Whether you’re an urban dweller or sitting on acres of land, you can produce welcoming habitats for the little creatures who share our environment.
According to the Oregon Zoo, habitat loss is the foremost threat to wildlife today. But you can help these critters by creating your own backyard habitat with ample food, water and shelter.
Supply food
Encourage wildlife to visit your turf by planting native species, a ready food source that native animals have adapted to find and eat. Provide year-round nutrition with plants that produce berries, seeds, nuts or nectar at different times of the year, in addition to hanging bird and butterfly feeders.
Provide water
Make sure you offer water to your backyard wildlife. A simple plant saucer is easily accessible to most animals, and bird baths are ideal for bathing and drinking. You can also install a pre-built pond, or build your own. Just make sure that one side slopes gently to allow wildlife to safely get out.
Build shelter
Create some cozy hiding places for your animal friends. Hollow logs and rock or brush piles make perfect shelter. The Oregon Zoo suggests making a “toad abode” by filling a plant saucer with warm water and propping a pot upside-down on a nearby rock. Animals that live on the ground will love shrubs or ground cover.
Get certified!
Once your habitat is in place, you can certify your yard as a Backyard Wildlife Habitat site with the National Wildlife Federation and receive a certificate and newsletters.
To learn more about wildlife, native species and backyard habitats, visit the Oregon Zoo’s website.
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