Backyards for Wildlife

Landscaping for Wildlife – and for You

Beautiful landscapes and natural surroundings, including wildlife, do much to enhance property values. "Property values" not only mean the monetary market value of a piece of the Earth's surface, but also the capacity of that land to enrich the lives of those who live on it.

Our parks and yards offer us aesthetic rewards. But they also provide for the survival needs of wildlife. The decisions we make when landscaping our lawns, therefore, determine not only what kinds of animals live there, but also whether those animals co-exist with us, to give us pleasure or to give us vexing problems when their needs conflict with our wants.

The Needs of Wildlife

A wild animal has the same basic needs as we do; shelter, water and food. These items must be spread out or arranged suitably on an area of land large enough to support a breeding population, or the animals will not persist. Each species has its own required form of shelter and food. These rules form the basis for landscaping with wildlife in mind.

Shelter consists of nesting sites and places where animals may hide when sleeping, traveling or feeding. Squirrels and most birds need trees and shrubs for shelter; wild rabbits and some birds require thick areas of vegetation near the ground for hiding. Animals stick close to shelter -- that is why nuisance problems often arise when dense, continuous plantings of shrubs are made against the house. An alternative is to create corridors of shelter around the perimeter of the yard, thus channeling wild animals to areas where they will cause less harm. Some animals require hollow trees for nesting or roosting. Bird houses or bat roosts meet this need when hollow trees are unavailable.

Water for drinking and bathing can be provided in a birdbath or pool. Food needs vary considerably from species to species. Many "weeds" produce valued fruits, seeds and shelter for wildlife. You may wish to allow some back corner of your yard to go wild.

For information on the wildlife values of different cultivated plant varieties, please see the District's brochure:

• Backyards for Wildlife (953 KB PDF)