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Turn Your Backyard Into a Certified Wildlife Habitat

Pandemic spike in interest creates new spaces for birds butterflies and other creatures

Courtesy of David Mizejewski When goldfinches land in the garden to pluck seeds from the heads of spent coneflowers, Mary Sipe feels a deep sense of satisfaction. Sipe, 62, planted coneflowers, camellias, hellebores, poppies and other flowering plants to help attract bees, butterflies and birds to the garden of her Marvin, North Carolina, home. The yard also includes a pond for frogs and lizards as well as birdbaths and bird feeders to provide food and drink for local birds. The efforts allowed Sipe to have her yard certified as a wildlife habitat through the . Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. "It's incredible, the amount of wildlife you can attract even from planting one or two different plants,” she says. The nonprofit organization launched its in 1973 to help gardeners combat the impact of development on wildlife habitats. Since its inception, it has certified 250,000 wildlife habitats — and NWF naturalist David Mizejewski has seen a huge . "Since the 1970s, we've lost almost one-third of our bird population in North America, and monarch populations have crashed because we've replaced natural habitats with asphalt and lawns,” Mizejewski says. “We wanted to give people information and inspiration to make their own yards a little better for local wildlife."

Making it official

The NWF operates its Certified Wildlife Habitat program on the honor system. Fill out the online application, acknowledging that your habitat contains all of the crucial elements, and pay the $20 fee (plus an additional fee for a “Certified Wildlife Habitat” sign for the garden, if desired), and the nonprofit adds your home to its ever-expanding list of backyard wildlife habitats. and regional chapters of the offer garden certifications, too. And you don't have to wait until spring to get started. Fall is a great time to plant trees and shrubs and hang bird feeders; even leaving fallen leaves on the lawn instead of raking them into piles provides essential food and nesting materials for birds, turtles and toads. The dormant season is also ideal for scouring seed catalogs and making a list of pollinator-friendly plants to add to the garden in spring. Flowers & Gifts 25% off sitewide and 30% off select items See more Flowers & Gifts offers > Your garden could consist of a small yard in the city or acreage in the country; there are no size restrictions when it comes to creating a welcoming space for wildlife. To qualify for certification, you must provide basic habitat components. Getty Images 1. Feed the masses: Plants are the primary way to provide food for wildlife, Mizejewski says. Choose plants such as sunflowers, echinacea, zinnias, currants, elderberries and acorn trees to provide a combination of seeds, nuts, berries and nectar. Opt for native plants that have coevolved with native wildlife. Native plants attract the native insects that birds depend on for food, and butterflies, including monarchs, prefer to lay their eggs on native host plants, Mizejewski notes. The NWF has a on its website; enter your zip code and learn what plants are native to your region. The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin, Texas, also maintains a searchable Supplemental feeders will bring birds and squirrels to the yard but are not necessary for a thriving wildlife habitat. AARP NEWSLETTERS %{ newsLetterPromoText }% %{ description }% Subscribe More on home-family AARP NEWSLETTERS %{ newsLetterPromoText }% %{ description }% Subscribe AARP VALUE & MEMBER BENEFITS See more Health & Wellness offers > See more Flights & Vacation Packages offers > See more Finances offers > See more Health & Wellness offers > SAVE MONEY WITH THESE LIMITED-TIME OFFERS