Want to share your yard with birds and other wildlife?
Bellingham parks, natural areas and greenways are important habitat for birds, deer and other wildlife. Home, school and business landscapes can provide wildlife habitat, too.
Landscaping with native plants provides food and shelter for local songbirds and other wildlife, reduces the need for water and chemical pest control, and increases the biodiversity of the urban environment.
Bellingham has a long history of people landscaping for wildlife beginning in the mid 1980's. Bellingham was certified as the nation's 37th certified Community Wildlife Habitat in March of 2010 by the National Wildlife Federation.
Certifying your yard, school or business helps Bellingham keep its certification!
Why use native plants?
Native plants are adapted to this climate with its late dry summer and wet
winter. Maintaining native plants is generally easier as they are
naturally most pest resistant. Over time, native plants have evolved
features to attract wildlife for pollination and seed-dispersal. In
turn, the native flora provide food, shelter and places to raise young.
Due to this interdependence, providing native flora means supporting native
fauna.
The Washington Department
of Fish and Wildlife
Visit the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife for information about
the Backyard Wildlife Sanctuary Program.
The
National Wildlife Federation: Back Yard Basics
The National Wildlife Federation provides plenty of information for creating
backyard, school, and community habitats.
