How Your Yard Can Be a Certified Wildlife Habitat & Why It’s Important to Do So

[@artistlovepeace]

Thank you for your lecture and demonstration. I've been letting my lawn get out of control this year. I'm a little scared of getting a note from the city but I'm pushing ahead. I have lots of wildlife and babies in the yard they they are thriving b/c I didn't mow the grass. It's a better world with oxygen breathing beings and their babies. We're all here on one (only one) planet and we all call it home.

[@aprilhollingsworth1520]

My (now ex) husband wanted a nice lawn and didn’t want me doing anything to the front yard unless he agreed. No plants that have to be pruned. All miniature trees. Well, we are divorced and I am slowly turning my yard into a self-sustaining garden with creeping plants plants that will take over the grass.

[@nicoleworkman3142]

Yep, that's why I am choosing to stay on the coast.... our drought is very green and wet with constant snow pack in the mountains. ☺️😍🤗

[@psalm1dan]

Great job! Just got my yard certified too! Now my back yard is legit to me. When I study nature I see God's handiwork in everything.

[@LostInThisGardenofLife]

It’s probably silly but I was so proud to have my garden certified. 😆

[@annadavis6361]

Not it’s not! You are awesome!

[@chanellekirch]

Absofuckinglutly not silly at all!

[@alliehamilton-calhoun162]

It isn't silly! It's hard work being the sore thumb sticking out in the neighborhood sea of turf grass. Every Summer I shrink the size of my lawn and turn more of it into pollinator and native plants. I hope to get rid of all the grass eventually and replace it with native grasses and sedges. I haven't yet convinced my family to stop the chemical spraying lawn service.... grumble grumble. You should be proud that you're doing a good and worthwhile thing for the planet!

[@wildlifewarrior2670]

Why is that silly

[@carryragsdale7434]

Not silly! It's awesome! Congrats!!!!!

[@blindjohn2969]

Wow my yard meets the Criteria. Im in silverton, Oregon not too far away. Just had a monsoon rain today & finally filled up 1000 gallons of rain barrels and my koi pond got topped off. The rain makes me happy. Thanks for the Video!

[@WesternKYBackyardWildlife]

We have been working on our 5 acres in the country to make it more wildlife friendly. We have an acre of milkweed for insects, monarch butterflies, and frogs live it. We planted native food source plants, stopped mowing the grass all the time, and a pond. Our wildlife has increased a lot. We also don't have cats.

[@lisagrahamart1832]

I really want to do this in my yard. I have been on a mission to learn and get started. What you said here about beauty AND keeping to the needed practices to help wildlife made a light bulb LIGHT up. Yes yes yes. My neighborhood loves their lush lawns and nonnative plants. I wish I could have coffee with you to learn more. Greetings from Kansas!

[@abbi_page]

Thanks!

[@melstill]

Hmm, I should look into this. It might go a long way in convincing my neighbors that my yard looks like this not (just) from neglect but is a carefully planned and executed chaos. : )

[@sunnyday7843]

I just bought my house that I had rented for 11 years and was so excited to make it a cottage / wildlife garden. It was mowed down while we were on vacation - they said due to the fire danger in the area) so now I am back to square one .

[@docAwfulMD]

just got my yard certified :) super happy

[@GilleyFamily]

cool!!

[@annadavis6361]

I just got mine! I’m so excited to add to this world something good!

[@k.g.1698]

Love this video! Thank you so much. Last year we began turning our front yard into a permaculture garden, it looked like a very traditional garden. This year it is much more wild and I have gotten a few mean comments about "not keeping up" on my garden. I am also 21wks pregnant with twins so the garden has not been a priority. This is a great motivator for me to know I can do a program like this and "justify" my wildness. Thank you from the southern oregon coast!

