bird or bug bath), Bird or bat nest boxes (appropriate to native species), Pollinator and beneficial insect nesting habitat (i.e. Remove all noxious weeds listed under the certification level you’re working toward. One way to ensure that your backyard is a great place for wildlife is to get it certified as a backyard wildlife sanctuary. Your backyard is your sanctuary - and we can help you to make it a beneficial location for birds, insects, butterflies, and animals. (2) Confirm that Monarch Waystation criteria are met and Complete the Certification Application - applications are now being accepted via mail, fax, and online submission. ), Yellow Archangel (Lamiastrum galeoblodon), Include at least 3 out of 5 vegetation levels, Include at least 4 out of 5 vegetation levels, Use only YELLOW or GREEN zone chemicals if necessary, according to an IPM strategy. Many other creatures such as frogs, dragonflies, beavers, and trout rely on clean streams, rivers, ponds, and lakes to survive. Join more than 5,000 properties in the Metro Area that are restoring habitat, one yard at a time. We will visit your yard twice during the process, create a custom plan for your property, and provide you with a variety of resources to help you along the way. Our Backyard Habitat programs are an Audubon at Home initiative. We will visit your yard once again to verify that the program requirements have been met. Through a series of simple actions, your yard or patio can serve as a mini nature reserve that will provide important habitat and food sources for birds, pollinators, and wildlife. Then, work toward higher certification levels in years to come and enjoy the array of wildlife your site supports. If your application and plan meet the criteria, you will receive a certificate and, if you wish, a sign to show your commitment to wildlife conservation. If there are more than two plants listed in the Invasive Exotic Species section of this webpage, we will reserve the right to deny certification as … Your property represents an opportunity to make a difference for the health of our natural landscape. When it rains or snows in urban areas, water washes over streets, roofs and other surfaces picking up dirt, chemicals and oil along the way. The Backyard Habitat Certification Program provides assistance and incentives to residents on lots less than one acre, within the cities of Portland, Lake Oswego, Gresham and Fairview, to restore native wildlife habitat in their backyards. Garden Certification Walk -through Checklist . Certification Program Requirements. The Portland-Vancouver region sits at an incredible ecological crossroads. Tell us how your yard or garden provides habitat and the National Wildlife Federation will recognize it as a Certified Wildlife Habitat®. Certification will require: An obviously native plant habitat. All of the 2020 Certified Backyard Habitat slots have been filled. Certification as a Schoolyard Habitat involves a couple of more requirements in order to foster the Federation’s education goals: Demonstration that creation of the habitat was a team-effort, and incorporation of the habitat into the school’s curriculum. During your Site Visit, the Technician will help determine which elements are right for you and your site. Tim and I are constantly planning improvements to our situation, and look forward to doing more and more every season to create a true haven for wildlife. petroleum-free yard care, use landscapers from, Disconnected downspouts, where appropriate, Adopt eco-friendly maintenance practices (i.e. By taking extra steps to make your backyard even more hospitable for birds and pollinators, you can help ensure their success. Enroll now to get in early for the 2021 spring season. You should receive a welcome packet of resources within 3 weeks of enrollment. Native Plants. Get the Certification: Everything I detailed above is just how we went about turning our yard into a certified backyard habitat; it’s by no means the only way or even the best way. Most programs have five specific requirements: 1. HABITAT MITIGATION AND MONITORING PROPOSAL GUIDELINES; A guide to preparing your mitigation and monitoring plan for submittal with your 404/401 application. We are thrilled with the response to the program. Many birds rely on clean streams for food and nesting habitat. If your butterfly garden meets the requirements, please consider certifying your garden! When certifying a site, we look for areas of one’s yard or outdoor space where the majority (50% or more) of plants in a naturescaped area are locally native species (according to the Portland Plant List), representing multiple canopy layers (3 or more), as recommended in your site report. A feeder alone will not be considered, but if at any time there is not food available for the wildlife from plants, a feeder would then be required. Helping endangered animals find a place where they can survive and even thrive 2. Use YELLOW zone chemicals only as part of an IPM strategy. 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