Certify your garden as a wildlife habitat.

[Beth_B]

http://www.nwf.org/How-to-Help/Gard...il_id=20150603_ACT_MEM_MPGC_Uncertified|STAct

This is such a cool idea! I'm going to do this. They say you can even certify a balcony as an official wildlife refuge.

 

[IcyBC]

I love the idea of a wildlife garden, and without knowing it much, I planted wild flowers in my small garden, put up three bird feeders, and water source for the birds in the area. Things were going well for me until my neighbor decided to put his left over food out and rats started to have a feast. When I told him about it, he immediately pour rat poison around his house, but still put left over right outside of his back door, which directly faced my garden.

I decided to take down the feeders so I don't have to see dead birds in my yard.

 

[Clairelouise84]

Wow that is so cool, my in laws have an amazing garden so I might see if they want to do this! What a great idea!

 

[CanadianLori]

Where does it tell you the cost? I have at least one thing in each category they list but am hesitant to "order" before knowing the cost or continuing ???

 

[Beth_B]

Where does it tell you the cost? I have at least one thing in each category they list but am hesitant to "order" before knowing the cost or continuing ???

$35 USD.
http://www.nwf.org/CertifiedWildlif..._subsrc=Web_Content_CWH_GardenWebsite_Certify

I posted that without looking into it fully and didn't realise there was a fee. They are as far as I know a totally legit orqanization, but most certainly one could fulfill all the requirements without paying a fee.

 

[grouie]

I think it is not global. I have all what is required but I am not willing to pay

 

[CanadianLori]

Nice idea, I think I'll be happy just knowing that I do qualify. This morning we had a rabbit having a good time munching on my hostas, my squirrel enjoying a drink of water and a cardinal had it's bath. All fun to watch.

This is a good post. It gives us a check list of things we can do. Thanks Beth!

 

[grouie]

Nice idea, I think I'll be happy just knowing that I do qualify. This morning we had a rabbit having a good time munching on my hostas, my squirrel enjoying a drink of water and a cardinal had it's bath. All fun to watch.

This is a good post. It gives us a check list of things we can do. Thanks Beth!

I have a whole lot of wild life including snakes (lol)

 

[Beth_B]

IcyBC I'm sorry you have such a crappy neighbor.

I qualify too. We don't have exciting snakes here in Michigan but I do have garter snakes, I occasionally see them in my side yard. My unofficial count for bird species is about 30 and i have toads and leopard frogs. I have water, brush, seeds and native plants (aka weeds lol), trees and flowers...somewhere between a third and a half acre.

 

[CanadianLori]

Icybc, I only feed the birds when there are no bugs or berries for them. They do love a drink and a bath and I have put those supplies up where ground vermin can't reach them.

I really like the bird feeder from lee valley. Seemed to keep the birds happy. I'm thinking of trying to make a catcher so the spills don't hit the ground.

 

[grouie]

IcyBC I'm sorry you have such a crappy neighbor.

I qualify too. We don't have exciting snakes here in Michigan but I do have garter snakes, I occasionally see them in my side yard. My unofficial count for bird species is about 30 and i have toads and leopard frogs. I have water, brush, seeds and native plants (aka weeds lol), trees and flowers...somewhere between a third and a half acre.

I can call my garden systematic wilderness. I too have a great number of birds that visit our garden thanks to the birdbath and several fruit trees.

 

[grouie]

I love the idea of a wildlife garden, and without knowing it much, I planted wild flowers in my small garden, put up three bird feeders, and water source for the birds in the area. Things were going well for me until my neighbor decided to put his left over food out and rats started to have a feast. When I told him about it, he immediately pour rat poison around his house, but still put left over right outside of his back door, which directly faced my garden.

I decided to take down the feeders so I don't have to see dead birds in my yard.

I am sure your neighbour has a garbage bin. Cannot imagine in a country like the US there are people who do such mean things.

 

[Fernsdaddy]

Icybc, I only feed the birds when there are no bugs or berries for them. They do love a drink and a bath and I have put those supplies up where ground vermin can't reach them.

I really like the bird feeder from lee valley. Seemed to keep the birds happy. I'm thinking of trying to make a catcher so the spills don't hit the ground.

I let the bird seed fall to the ground, the smaller birds and baby birds and still get food with out fighting for it and I love to sit and watch the feed off the ground too.

 

[Beth_B]

Plus a lot of birds are ground feeders - cardinals, doves, jays, starlings, juncos and robins are common ones. My feeders are hung from a pine tree so they're under that canopy. Which gives some protection from the little hawk that sometimes hangs out around here. It still occasionally gets a bird from the feeder area but the hawk has to eat too.

Haven't seen any sign of rodent activity because I also have a couple of feral cats that I have trapped and "fixed" that I feed regularly.

 

[Scarlet]

Oh this is a great idea! Sadly I'm in the UK but has made me wonder if anybody in the UK does this also.