Why Should I Certify My Yard for Wildlife?

Your yard or garden can become a habitat for birds, butterflies and other local wildlife to enjoy right outside your window. If you provide the four components of habitat – food, water, cover and places to raise young – and maintain your garden in a natural, sustainable way, the National Wildlife Federation will recognize it as a Certified Wildlife Habitat through the Garden for Wildlife program. It’s an easy and fun way to do something good for wildlife in your neighborhood, and you will definitely see the impact when the animals show up to eat, drink, take shelter or build a nest.

You can, of course, create a wildlife habitat garden without getting it certified. After all, it’s the garden that helps the wildlife, not the yard sign. But getting certified is still important. Here’s why:

Certification Makes a Difference

When you certify your yard or garden, you’re contributing to the movement of people making changes to their yards and gardens to support wildlife rather than banish it. When you certify, you help spread the message of wildlife-friendly gardening in your own neighborhood and as part of the National Wildlife Federation. When you post a Certified Wildlife Habitat sign, you’re promoting the idea that we can make our own little piece of the Earth –  our own yards –  better for wildlife.

Certification is the National Wildlife Federation’s way of saying thank you for caring about the wildlife that shares our neighborhoods and for taking an action to help them. You deserve recognition and approval from one of the oldest and largest conservation organization for creating a wildlife-friendly garden!

One of the nesting boxes you can purchase from the National Wildlife Catalog

Many people enjoy that recognition, along with the personalized certificate, the subscription to National Wildlife magazine, the 10 percent discount to National Wildlife Catalog (which offers bird feeders, nesting boxes, bat houses, birdbaths and more), and the opportunity to post an exclusive Certified Wildlife Habitat yard sign, all of which you get when you certify. The application fee for certification and proceeds from purchases of yards signs and catalog products go right back to support the program.

What it boils down to is this: the more people who certify, the more you’re helping to get the wildlife gardening message out there. That’s a powerful thing, so certify today!

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