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Backyard Habitat Certification ProgramsQ: I live in Jupiter and have converted an unused dog run in my yard into a butterfly garden. I established another larger butterfly garden in the front of the house that acts as a buffer from my front yard and the street. Then, directly in front of the house, I have more butterfly plants along with a variety of herbs. As I was showing my gardens to family members recently, I was told that there is an organization in the State of Florida that recognizes gardens and landscapes that encourage butterfly gardens. Do you know of such an organization and how I may get in touch with someone who may give me more information on how to receive the recognition plate to stand in my garden? I would be delighted to display this recognition in my butterfly gardens. Thank you -- J. Knutson A: J, I'm so proud of you for creating butterfly gardens! I'm sure they're beautiful and draw a lot of butterflies. You're providing habitat and food for these creatures as well as a pleasant view. There are two yard-certification-type programs that I know of. The one you may be referring to is the Florida Yards & Neighborhoods program, run by the University of Florida. The program rewards homeowners with certification if they can basically show their yards conserve water and don't contribute to pollution -- and providing wildlife habitat is a plus. The link above will tell you all about this program and how you can get certified. The other program I know of is run on a national level: the National Wildlife Federation's Backyard Wildlife Habitat program. This one focuses more on creating habitat, like for butterflies, than the Florida program, so it's possible that this is the one you heard about. Your yard may qualify for both programs, however, so why not check out both? Then let your local newspaper know about your certification so you can help spread the word about how homeowners can help the environment in their own backyards. An EcoFloridians member pointed out to me that there is a 3rd wildlife certification program with Windstar Wildlife Institute. Do you have a question? Contact the editor. |
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