[@YouNeverKnowWhoIsWatching]

I'm only about halfway into the video, but I want to ask before I forget: for people that live in a suburb or residential area, has there ever been an issue with neighbors unhappy about your mini preserve/habitat attracting too many animals and or pests? I live in a part of Fort Worth that is half city, half suburbs with very big (deep)backyards. I wonder if I dedicate the back third of my yard to wildlife would it agitate my neighbor behind me? Or the neighbors to the side of me? For possibly having an increase in rodents, snakes, opposum, etc? Edit: my question assumes most people able to do this have a large piece of property or acreage 🤷

[@cami7819]

I don’t think my neighbors mind at all😁 We’ve provided a safe place for 68 species of birds so far! We had a couple opossums show up but they’re beneficial so we didn’t mind. And we just relocate any other “pests” (and we’ve only relocated once).🙂

[@mikebeaufort]

You inspired me! Game on.

[@nathanaelcard]

Thank you! Love your points about ambassadorship

[@marialaskari2903]

Love your videos! Thank youy! Side note, I have 9 cats and a permaculture garden for over 8 years, they have killed only two birds and countless mice. Australia did the mistake of poisoning all their cats by throwing poisoned sauge from ailaines few years back, now all their crops are fucked by mice growing rampantly everywhere. Cats are an inseparable part of any ecosystem. Humans need to apply the basic permaculture principle of incorporating instead of segregating. Humans are here to learn from nature and protect it ,not control it. Control and opinions is what got us here in the first place, fighting to preserve any wildlife that is left!

[@katiecannon8186]

Honestly, it’s impossible to know how many birds a cat has killed.

[@allahmohammed1819]

Her cats killed the fat, overly fed at human bird feeder birds....it's ok. The ecosystem can and will figure itself out without your input...can you imagine?

[@marialaskari2903]

yep! Except if you live outside most of the year, on a tent and spend time wherever you cat roams. In which case it is hard to miss a dead bird...In which case it is pretty easy to know how many losses you have had due to cats! Cheers!

[@lanialost1320]

We have many rescue cats too. Leash walk some of them in our permaculture yard. Others lounge in a small fenced off side yard for their outdoor time. What the Australian so-called authorities did to feral and free-roaming cats was barbaric. Humans have caused considerably more destruction to the ecosystem by polluting the soil, lakes, rivers, seas with endless chemicals for agriculture and industrial production, and habitat destruction for McMansions and factories producing junk and many other pointless buildings, cities and towns filled with high-rise buildings that birds collide into. My neighbors all have large sliding glass patio doors that routinely have birds flying into the glass that leads to their death or serious injury.

[@denaboyd8058]

Wonderful video. I love your passion and commitment to wildlife and the planet. Thank you.

[@davemiller3947]

Re: cover - in my yard the birds use my brush piles (pruned branches) and thick shrubs such as snowberry and spirea. I'm pretty sure many birds spend the night in the brush piles.

[@ParkrosePermaculture]

Excellent point!

[@rhondawelker6742]

Thank you, Angela. This was very interesting. Another viewer asked exactly what I’ve been wondering for awhile, if you are going to get back into tours and classes. I, too, live in Washington State, as she does, and would love to be able to visit and go through one if they ever become available again. My husband asked me the other day if you did tours and said, “We could go down since we live so close, it would be fun.” On the flip side, I can only imagine the time and work that goes into it as well as finding the time! Thank you again. 😃

[@wildedibles819]

We have been dry here too We had lots of snow but not much rain Im in Ontario Canada nice to meet you My perennials and weeds have taken the dry weather way better than my annual veggies I think its important to use permaculture and wild areas and also food forest design to move forward in farming in safe ways for every person animal and plant respect to our planet the best we can

[@ParkrosePermaculture]

Hello in Ontario! Absolutely agree with you! We can farm in safe and respectful ways!

[@wildedibles819]

@@ParkrosePermaculture glad to have you around:) Much love xoxox

[@VultureXV]

Doing my best to set a trend in Missouri.

[@cameronscott8802]

I’m glad to hear you are certified! I’m beginning to learn about the backyard habitat certification and had thought they had more emphasis on natives. Not that you don’t have natives of course. Great video!

