to the landscape provides the best shelter. Dense trees and
shrubs make excellent nesting sites and cover for birds and
small mammals. Prune with caution. Rock piles, brush piles
and dense ground cover also provide protection for reptiles,
amphibians and ground birds. Of course, wildlife areas are
no place for manmade chemicals or wandering pets.
Food Sources: Vegetation plays multiple roles. Plants can be
both host to eggs and larval foods for butterflies; produce food
sources such as acorns, nuts, berries and seeds for various wild-
life; or attract insects that are food for birds, reptiles or frogs.
Native plants are the best choice for local wildlife. They
require less fertilizer, water and pest control, which helps
prevent the contamination of soil and water runoff.
Feeders: Supplemental food sources can be supplied by
using feeders for birds or squirrels. Keeping feeders clean is
another key facet of safe shelter.
Water: All wildlife needs a clean water supply for drinking.
Many also use water to bathe, clean their food or breed. A
lake, pond or wetland can be the most exciting element in
a wildlife garden, because of the wildlife it attracts. Water
supplies can be supplemented with birdbaths or mini-ponds.
Even shallow saucers of water placed on the ground or low-
lying puddle areas will serve as welcome water sources for
some wildlife.
Places to Raise Young: Many of the same elements that
provide shelter also provide places for wildlife to raise their
young. Mature trees, dense shrubs, fallen logs, hollow trees
and dens in the ground are good nesting locations for many
animals. Larval host plants may be provided as places for
nourishing young in a butterfly garden. Nesting boxes and
platforms, bat boxes and toad abodes also make intriguing
additions to a yard habitat.
Whatever the size, any backyard or garden space can
contain some of each of the three essential habitat elements
for wildlife. Whether we plant a tree for local bird nesting,
create a modest butterfly garden, eliminate chemicals or
choose to leave a small corner of native plants for wildlife,
each small decision is a step in the right direction for pre-
serving the natural beauty of the world around us.
It’s also a lovely thing to do for ourselves and our fami-
lies. When we catch a quick glimpse of a fluttering hum-
mingbird or watch the transformation of a caterpillar from
chrysalis to butterfly, and realize that we played a part in
their journey, we discover that providing habitat for wildlife
adds as much to our lives as it does to theirs.
To play a role in the preservation of butterflies, songbirds
or even a regional endangered species is a miraculous feel-
ing, and one we’ll want to nurture.
Betsy S. Franz is a freelance writer and photographer special-
izing in the environment and may be reached at NaturesDe-
tails.net. She developed Project Backyard Brevard in Brevard
County, FL to help residents maintain natural habitat based on
National Wildlife Federation principles (see
nwf.org/backyard).
March 2010 43
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