Stand Up for Wildlife
MAKE YOUR YARD WILDLIFE FRIENDLY
- Plant native species of flowers, trees, and bushes in your yard. This gives wild animals food, shelter, and a place to raise families. Learn more about creating wildlife habitat in your yard.
- To attract birds to your yard, learn which native plant species are best for your location.
- To attract butterflies and moths to your yard, learn which native plant species are best for your location.
- To help imperiled monarch butterflies survive, plant native milkweed. Learn which species of milkweed are native to your region, and find milkweed suppliers in your area.
- Reduce the amount of lawn in your yard. Lawns offer minimal food and shelter for wildlife. Try replacing part of your lawn with garden beds or native plants and flowers instead.
- Get crafty! Buy or build your own birdhouse or bat house. This can provide hours of fun for the whole family.
- No yard? No problem! Balconies and patios are great locations for container gardens.
- Do not use pesticides, insecticides, herbicides, or chemical fertilizers on your lawn or garden beds. These products are the leading cause of wildlife poisonings, and are also toxic to companion animals.
- Reduce light pollution: artificial light at night has severe negative effects on wildlife. To help, only use lighting when and where it is needed, properly shield all outdoor lights, keep your blinds drawn during the evening, and if safety is a concern, install motion detector lights and timers.
- Rethink fall cleanup: leaves, dead flower heads, and ornamental grasses provide critical food and shelter for birds, butterflies, bees, and other beneficial insects during the winter months. Learn more about how fall yard cleanup harms wildlife.
Read the full article at: awionline.org
