Certifiably Green

I want to send a big CONGRATULATIONS to my friend Debbie.

She has provided the essential elements for a healthy and sustainable wildlife habitat in her own backyard, earning the National Wildlife Federation's Certified Wildlife Habitat™ program.

The following is a 37-second, super-cute video Debbie took of a little visitor playing around in her backyard habitat.



Click here to certify your yard. The five requirements include:

• Food Sources—For example: Native plants, seeds, fruits, nuts, berries, nectar
• Water Sources—For example: Birdbath, pond, water garden, stream
• Places for Cover—For example: Thicket, rockpile, birdhouse
• Places to Raise Young—For example: Dense shrubs, vegetation, nesting box, pond
• Sustainable Gardening—For example: Mulch, compost, rain garden, chemical-free fertilizer

The picture to the right is Debbie beside the 6-by-11-foot, 18-inch-deep fish pond that she and her husband built in their backyard last year.

The couple put a lot of work into the pond, digging about two tons of dirt from what would be the fish pond with just a shovel a some elbow grease. Then, they bought about three tons of river rock and handwashed each stone so the pond water wouldn’t be dirty. They lined the hole with a rubber liner and stacked the rocks one-by-one.

Now the pond is home to 10 koi, three fantail goldfish and a wide variety of plant life, including carnivorous pitcher plant, creeping jenny, yellow lily, lotus, red canna and water hyacinth.

Great job, Debbie!