[@Twotimepyro]

Thank you. I just got my yard certified.

[@PegsGarden]

That is fantastic Angela, I will work on my garden to hopefully get my garden certified in the future, your garden is such an inspiration to me

[@CarissaWyles]

Angela - i read an article recently about posion hemlock, a man was in the hospital because of it with respiratory issues, and the article recommended using herbicide if you don't know how to properly dispose of it 🥴 it gave absolutley no other solution, no other natural ways to safely dispose of.... it hurt my soul. I thought of you and was wondering if you could do a video on poison hemlock safety, maybe some info on how to get rid of it without harming yourself or the environment. I appreciate your videos so much! You have such a wealth of knowledge 🙏💙

[@ParkrosePermaculture]

I have not encountered Hemlock on my property. But I have had friends nearby who have tried to remove it and I always caution them you really need to wear a respirator long sleeves long pants and heavy gloves when digging it out. And you need to dispose of all the green matter because even when it is dry it is still toxic. Spraying it with an herbicide doesn’t remove the toxic plant material I’m really kind of surprised someone would say that is the only solution. It definitely is a big issue for some people and I will cross my fingers and knock on wood that I have not had any in my yard

[@chanellekirch]

Omg I could cry! How awesome is this! Is this for backyards or is this for both front and back?

[@petesanchez557]

I have 4.2 acres that I would like to do something like this. Do you know if having it fenced with post that are pressure treated ok? I fenced it because I don’t want people horses eating the natural vegetation. We just put 3 Rocky Mountain Blue Bird houses, we see these a lot more since we fenced it. Now the birds have a place they can sit on in the middle of hills. I figured they can eat the grasshoppers and it’ll improve vegetation, wild flowers, etc. We will soon be putting up Leaf Cutter Bee houses and Bat Houses to help with mosquito control. I have seen Snowshoe Hare on our property. We have lots of droppings and tunnels. I won’t be using pesticides, but my treated lumber for fencing had to be treated

[@kylewolff1728]

I'm really enjoying your videos. Great job!

[@zenn3339]

Self I get my yard certified can the city not come and tell me to cut everything down like they just said so I grow a lot of stuff everywhere flowers this that and I have bees and butterflies and I had a possum in the backyard this summer and hummingbirds and I feed on my do all that stuff in the city sent me a thing saying that got to cut my stuff down at least 10 inches tall so if I get it certified can they tell me to do that?

[@RealBradMiller]

Get a bald eagle to nest on your property or any other endangered species, and they'll be unable to do a thing about it. Mwahahahahaha! I've taken over an entire county in Ohio with bald eagles, monarchs, and passenger pigeons. Soon, I will be unstoppable! 😂😂😂

[@zenn3339]

@@RealBradMiller 🤘🤘🤘

[@marialaskari2903]

also if someone has cats, it helps a lot to put your water source and bird feeders up high!

[@ParkrosePermaculture]

Good tip!!

[@wildlifewarrior2670]

Cats can climb for find a good spot for it

[@sunnyedgren4516]

Do you do tours of your garden? I am in Washington and want to come see!

[@ParkrosePermaculture]

I did before Covid. I taught workshops and gave tours. Trying to decide if I’ll do it again when things are more settled and open? It is actually a lot of work and I can only fit 20 or 25 people at a time. And I will be really honest it’s super hard as a very introverted person. It’s much easier for me to make a video than directly interact with a crowd of folks!

[@rosacaneda6032]

@@ParkrosePermaculture I would be interested if you ever think about doing workshops again. I’m in the Mill Park area :)

[@lanialost1320]

Excellent summary, but I believe you didn't mention a water source. I have some granite bird baths at waist height and at ground level that I scrub a couple of times a week using a stiff bristle brush and plain water, sometimes with 5% vinegar, but never bleach, and then fill with Berkey-filtered water that also removes the toxic fluoride our clueless town management adds to the entire water supply. Don't have a natural or an artificial pond in my yard as I hate the plastic rubberized liners used to create them, but I know you can use a special kind of clay that is packed firmly to stop the water leaching into the surrounding soil. One day I'll go through that more arduous but more natural clay-packing process, but for now my granite bird baths suffice. You have to be disciplined to keep them clean to flush out all the bird and critter waste, and algae and mold build-up.

