Provide Native Habitat In Your Backyard To Support Wildlife
The truth of the matter is that habitat loss is a direct result of our impact on the environment – so it only stands to reason it’s also our responsibility to restore it. Thanks to the habitat programs of the National Wildlife Federation and the Indiana Wildlife Federation we can all make a difference even if it’s just a few acres at a time.
The acreage of our certified backyard habitat allows us the space to provide natural habitat for wildlife in a variety of ways. Native trees, shrubs and flowering plants provide food, shelter and places to raise young. We use some of the fallen branches from the trees to make brush piles and some of the leaves in mulch. A seasonal pond supplies a natural water source and the rocky terrain of our woodland habitat offers shelter. The rocks are a special place to watch skinks as they stretch out to soak in the sun. After a rain the rocks offer a place for us to observe butterflies getting drinks of water from little recesses in the rocks. Rocks are plentiful here so we use them to border many of the garden areas. With slopes and hills, the rocks help to hold in the mulch and soil during heavy rains. We’ve found by using just rocks and mulch you can make great pathways.
On one side of the yard the vegetable garden takes up some space. We placed flower gardens on the other side and in the middle of the yard. We connected the gardens around and along the edges of the woods reducing the size of the lawn. In the rest of the yard we try to embrace the little weeds and wild flowers. This requires less water and cuts down on the need for chemicals. Yellow wood sorrel and patches of violets add color to the landscape. The violets are a host plant for the great spangled fritillary butterfly; the common buckeye butterfly uses plantains as a host plant. In the gardens, asters are host and nectar plants for the small pearl crescent butterfly. We see the butterflies frequently in our habitat.
Providing for wildlife helps replenish habitat. You don’t need a lot of land to have a certified wildlife habitat. An urban setting, however, can be more restrictive taking inconsideration small spaces, neighbors and ordinances. The wealth of information made available by the National Wildlife Federation and the Indiana Wildlife Federation is vital to provide habitat in a responsible way that benefits wildlife, our natural resources and us.
Attending a class at the Wesselman Nature Society in Evansville, such as we did, will help you discover how easy it can be to get backyard certified as a wildlife habitat. The first class covered the important aspects of food, water, shelter and places to raise young.
Backyard Habitat Instructor and Advanced Master Gardener Kate Lynch said, “Native plants are the best source of food for wildlife.” She suggested food plants for every season to attract birds and beneficial pollinators. Many of our butterflies require specific host plants.
Native plants also provide shelter for wildlife. Volunteer Master Naturalist Kathy Eicher pointed out that habitat loss is the greatest threat to wildlife and she teaches wonderful ways to provide shelter for cover and for places to raise young.
Jill Berger, an intern from the University of Evansville, spoke on the importance of natural water. She explained the harm caused by chemicals running off into our water/ the ways to provide natural water and the benefits of rain barrels and rain gardens. Committee member Larry Hazlewood tied everything together with an essential presentation on sustainability that included composting, mulching and lawn reduction. He described the construction of rain barrels and rain gardens and the best places to put them. More details on rain gardens and special water features will be covered in the advanced classes.
These classes can help you make sound ecological decisions for your habitat or your garden. The next two classes will be held on May 30 and September 12 from 9:00- 12:00 with advanced classes from 1:00-4:00 at Wesselman Nature Center. For more information call 479-0771 or go to www.wesselmannaturesociety. org.
With endless things to learn about and to discover in nature creating a backyard habitat can be a wonderful experience for the entire family.
IWF memberships help support conservation efforts that help support us. For more information call 1-800- 347-3445 or go towww.indianawildlife. org.
