Your backyard is your sanctuary, but why not make it a sanctuary for native birds, insects and other local wildlife, too? You can attract some amazing creatures and have a beautiful yard at the same time when you design your backyard to attract wildlife. This is habitat gardening.
The goal of habitat gardening is to create a landscape that will attract and support native bees, birds, butterflies, rabbits, lizards, or other wildlife. You do this by making resources available to fauna that need it. This increases their chances of survival, and your chances of enchanting interactions with them! It’s not complicated, however it requires a bit of patience and work to set up your yard appropriately.
Creating a habitat garden is an enriching exercise for families looking to teach children about nature and wildlife. Or it can be a fun project for anyone who would like something that’s non-traditional for their backyard! Amateur photographers, aspiring veterinarians, and many others can richly enjoy this practise.
If your yard successfully fulfills the 5 needs of a Wildlife Habitat, you can actually be awarded a National Wildlife Federation wildlife habitat certificate! This designates your yard as a certified habitat garden!