Now that you know how to plan a habitat and what kind of plants are needed, let's go on to more about the backyard habitat.
Your backyard doesn’t have to have a lawn, especially when you are trying to create a habitat. In fact, it is better that there is no lawn and instead a forest like setting should be planted. Some alternatives to having a lawn would be to plant native ground covers, a hedgerow, create a meadow or prairie patch, plant an organic vegetable garden, water gardens, rock garden, or just plain mulched areas. Make sure you check your local rules and regulations. Some communities may not appreciate having a meadow or prairie patch in their township.
Water in Your Habitat
Water is a big necessity for wildlife. It is needed for drinking, bathing, and in some cases, breeding. A birdbath can be a source of water as well as a small pond or stream, a recirculation waterfall, or a shallow dish. You are very lucky if you have a natural pond or stream or a wetland in your yard. Your water source must be available all year round. Install a thermostatically controlled bird bath heater to a bird bath for water during freezing weather. Butterflies appreciate a shallow dish with pebbles inside. The water should never come up over the pebbles as the butterflies will sit on them and sip from the water below. Make sure to keep the water clean – change it everyday to twice a day for a butterfly bath and everyday for a bird bath.
Providing Protection
When choosing your plants make sure to include a clump of evergreen trees or shrubs that will provide all year protection from weather and predators. Holly, juniper, and oaks are good because they also provide food. Include rock, log or mulch piles to offer cover for small mammals. If you have a large area, a brush pile in an inconspicuous place will provide shelter for many small animals. If you are creating an animal habitat be sure it is far away from any living areas. You don’t want rodents that will surely take advantage of your habitat, in your house.
Breeding and Nesting Places
Places to raise young can include evergreen and other deciduous trees and shrubs. Small mammals will find shelter under shrubs or leaves of large plants or in rock, log and mulch piles. Nesting boxes can be provided for bluebirds, chickadees, wrens and martins as well as butterflies.
Don’t be surprised if caterpillars eat some of your plants. This is necessary in a habitat, using chemical sprays would defeat your purpose. After all, caterpillars are baby butterflies and using any pesticide would kill them.
Resource Conservation
Once you have planted or planned your backyard habitat you need to practice resource conservation. Avoid the addition of that beautiful exotic plant you found at the local nursery. Plant it in your front yard, not in your habitat. Also avoid invasive plants that will choke out everything in your garden.
Try to provide rainwater for your wildlife if at all possible as chlorinated water is not suitable to your animals or insects in your habitat. You can capture roof rain water in downspouts coming into barrels or buckets. Use mulch (leaf mulch is best) to cut down on weeding. A drip soaker hose is more effective and efficient that sprinklers. As mentioned before, eliminate chemical use in your yard. Use organic means of controlling pests, even let some of them do their job in the yard. Forget about or reduce lawn.
Always bear in mind that along with the animals you wish to attract to your backyard habitat, you will also attract those you may not want. Raccoons, opossums and other mammals may invade as well. Make sure your garbage cans have tight fitting lids. Rabbits may try to make a treat out of your organic vegetable garden. Put up a fence to keep them out. It is also wise to go around the house and find any holes and repair them to keep all those wonderful critters in your backyard and not in your living room.
If you are interested you can register your backyard habitat with the US Dept of Wildlife. You will receive a certificate suitable for hanging. You have to follow some strict rules to get the certificate so if it doesn't matter to you. Just do the best you can and let your kids help. They love to create habitats and watch what happens in them.
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