Create & Certify

Everyone can enjoy and protect wildlife where they live, learn, work, play, and worship.

This program provides simple steps and a wealth of resources to create beautiful spaces that make a big impact for local and migratory species from small window boxes to vast habitat corridors. Implementing climate smart sustainable gardening practices benefits people and communities across North America.

Explore options below for the ways you or your organization can be part of the movement to increase even more wildlife friendly acres across backyards, public gardens, school districts, corporate campuses, colleges and universities, places of worship, and community spaces across the country and at select sites across the world. All these efforts incorporate Habitat Essentials with native plants.

Learn how anyone, at any age, in any place, can help and receive recognition for their efforts through a few different certification options. Check out the list of benefits individuals receive when they certify.

An landscape drawing comparing the lack of biodiversity in a traditionally managed lawn with non-native plants compared to an ecologically designed landscape filled with native plants and wildlife.

Garden for Wildlife® to Make an Impact

By providing the habitat essentials and planting native, you can support a wide range of wildlife species in your own outdoor space.

2 Times More Wildlife

Native habitat gardens can support two times the amount of wildlife when compared to properties with primarily turf lawn.

70% Native Plants

Native plants are the foundation of a wildlife habitat garden. We suggest you strive for a minimum of 70% native plants.

2+ Million Acres Lost

Over 2 million habitat acres are lost annually to development and agriculture. Your garden can be part of the solution to rebuild this habitat!

Learn More About Creating Your Habitat

A collage featuring gardeners and various representations of habitat support, such as a songbird with a caterpillar in its beak, a bumblebee on orange butterfly milkweed, a swallowtail on a buttonbush shrub.

How You Help Wildlife and People

Learn how your habitat stewardship makes a real impact.

More Questions?