How to Get Your Backyard Certified
as a Wildlife Habitat

The Gardener's Supply display garden was certified as an NWF Wildlife Habitat in 2006.

Something wonderful is happening in America's backyards. Homeowners from coast to coast are adding wildlife-friendly features to their yards and gardens. At the forefront of this movement is the National Wildlife Federation and their Backyard Habitat Certification Program. To date, more than 90,000 homeowners have certified their backyards as wildlife-friendly habitats!

These backyard oases play a critical role in helping wildlife survive the pressures of development. The people who create them also get engaged with wildlife in new ways and forge a deeper connection with the natural world.

Getting your backyard certified is relatively easy. You simply need to demonstrate that your yard or garden provides food, water, cover and places to raise young, and that you also employ some sustainable gardening practices. Many people find that their yards and gardens already satisfy most of the requirements, and they simply need to add a few additional elements such as native plants, bird feeders, a small water feature and nesting boxes.

Maria Tranberg shares her success story of learning to live with wildlife.

For a full explanation of NWF's Backyard Habitat Certification Program, visit the NWF web site where you'll also find tips, projects, plant lists and a planner. While you're on the NWF web site, you can request an information packet. When you're ready, you can simply complete the online application form. Once your backyard has been certified, you'll receive a certificate and can also request an attractive sign for your yard like the one shown in the photo above. Note that Gardener's Supply customers are eligible for a discount: $5 instead of $15.

After we certified our own backyard and demonstration gardens here in Vermont, we began working with our regional NWF chapter on a community-wide initiative to certify the entire city of Burlington, VT. If all goes well, Burlington can one day join the other towns and cities around the country that have become certified through the National Wildlife Federation as wildlife-friendly communities.

Requirements for community certification are based on the population of your city or town. In Burlington, we need to certify approximately 200 residential and public sites, and also offer a range of educational programs and activities. A key goal of NWF's community certification program is to engage a wide cross-section of the community in order to cultivate a strong, long-term base of wildlife advocates.

• If you'd like to learn more about getting your own backyard certified, visit the National Wildlife Federation web site.
• If you'd like to get involved in the community-based program, please visit the National Wildlife Federation.
• Read our how-to article titled Backyard Biodiversity
• Many of our customers have created wildlife-friendly gardens around their homes. You'll find them in our Success Stories