Hang a solar latern, we'll plant a tree...together we can help reforest America!
Over the last four years, with your help, Plow & Hearth has planted more than 3 million trees nationwide through our Campaign to Reforest America®. And we will continue to work toward 1 million more.
This year, each time a customer buts one of our exclusive Solar Star Laterns or Pewter Ornaments, Plow & Hearth will donate a tree to the National Forest Foundation to support reforestion efforts in America's National Forests. To learn more, click here
Create Perfect Backyard Habitats
Whether you live in a log cabin or a condo, you can make a place for wildlife right at your backdoor. It’s easier than you think. There are three basic steps to creating a Backyard Wildlife Habitat.
Assess Your Yard Or Garden Space
The first thing you need to do is identify the habitat elements that already exist in your yard or garden space. You may be surprised to find you're already providing some habitat for wildlife!
Native plants that provide food and cover are the backbone of every habitat. Make a list of all the plants in your yard, including everything from trees to wildflowers.
Try to determine which of your plants are native to your area and which are not. Which existing plants might provide food such as seeds, fruits, nuts and nectar? Which plants might provide safe cover or nesting places?
Do you have any dead or dying trees? If so, don’t reach for the chainsaw! Dying or dead trees are excellent habitat features. They are excavated and used by woodpeckers, flying squirrels, and a multitude of insects and cavity-nesting birds, such as owls, bluebirds, chickadees and wrens.
Determine how your yard might already provide water for wildlife. This could be in the form of a pond, water garden, stream, vernal pool or birdbath.
Make a list of any structures that provide habitat elements, such as bird feeders, nesting structures, rock walls or log piles.
Finally, consider the physical features of your yard, such as sun and wind exposure and soil conditions.
Provide The Four Basic Elements
All species have four basic requirements for survival: food, water, cover, and places to raise young.
Benefits of Attracting Wildlife
Besides adding visual interest to your yard and garden, wildlife is important for insect control. Did you know that 99% of the insects in your yard are beneficial? One-third of all the food we eat comes as a direct result from pollinator insects, while many insects prey on the annoying ones, like mosquitoes. Besides throwing a damper on your outdoor gathering, mosquitoes can carry dangerous diseases (like West Nile), and pesticides (in addition to being hard on the environment and dangerous to children) aren’t much help, since they also kill the “good” bugs – bugs like dragonflies, who eat millions of mosquitoes, but don’t bounce back as fast their food source does after exposure to insecticides.
Birds and bats also eat millions of pesky insects every day, so encouraging them to come to your backyard is a definite advantage and a much healthier alternative to pesticides – for you and your family and the environment.
Certify Your Habitat
Already meet the requirements for certification? Visit the National Wildlife Federation and learn more about certifying your yard online today!
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