In 2014, the Wildlife Center of Virginia became an official National Wildlife Federation Certified Wildlife Habitat site. The Headwaters Master Naturalists, Area Master Gardeners, and many volunteers worked hard to create a garden space that improves habitat for birds, frogs, butterflies, and other wildlife by providing essential elements needed by all wildlife.
Take the Video Tour:
There are many things you can do to your backyard to make it more friendly for your wild neighbors. By providing shelter, food, and water sources, you can attract and sustain a wide variety of wildlife.
Below are some features that you can add to your backyard habitat!
Plant Lists
- Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy's Gardening for Wildlife is a 20-page document of native trees, shrubs, wildflowers, grasses and vines that are particularly good for Virginia wildlife food sources and habitat. Table includes the type of wildlife that benefit from the plant.
- Invasive Alien Plant Species of Virginia
- Landscape Plants that are Alien Invasive Species in Virginia
Additional Online Resources
The following organizations all have great ideas for making your backyard more wildlife-friendly. Creating shelter, planting native plants, supplying natural foods, and providing water sources are all actions that you can take to help mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates survive and thrive!
National Wildlife Federation: Certified Wildlife Habitat
Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay: Yard Design
Conservation Landscaping: A BayScapes Homeowners Guide
Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries: Habitat at Home
Subscribe to our email newsletters