What are Habitat Gardens?
A Habitat Garden is earth friendly, critter tolerant, and pollinator and native plant friendly. Native plants, composting, and knowing how to keep pests under control, as well as supporting native species of birds, frogs, bats and insects are all goals of the program.
Pollinators are extremely important to our gardens and our food production. Without these beneficial insects, our ability to grow food would be truly impacted. Habitat loss, invasive and exotic bugs, and disease are growing concerns, along with homeowners’ increased and improper use of pesticides. By providing a season-long source of food and living conditions for insects, birds, reptiles, and animals, you’ll help with protecting plant diversity and food sources.
Resources
Listed here are just a few resources that you may find helpful with making your garden into a Habitat Garden.
- Virginia Department of Game & Inland Fisheries’ Habitat for Wildlife
- Virginia Cooperative Extension/VCE Master Gardeners’ For the Birds, Butterflies & Hummingbirds: Creating Inviting Habitats
- Virginia Cooperative Extension’s Feeding Wild Birds
- Virginia Cooperative Extension’s Deer: A Garden Pest
- Virginia Cooperative Extension’s The Woods in Your Backyard Workbook
- National Park Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Plant Invaders of Mid-Atlantic Natural Areas
- Contact NSVMGA’s Extension Master Gardeners
If you find a resource that is useful or find any of these links no long work, please contact us.
Habitat Registration Programs
If you would like recognition for your efforts to make your home landscape more welcoming to flora and fauna, check out the programs and organizations listed below.
- Homegrown National Park: Get on the Map
- Monarch Watch: Register a Monarch Waystation
- National Wildlife Federation: Certified Wildlife Habitat
- North American Butterfly Association: Butterfly Garden Certification Program
- Northern Shenandoah Valley Master Gardener Association: Native and Sustainable Habitat Garden for Flora and Fauna
- Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation: Pollinator Protection Pledge
If you would like us to add to the list of habitat registration programs, please contact us.