[@mikebeaufort]

Thank you for reminding viewers that wildlife water sources must be kept clean to prevent spreading diseases. And describing your process is helpful, too.

[@YouNeverKnowWhoIsWatching]

Maybe a silly question, but are you able to sit in your backyard and enjoy it? I imagine with the amount of flying insects it may be uncomfortable? This the first ever video I have watched on this subject after looking at another video on someone making a pond in the backyard, so I may be missing the point.

[@undefinednull5749]

great idea

[@ingeleonora-denouden6222]

It would be good if such a program would exist here in the Netherlands too (but it doesn't)

[@harriettejensen479]

Great information! I think I am probably eligible for the certificate except for the water feature. I have been thinking of ways that I could deal with the drought, as I live in the SF Bay Area and have a large vegetable garden. I look forward to seeing your suggestions. I am a renter, so I can't make changes to the roof or downspouts, although my landlord has been extremely tolerant about the fact that I have planted 18 trees on this small property in the 15 years I have lived here. What I am considering is handwatering, using two large plastic covered garbage cans as water storage (I live on a hill and carrying the water up the hill would be onerous). Also, perhaps you could post a URL or an email for the National Wildlife Federation?

[@ParkrosePermaculture]

I have a rain garden but I have a little bee waterer with pebbles in it I fill every morning with four cups of water. The link for the NWF website is in the description :)

[@harriettejensen479]

@@ParkrosePermaculture Thanks! I must have missed it first time through.

[@katiecannon8186]

@@ParkrosePermaculture Would be great to have a walk through of the different things you do for wild life.

[@amyjones2490]

Heck we are in a drought here in s. Michigan. Ive never seen it so dry.

[@ParkrosePermaculture]

:(. It’s a real issue I think most of the country has avoided examining too closely because we’ve been in a global pandemic and political turmoil for a while. The smoking forest fire situation on the West Coast last summer was a big wake up call for a lot of people and they are anticipating it will be worse this year. We have to stop burying our heads in the sand and design to support people and the land and the water needs of both

[@saraho8540]

If both my direct neighbors use lawn services and spray pesticides, but I don't can I still qualify? I know that choosing not to has helped because wildlife has slowly been coming but I also know my neighbors' chemicals are leaking into my yard.

[@Lauradicus]

I am lucky in that my neighbor on the south doesn’t use chemicals but the neighbor to the north? Aieeee! They should have a “toxic to wildlife” warning plaque!! They have even halfway buried pressure treated lumber along our common fence line. The stuff leaching from that alone increases soil toxicity to the point we can’t grow food or medicinals or pollinators’ food/medicinals! They are one of the worst sources of air pollution, they burn regularly garbage in their fireplace. Talking to these people is a mistake, an open invitation to attack (literally). Sean at Edible Acres had a really cool way of dealing with it. He dug a shallow ditch along the common property line (he planted a hedge first which I don’t have room for). He lined the ditch with char to absorb a lot of the chemicals and at the bottom of the ditch he directed the water back onto their property. I’m going to do this as soon as the sunflowers are finished even though I practice no-dig and may have to borrow a shovel! Best of luck.

[@sherriianiro747]

I have same situation here. I was told 20' minimum planting away in order to prevent poisoning to wildlife. So I didn't plant any edibles within 20' of property line. A berm is good too along with barrier placed into ground to avoid seepage as much as possible.

[@kacysspace]

Hi Angela! I’ve been watching your channel for a while now (first time commenting, however) and I know this video is old but I hope you can answer this question when you have the time. Because your yard is a wildlife habitat I assume Opossums, Snakes, and Raccoons often visit. How do you keep your dog and poultry safe from such visitors? If it matters I’m in Northern California, zone 9b.

