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Backyard Wildlife
Habitats
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Darolyn
Weiss, Chairman
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Take the opportunity to
take part in the Backyard Wildlife Habitat Program sponsored by the
University of Florida or the National Wildlife Foundation. The goal is
to promote and expand gardening for wildlife in Florida.
Information and publications are now available to help Floridians of
all ages and backgrounds to discover the wonders of nature right in
their own backyards.
Florida is one of the fastest-growing states in America, and our
wildlife habitat is shrinking at an alarming rate. Each time a
developer replaces undeveloped land with lots for dwellings or
commercial use, creatures that once lived on that land must find other
space that will support their needs. In urban areas especially, areas
suitable for sustaining animal life will help to make up for this
loss.Neighbors combining efforts can provide even larger areas of
suitable habitat.
Wildlife needs four basic elements: food, water, cover and a place to
raise their young. These things can be provided on a piece of ground as
small as a patio.The methods for planning and providing these basic
elements can be simple and inexpensive, or as elaborate as the property
owner chooses.
A benefit to gardening with native plants is they need less water,
fertilizer and insecticide than exotic plants, and so are kind to the
environment.Trading time-consuming lawn care for hours spent watching
birds, butterflies and bunnies can’t be bad!
Mark Hostetler, Extension Wildlife Specialist with the Department of
Wildlife Ecology and Conservation at the University of Florida provided
us with information about the Florida Backyard Wildlife Habitat
Program.This free program offers publications and assistance to help
you design your habitat.Then a gardener only needs to fill out a
Questionnaire and an Application to receive a beautiful certificate and
a sign for their yard.The greatest reward for this effort is knowing
you have provided a bit of wildlife habitat in a disappearing natural
environment.
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS:
1. Explain what you have done to enhance your
property for wildlife.
2. List wildlife species that you see on your
property, Birds, Mammals, Reptiles,
Amphibians,
Butterflies, other insects
and spiders.
3. Complete a property map. This is not difficult; don’t
let it scare you.
4. Table A, list plants currently on property and
locate on map.
5. Table B, list plants for future planting and locate on
map.
Forms are available from the University of Florida or on their web site
at
http://www.wec.ufl.edu/extension/fl_habitat_program.htm or if you
want to certify online go to http://nwf.org.
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Fort
Lauderdale
Garden Club
The Fort Lauderdale Garden Club has maintained the Sensory Garden at
the Lighthouse of
Broward since the garden was first created. All
of the circles and Members at Large (MAL's) take turns in maintaining
the garden during the year to provide care through weeding,
fertilization or replanting. This year 2006, the club is being
recognized for their ongoing work and has WON an
Emerald Award, Broward County's
highest environmental award. It will be officially announced
on April 25th. Visit our pages for The
Lighthouse
Sensory Garden.
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