DIY Projects

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Plant it and they will come

                                         Planning Your Perfect Pollinator Garden

We have made your garden choices easier! By matching each winged beauty with the native plants that it is attracted to, you can be confident that your garden will be a source of enjoyment all season long.

Cultivars and exotics may be quite pretty, but are mostly ignored by butterflies, who long ago forged a symbiotic relationship with specific plants.

No matter if you are creating a brand new garden or just supplementing an existing one, this chart will provide valuable planning information.

Note that foods are divided into trees, bushes, flowers, edibles and ground cover. The size and location of your garden will be factors in your selection. Talk with your local nursery about plant sizes, soil conditions, sunlight and moisture to determine what is just right for you. Please note that not every part of every edible listed is safe for human consumption.  Always check with a reliable source before eating anything you are not familiar with.

Don’t forget the caterpillars! A successful garden relies upon those icky little worms. Be sure to provide plenty of those host plants for Mom to lay her eggs.

Click HERE to find out which plants attract which butterflies and/or caterpillars.

                               ON BEHALF OF THE POLLINATORS, WE THANK YOU.

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Build it and they will come

Bird Houses are often called nesting boxes because they provide a safe place for birds to build their nests, protected from the elements and predators. In the winter months, they give visiting birds a place to snuggle together for warmth away from the cold air.

Click HERE to learn more about the "Nesting Habitat and Birdhouse Requirements" to determine the type and size of birdhouse appropriate for your area. Then click on links below to pull up detailed instructions.

• Barred Owl
• Bat House
• Brown Headed Nuthatch
• Eastern Bluebird
  
• Great Crested Flycatcher

• Northern Flicker
• Red Headed Woodpecker
• Screech Owl
• Tree Swallow
• Wood Duck
  

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Certify your yard

LNWC supports wildlife habitat garden and restoration programs unique to the flora and fauna native to our state.

Since 1973, the National Wildlife Federation’s "Garden for Wildlife" program has been educating and empowering people turn their own small piece of the Earth - their yards and gardens - into thriving habitat for birds, butterflies and other wildlife.

Together, LNWC, NWF and NCWF realize every habitat garden is a step toward replenishing resources for wildlife locally and along migratory corridors.

Recognize your commitment to wildlife and certify your yard, balcony container garden, schoolyard, work landscape or roadside greenspace into a Certified Wildlife Habitat®.  It's fun, easy and makes a big difference for neighborhood wildlife.

In addition, your application processing fee of $20 supports the National Wildlife Federation's programs to inspire others to make a difference and address declining habitat for bees, butterflies, birds, amphibians and other wildlife nationwide. A portion also supports the work in our state!

Click HERE to certify your yard.