[@ParkrosePermaculture]

Hi! We have not lost a chicken or a duck to a raccoon in over ten years but initially it was an issue. I’m diligent about locking up the birds before dusk bc coons are plentiful. Opossums frequent our yard but I’ve never had them cause trouble. And we have no venomous snakes here, and the only snakes that we get are garter snakes - which are actually in danger from my chickens. Chickens have killed and eaten multiple garter snakes in the poultry run.

[@kacysspace]

@@ParkrosePermaculture Thank you for the response! I was worried about the predators but I also didn’t want to kick them out. I have a pretty nice raccoon visitor that likes to drink from my bird bath and lounge on my deck in the summer.

[@micaela6915]

How do you make a bee waterer?

[@allahmohammed1819]

Put water in a bowl outside and label it bees only ....duh

[@ParkrosePermaculture]

Bees can drown in a standard birdbath. I use a shallow glazed ceramic dish and I put marbles or seashells or pebbles in it. That way they have a place to perch and drink. Other folks float corks in the water. Basically, bees need a source of water not only to drink but to use to cool the hive on hot days so that the wax and honey doesn’t melt and the brood don’t die. So they will go for any water even deep buckets or kiiddy pools or bird baths and then drown so we need to get them shallow sources of water I find that in the summer I have to refill my Bee waterer every day

[@Gottacacheemalll]

What animals visit your property?

[@ParkrosePermaculture]

Flickers, sparrows, warblers, chickadees, juncos, jays, coppers hawks, Anna’s hummingbirds, moles, garter snakes, tree frogs, opossum, house finch, kinglets, goldfinches, all manner of spiders and insects, at least 8 species of native bees…

[@britkat6280]

It's unfortunate that cats aren't included. We pretty much have a feral cat Sanctuary in our food forest. They are well fed and have never killed any birds (that I'm aware of in our yard atleast). We have black birds, mocking birds, owls and parakeets to name a few. We also have plenty lizards and frogs that aren't harmed. I have seen them play with lizards but usually they let them go I haven't seen any dead ones. Last year we had a couple water moccasins come in the backyard I think to find the eggs a turtle had layed in there. The cats were ganging up on one and we were able to scoop it up and bring it back to the canal nearby. I do love snakes but have young children so I am thankful to the cats for trying to protect us from a venomous one. Cats are part of nature and the cycle and I don't believe in keeping cats inside IF they want to be outside as most of ours do. We have bugs that eat other bugs and we don't get rid of them or keep them inside. Just as you let birds eat slugs and such. I feel cats should be able to be apart of this. After all it is our fault as humans that cats even need to depend on us. There are too many sickly and hurt, starving cats on the streets or in shelters on death row. They need our help too! Please love cats and take care of them too! Much love from the kitty farm. Meow 😻

[@lanialost1320]

Wonderful comment. Cats are unfairly stigmatized when it is actually human destruction of the planet and ecosystems that is the cause of wildlife and bird reduction, including their habitat -- which, by the way, needs to be contiguous not fractured into mini unconnected, mostly wasteland areas that have been stripped of natural trees and cover, and instead have had soulless, worthless grass planted.

[@martibroekemeier2342]

Also maybe silly, but those are my favorite glasses so far. I’m moving my property toward permaculture as I’m learning more about it. How big is your property? You have so many different oasis’s to explore!! I’m impressed.

[@ParkrosePermaculture]

I have 1/4 acre including the footprint of the house and driveway. Not very big, but I cram a lot into it!

[@arrowssspirt]

My backyard on vacation is a literal forest and is a certified animal habitat 😭

[@whatagreatlife]

This was a good video, but I’m surprised you asked for money at the end… That part was odd

[@sunnyday7843]

Can anyone tell me What the animal is on the plaque ? Why is it wearing a hat ? Just wondering because I have wanted to get my yard certified and will want to answer this question.

[@lanialost1320]

I think it's a bear.

