Lexington, KY - As the region bundles up for winter's worse, surely even the most stalwart of gardeners would realize that it's time to take a break, let the garden go, think of other things. But no, we are planning and plotting, aren't we?
The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife's Backyard Wildlife Habitat Program has grabbed my attention. This program is a gardener's official checklist to help create habitat, attract more wildlife, increase property value, reduce landscape maintenance, improve water conservation and protect the environment. There are various levels of certification available, and I'm going for the gold.
"Habitat loss," according to the department's brochure published about the Backyard Habitat Wildlife Program, "is the most serious problem facing Kentucky wildlife today. Normal lands and farms are being converted into suburban developments at an ever-increasing rate. As development continues, where will our 3,000 species of wild plants, 236 fishes, 50 amphibians, 55 reptiles, 350 birds, 75 mammals, countless butterflies, moths and other wild creatures live?
"In order to conserve the full diversity of Kentucky wildlife - its biodiversity - each and every one of us needs to make a place for wildlife in our backyards, in our school yards, and in our hearts."
To get my gold certification, I will need to meet all of the guidelines provided in the Wildlife Habitat Kit, covering the essential components of a wildlife habitat: food, cover and water.
Food
Native plants provide food for wildlife. The more native plants in the landscape, the more wildlife diversity is sustained. Studies done by Dr. Douglas Talamy, author of "Bringing Nature Home," clearly show that non-native plants support very little life.
I'll attract more wildlife if I have a high diversity of plants arranged in dense plantings. Also, I want to have the plant layers you would find in nature: large trees, small trees, shrubs, tall grasses and wildflowers.
Artificial feeders can be added. Feeding stations attract wildlife for close up viewing and they can be a valuable food supplement year round. During warm weather they need to be cleaned weekly with warm soapy water to avoid any contamination that could sicken the birds.
Cover
Cover is necessary for safe feeding, nesting and shelter from the weather. This can be provided by dense plantings of wildflowers and grasses, trees and shrubs, logs, rock piles, and leaf litter. The kit provides plans for various types of nesting boxes, another way to offer protection.
Water
While water is used for drinking and bathing, it also attracts insects that are important summer foods for birds. Some insects require an aquatic environment during all or part of their life cycle.
Mary Carol Cooper, the native plant program coordinator at Salato Wildlife Education Center, heads up the committee that judges submissions for Wildlife Habitat Certification. The committee of 12 is comprised of the president of Garden Clubs of Kentucky, several wildlife biologists, some landscapers and some home owners. The submissions for each year are judged at one meeting, held in January of the following year. I look forward to making my submission sometime in 2011, and hearing about the results in January, 2012.
Cooper tells me that "145 acres of Kentucky wildlife habitat are lost per day, every day, to urban sprawl, agriculture and exotic invasive plants." If we all work together we can help to reverse the trend of habitat loss.
Please know that a Backyard Habitat Certification does not require that all the plants be native, so you can keep your favorite petunias and peonies. I certainly have.
Some people express their concern that a backyard filled with native plants might look like a rather messy field. Of course it could look that way, but it most certainly doesn't have to. As a landscape designer (not all my clients have native plants in their gardens), I can assure you that there is no need to abandon landscape design principles when using native plants in your garden. I have found that strong design features, such as pathways, sitting areas and walls, nicely balance the exuberance of some natives. There are also many native plants that are well behaved, with lovely features that are worthy of placement in your yard.
Our local chapter of Wild Ones, a national organization that encourages the use of native plants in the landscape, holds monthly events that will give you opportunities to tour gardens that include native plants. Check out their website at www.for-wild.org/chapters/lexington.
Blooms, berries, contrast in size and texture, fall color - you can have it all. Plus butterflies, hummingbirds, songbirds, dragon flies and pollinating insects. In short, meeting the requirements for Backyard Habitat Certification will guarantee that you will have a garden that is truly alive.
More information about the Backyard Habitat Certification is available at the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife's website - http://fw.ky.gov/ (click on the Habitat Improvement tab at the top of the page).