Photo by John Boyer / SXC
By Alisa Opar
Forgetting to cover your trash bin might
attract critters, but there are better ways
to turn your yard into an animal mecca.
Even if you’re a city dweller, you can
register your lawn as a wildlife sanctuary
with the National Wildlife Federation, a
conservation nonprofit. More than 74,000
people nationwide have shunned sod,
ponied up $15, and ensured their yards
provide animals with food, water, cover,
and places to raise young.
Here are a few
simple tips that will help you turn your
estate into a bona fide animal house.
PLANT evergreens or dense shrubs to
create cover for creatures. Put in native
flora that bloom (butterflies, hummingbirds,
and beneficial insects can’t resist
them) or produce berries that can serve
as wintertime snacks for hungry critters.
Visit natureserve.org/explorer for native plant
suggestions.
BUILD a birdhouse or frog pond to
provide a safe place for animals to raise
babies. For shelter—and a hands-on
weekend project—create a rock wall or
rain garden. If shovels aren’t your thing,
buy a birdbath or feeder.
DON'T USE pesticides and fertilizers.
Instead, place mulch around plants—it
reduces the need for fertilizers and water.
If you can’t go chemical-free, use products
with a low environmental impact quotient,
which is a measure of pesticide toxicity.
(Check out nysipm.cornell.edu for ratings
on 300 common pesticides).
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