WIBCI…
Ahh, the sweet sound of “Wouldn’t it be cool if…”
Dreams, ideas, solutions, even revolutions are all sparked
with those 5 little words. Those 5 little words open the door for inspiration, imagination
and hopefully, action. When was the last time you said to yourself, “Wouldn’t
it be cool if…” and let your brainstorm begin, no edits, no “that’s impossibles”,
no “that’s stupids”?
Out of practice? Follow me on one of my WIBCI’s.
Wouldn’t it be cool if…I could make a difference…without
even leaving my yard?
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| photo credit: me. bee balm aka wild bergamot from my garden |
I had just relocated to a new town and into a house in a
neighborhood that was woefully tree-free and grass-full. There were yard rules
and I was the new kid on the block. I was missing the mountains I had moved
from, and while slightly subversive, I didn’t want to make a big scene. So,
like every good nature loving hippie, I planted things: maple, apple, river birch and
evergreen trees and tons of flowers. I started to notice birds visiting the
feeder and bath I set up and after a couple seasons, there were even nests in
the apple trees. Bees and other insects were enjoying the flower/salad bar as were rabbits
and deer. Neighbors were stopping as they walked by to say how much they
enjoyed my landscaping projects. (Extra surprise bonus!)
I was curious about the “Certified Wildlife Habitat” signs
I had noticed in other neighborhoods, but often those yards seemed messy and
overgrown. A google search for “Certified Wildlife Habitat” led to the National
Wildlife Federation’s (NWF) Garden for Wildlife Program. The program was
started in 1973 by two Forest Service employees, Richard DeGraaf and Jack Ward
Thomas. Like other biologists, they knew that wildlife thrived when provided
food, water, cover and places to raise their young, so they created a framework
for NWF that homeowners could follow. https://www.nwf.org/Garden-for-Wildlife
After reviewing the certification checklist, I was excited
to learn that my yard had met the requirements to qualify as a “Wildlife
Habitat” and (yay!) those requirements didn’t include “messy and overgrown”. You
can download the Wildlife Habitat Certification checklist here and see if you
are (already) supporting a wildlife friendly habitat 😊
In a nutshell, while using sustainability practices like eliminating
pesticides, here’s what your habitat needs to provide:
- · Food
- · Water
- · Cover
- · Places
to raise young
Registering and certifying your habitat with the NWF lets
the organization map areas of habitat connectivity (corridors) throughout your community
and the country.You can create a wildlife habitat whether you decide to certify or not. According to the Indiana Wildlife Federation, there are over 200,000 certified Wildlife Habitats in the United States. https://www.indianawildlife.org/habitat-programs/wildlife-friendly-certification-program/
So, now it’s your turn. Grab your journal and a cup of tea and
let your “wouldn’t It be cool if…” brainstorm begin!
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