Host a habitat: a wildlife refuge at your back door

Take your home improvement ambitions outdoors by creating a National Wildlife Federation (NWF) Certified Wildlife Habitat in your own backyard. The program benefits you and the animals. "First, it helps local and migrating wildlife, by providing habitat for them in a world where habitat is diminishing," says the NWF's Roxanne Paul. "Second, it benefits homeowners by giving them opportunities to view wildlife, when these opportunities are also diminishing."

Even an apartment balcony, as long as it's not screened in, is eligible. Simply provide a source of water, whether that's a birdbath, pond, or stream; protective cover, such as a thicket or rock pile; a safe area, like dense shrubbery, for birds, butterflies, and other wild creatures to raise their young; and plants that produce the seeds, fruits, nuts, berries, or nectar they naturally thrive on. Sustainable gardening practices are also a must--so, trade the chemical fertilizers for organic mulch or compost.

Once you've checked these necessities off your list, you're ready to submit your backyard for certification, along with a $15 application fee. Certification includes NWF membership and subscriptions to National Wildlife magazine and Habitats, a quarterly e-newsletter full of advice on gardening and attracting wildlife. For example, one sure way to welcome wildlife to your habitat is to favor native foliage. You'll also want to keep the site off-limits to your feline companions.

To find out more, including which plants are native to your state, visit nwf.org/backyard.

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ILLUSTRATION BY MARY LYNN BLASUTTA

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