Why Create a Backyard Habitat?

• A love of wildlife.

If you are a nature lover, why not create some in your backyard? When we say create, we really mean cooperate. When working on such a project, we are merely filling in the blank spots, or removing things of detriment.

• For the aesthetic value.

The sheer beauty of minimally managed nature as viewed from your back deck.

• For the enjoyment and education of children.

Watching the look of fascination in a child’s eyes. Enough said!

• Insect protection.

More people die from Malaria each year than from any other factor. Malaria is only one of the many diseases carried by mosquitoes. Birds and bats eat mosquitoes like kids eat candy. Having birds and bats, cuts down the mosquito problem, which cuts down on on pain, swelling, and disease. It also decreases the need for insecticides, which is always a good thing for the environment, for health, and for your wallet!

So, aside from the environmental good, and the aesthetic appeal, you are providing a public health service, that saves you money!

Basic Native Backyard Habitat Requirements

The place to begin, is in determining your DIRECTion. What do I mean? Well, let’s use this little acrostic:

Decide>Identify>Remove>Encourage>Construct>Transplant

We call this, our DIRECT approach to backyard habitats.

Decide>Identify>Remove>Encourage>Construct>Transplant

• Decide what you want to accomplish.

Is this to be a bird sanctuary, a small animal habitat, or do you simply want to attract butterflies? To some extent, by following these guidelines, you will have some of all.

• Identify what you already have.

What is already good about your landscape, and what is bad? What invasive non native plants are in the way? What will you need to do to get rid of them, and what will you use to replace them? This may cause you to want to modify what you initially wanted, as the opportunities expand. Keep in mind that you are dealing with living things, and that your project may evolve just as nature evolves.

• Remove the plants that are non native, or at least the ones that tend to be invasive.

It has been our experience, that wildlife can survive in a mixed habitat of natives and non native plant life, but that any non natives tend to throw things out of balance. Some birds will eat their fill of of non native berries or seed, and not be physically benefited. They will tend to seek out better nourishment, even if it is somewhere else. Remember, that you have limited space, so everything that grows, should benefit wildlife, or the wildlife will go.

• Encourage the plants that are native and beneficial.

There are several ways that this can be done, including a little pruning, and some of the other cultural practices that are normally used with landscape plants.

• Construct any additional structures, and water features.

You may need to provide extra cover, water, and food for the wildlife. It could be something as simple as a bird or bat house,a rock den area,a feeder for supplemental feedings, or a water feature complete with falls for the wildlife to drink from and wash in.

• Transplant any native plants needed to round out the habitat.

If you have done the things on the rest of the list, you may find that you need some other plants to help round out the native wildlife diet. Planting an extra seed bearing tree, or a few shrubs that might be the favorite food of one of your winged or furry friends, might be just the thing to encourage them to spend time at your place. Just make sure it is native.

Residential Habitat Services In East Texas

Some of the Latin is interesting as well, and often more descriptive. The Latin for Yaupon Holly is Ilex vomitoria, which means what it sounds like. Don’t eat any of the berries, or you will find out why!