National Wildlife Federation
Community Wildlife Habitat
Program
Why create habitat for wildlife?
These habitats:
• require little or no pesticides, fertilizers, or
excess watering
• keep water and air resources clean
• are healthier for people and wildlife
• beautify our urban areas and give
residents pride in their neighborhoods.
What is habitat certification?
Certified Backyard Wildlife Habitats provide
FOUR basic elements wildlife need to thrive:
1.
2.
3.
4.
food
water
cover
places to raise young
Element 1 - FOOD
Wildlife rely on native plants for food. These
plants are adapted to each region and don’t
require much long-term care:
Rocky Mountain juniper
Black chokecherry
Blue flax
Blue grama grass
Serviceberry
Twin-leaf arnica
…and many more
Element 2 - WATER
Bird baths, ponds, streams, and rivers
provide dependable, fresh water sources for
wildlife and aquatic and amphibious species.
Element 3 - COVER
Wildlife need places to hide from predators
and find shelter from weather:
Existing live and dead vegetation
Downed logs
Brush and rock piles
Dense shrub cover
** Good cover indicates diverse plant communities
and healthy, heterogenous habitats.
Element 4 – PLACES TO RAISE YOUNG
Wildlife need long-term shelter for
raising their young:
Live trees and shrubs for birds
Snags for owls, flying squirrels and
other cavity-nesters
Birdhouses and bat houses
Boughs and piles of plants for
rabbits, mice and snakes
Ponds and wetlands for frogs,
toads, and insects
Butterflies require “host” plants for
reproduction
Your task:
You are wildlife habitat experts tasked with
evaluating the U of M campus as a
possible candidate for Wildlife Habitat
Certification. As part of the evaluation you
must:
• Use GPS and digital photography to document
the suitability of areas on campus for wildlife
habitat (4 vital elements).
• Look for “good” areas, and those that need
improvement. How can they be improved?
• Note your observations at each location – you’ll
use them later!
• Create a Google Earth tour to present your
findings to the campus community