[@YouNeverKnowWhoIsWatching]

Looks like a raccoon by the striped tail

[@jameskniskern2261]

I did this when we were still living in Maryland. Got the sign and everything. But... National Wildlife Federation will send you junk mail in vast quantities forever. If you don't want junk mail, please don't get on the NWF mailing list. It is relentless. And so much waste. I do all of thei NWF checklist, but did not go through their "certification" process for my new property. Because I don't want on their mailing list again.

[@ParkrosePermaculture]

This is good to know! I will make sure to opt out. Definitely don’t need trees cut down for ads

[@sherriianiro747]

I think it depends where you live. A lot of cities are anti - wildlife and conservation and I have heard of people's plaques getting stolen, birrd feeders forced to be taken down etc.from people that want to live in a sterile environment that seem to have all the influence. Nevertheless it's your property.

[@oliviaglass3843]

I have had cats for 20 yrs - also have feeders, birthbaths, bird houses, a creek, native shrubs and flowers. My cats killed 2 birds - sadly about 7 of them flew into my windows and got killed….not sure about these statistics on domestic cats 😂 btw I have also had all kinds of decals in my windows - was not 100% foolproof.

Nice video, Like 47 and Bye from Italy :)

[@micahjobbins7041]

Cat people, do better.

[@davidg813]

Sounds like bragging rights if you ask me where'd you put it right out in the front yard where the whole world can see it? I have two bird baths I have a pond I have bird houses I have bird feeders and I don't need a sign on my house or in my front yard or anywhere to tell the rest of the world that I care about nature

[@allahmohammed1819]

The brow lift is so distracting ....and Americans can use water. We are not a third world. The water we use is not "wasted". It goes somewhere...duh

[@ParkrosePermaculture]

“Brow lift”?? I beg your pardon? Also, your opinion about water usage is not backed up by fact. We absolutely are in a drought in most of the country. It has nothing to do with being a “third world”. In fact, America has an extremely inefficient and aging water infrastructure system to begin with and we have chosen very poorly how to conserve and utilize water. I suggest you spend some time learning about the reality of the situation, because we all need to design solutions.

[@cameronscott8802]

Sounds like this troll has their head stuck in the sand and also no grasp of the world if they think people in the third world don’t use water 🤣

[@allahmohammed1819]

You're living in the bluest state next to California full of real thinkers. Your wokeness to the "problems" in America are so "helpful"... When car washes, golf course and swimming pools are drained...I'll believe in your "drought". Rolling black outs, water shortages are governmental ploys to make 'you' bow down...and yes, no one's eyebrows lift up on the corners above their glasses "naturally".... An opposing opinion and critique are part of social media darlings first world problems. Deal with it.

[@allahmohammed1819]

Cameron Scott "trolls" do not use complete sentences or write paragraphs. Grow a brain. Social media is not for here to be silent to your sensibilities or to coddle platform information givers like they are the end all on info and facts. Water rights in 3rd world countries is real....don't lol about serious matters you don't understand or comprehend

[@Lauradicus]

Actually there is a drought. All the disagreement in the world will not put water back in the aquifers. If you look at factual history of the west coast you will see that Oregon and Southern Washington are in precisely the same situation that Northern California was in in the 80’s. Ask the residents of Sacramento if they wish they had started to do things differently back then. With the exponential increase in wild fires here on the West coast aquifer levels are dropping at an even more alarming rate. Water that doesn’t soak into the soil never replenishes those aquifers. Run off goes to the lowest body of water. The proliferation of sealed soil (buildings, sidewalks, streets), lawns without trees or shrubs increase run off, diminishes replenishment of ground water and kills off the soil microorganisms that help soil retain water. Yes, we can use water. If we want to be able to say that in 50 years we MUST use water responsibly. I suggest you actively do some research about (at least) the state of the Colorado River basin, Central Valley aquifers from CA to BC, snow pack in the Olympics and Cascades, glacier loss before hopping down anyone’s throat with an opinion.