Create a Backyard Wildlife Habitat
Now that you’ve discovered where to buy sod in Arizona, your new lawn from Evergreen Turf may have inspired you to create a landscape that attracts wildlife. Creating a wildlife habitat in your backyard that attracts hummingbirds, chipmunks and other creatures is pretty simple. A wildlife habitat consists of five primary elements.
Food is the first element needed in your backyard wildlife habitat. You will want to grow foliage that is indigenous to the area. Provide food sources for the critters by planting trees and plants that have fruits or seeds on them. Bird feeders work well to attract many different kinds of birds too.
As you probably guessed, water is the second element of a wildlife habitat. You can create a water source in your backyard by arranging a bird bath. If bird baths are not your style, any other shallow water source will suffice. This will be used by the creatures to drink and wash.
Animals need and enjoy cover from poor weather conditions and predators. As such, shelter is the third element needed in your backyard. To accommodate, you can plant heavy shrubbery as part of your landscape. As an alternative, create hollowed out areas for the animals to chill out in the shade.
The fourth element is having a place for animals to raise offspring. These areas need to be safe and secure and will vary depending on the types of animals you are trying to attract. For birds or squirrels, trees are great. Ponds are conducive for amphibious creatures and their young.
The fifth and final element you need is sustainable gardening practices. This means planting native vegetation, reducing chemicals and building healthy soil. Keep in mind that your habitat effects the environment, so anything you can do to promote a healthy lawn helps.
If you want, you can apply to have your backyard wildlife habitat certified by the National Wildlife Federation. The above five elements are the qualifying criteria for the certification. You must meet all five criteria before applying for certification. For more information and to get started, visit https://secure.nwf.org/backyardwildlifehabitat/certify/page1.cfm.
Evergreen Turf, official sod supplier for the Arizona Cardinals, is your source for Arizona sod installation and landscaping advice. For more information, visit www.evergreenturf.com.
Tags: arizona sod, Arizona Wildlife, landscaping
October 21st, 2009 at 10:35 am
PianoTrade…
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