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Mexican Hat
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Eastern Screech Owl
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American Beautyberry
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| News and Events |
Wildlife Austin Wins 2009 Keep Austin Beautiful Award
PARD's Wildlife Austin program won this year's Keep Austin Beautiful Community Involvement Award. PARD is honored to win this prestigious award that recognizes efforts to enhance and protect Austin's environment.
The Wildlife Austin program was initiated in 2008 to obtain certification with the National Wildlife Federation as a Community Wildlife Habitat. The many educational and community projects that took place earned the program recognition by Keep Austin Beautiful. Wildlife Austin could not have done it without the dedicated support of volunteers, community leaders, and local partners throughout Austin . For more information on the Keep Austin Beautiful Awards go to http://www.keepaustinbeautiful.org/2009Awards.
Gardening for Wildlife Workshop
When: Saturday, February 13, 2010 | 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Where: Austin Nature & Science Center, 301 Nature Center Drive
Fee: $10 per person or $15 per couple (light refreshments provided)
Registration Deadline: February 5, 2010 (space is limited)
* Workshop is FULL *
To be put on a waiting list please email ansc@ci.austin.tx.us or call 512-327-8181.
Celebration of Urban Birds
When: Saturday, March 6, 2010 | 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Where: Austin Nature and Science Center
FREE EVENT
Presented by Austin Parks and Recreation Department and Travis Audubon Society
Urban Birds Storytime at Old Quarry Branch of Austin Public Library System
When: Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Where: 7051 Village Center Drive.,Austin, TX 78731
Contact: 512-345-4435
Toddler Storytime: Urban Birds
When: Wednesday, March 3, 2010 at 10:15 AM
Preschool Storytime: Urban Birds
When: Wednesday, March 3, 2010 at 11:00 AM
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| Austin is the first Texas Certified Community Wildlife Habitat! |
Since March 2007, the City of Austin has been working diligently to achieve National Wildlife Federation (NWF) community level certification. On March 12, 2009 Austin was recognized as a certified community during the Community Wildlife Habitat Certification Ceremony.
“Two years ago, the City Council expressed our intent to have Austin become the first certified Community Wildlife Habitat in Texas,” Mayor Wynn said. “Austinites surpassed even the highest expectations and created hundreds of unique wildlife habitats, not only creating spaces for flora and fauna to thrive but also helping us deliver on our goals for climate protection, water quality and water conservation.”
Not only is Austin the first certified city in Texas it is also the largest metropolitan area in the nation to earn this distinguished title from NWF. Austin succeeded in earning more than 1,500 of the 1,000 total points required to certify and certified over 900 wildlife habitats throughout the city.
The Community Wildlife Habitat project is part of NWF’s Certified Wildlife Habitat™ program. These projects benefit the entire community of plants, wildlife, and people through the creation of sustainable landscapes that require little or no pesticides, fertilizers, or excess watering.
To date, thirty-one other communities across the nation have been recognized with the Community Wildlife Habitat certification including Broward County, FL; Arlington County, VA; Sonoma County, CA; and Bloomington, IN.
Since 1973, NWF has provided millions of people with the basic guidelines for making their landscapes more wildlife-friendly. There are over 113,000 certified habitats nationwide and approximately 6,025 in Texas and 1,038 in Travis County.
For more information on NWF Community Wildlife Habitat certification visit www.nwf.org/community
Press Release
Certification Accomplishments
Map of NWF Wildlife Habitats
Austin certified by National Wildlife Federation as first Texas Community Wildlife Habitat.
(L-R: Kevin Coyle, NWF Vice President for Education & Mayor Will Wynn)
(L-R: Council Member Lee Leffingwell, Sara L. Hensley Director of Parks & Recreation Department, Mayor Will Wynn, Kevin Coyle NWF Vice President for Education, and Susan Kaderka Regional Executive Director of NWF South Central Regional Center)
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Neighborhood Habitat Challenge |
CITY OF AUSTIN ANNOUNCES WINNERS OF 2009
“NEIGHBORHOOD HABITAT CHALLENGE”
Winning Neighborhoods Certified Residences As
Suitable Habitat For Wildlife; Removed Invasive Plant Species.
Austin Parks and Recreation Department officials announce the winners of the city’s second "Neighborhood Habitat Challenge." The contest encouraged Austin neighborhoods to work together to get individual residences certified as wildlife habitats with the National Wildlife Federation and remove invasive plant species such as ligustrum and nandina from area parks and nature preserves. The habitat certification involved providing wildlife species such as butterflies, songbirds, hummingbirds, frogs and lizards with food, water, cover and places to raise young.
The first place Challenge winner is the Windsor Park Neighborhood Association with 57 habitats; second place goes to the Crestview Neighborhood Association with eight habitats; and third place goes to the Copperfield Neighborhood Organization who certified a total of five habitats.
The challenge is part of the City of Austin’s broader "Community Wildlife Habitat" initiative. In November of last year Austin became the first city in Texas and the largest metropolitan area in the country to receive the designation from the National Wildlife Federation. The certification was earned, in part, by mobilizing neighborhoods and individual residents to transform their backyards into wildlife habitats.
These winning neighborhoods have effectively demonstrated their desire to ensure local wildlife species continue to make themselves at home in our growing city. The habitats certified during the challenge not only provide linkages for animals to successfully traverse the urban landscape, but their creation has also served as a link to building a stronger sense of community. Participating neighborhoods have found this to be an inspiring neighborhood project that connects people of all walks of life and reconnects them to the nature found in their own backyards.
The Neighborhood Habitat Challenge is an annual contest of the Parks and Recreation Department’s Wildlife Austin program.
2009 Neighborhood Habitat Challenge Winners: 1st place Windsor Park, 2nd place Crestview, 3rd place Copperfield.
2008 Neighborhood Habitat Challenge Winners: 1st place Jester Estates, 2nd place Allandale, 3rd place Highland Park West Balcones Area.
Habitat Challenge Partners
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| Certify Your Yard as a Wildlife Habitat! |
To learn more about turning your yard into a Wildlife Habitat, visit the National Wildlife Federation's Website.
| How Wildlife Habitats Benefit Austin |
- Preserve Austin's natural beauty and distinctive biodiversity
- Improve Austin's quality of life for people and wildlife
- Sequester carbon and reduce the need for air-polluting maintenance practices, such as lawn mowing, through the use of native plants
- Help people deepen their understanding of nature and increase their connection to the outdoor world
- Save money on water and yard maintenance bills
- Improve area water quality by reducing the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides
| Why should I create a NWF Certified Wildlife Habitat? |
- It's fun! Watching wildlife in action can be fun and relaxing for everyone. Your habitat may attract beautiful songbirds, butterflies, frogs, and other interesting wildlife for viewing from your very own window.
- Curb appeal! Replacing grass lawns with native wildflowers, shrubs, and trees will increase the beauty of your property and provide a nurturing refuge for wildlife.
- Bring wildlife a home! Restoring habitats where commercial and residential development have degraded natural ecosystems can be your way of giving back to wildlife.
- Eco-friendly! Gardening practices that help wildlife, like reducing the use of chemicals, conserving energy and water, and composting also help to improve air, water and soil quality.
- Community! Gardening for wildlife can help you share your love of wildlife with your neighbors and help them get involved in creating a home for wildlife.
| Volunteer |
Volunteer to conserve wildlife habitat in your community by becoming a National Wildlife Federation Habitat Steward Volunteer. Next training will be offered in September 2010.
| Helpful Resources |
Invasive Plant Information
Austin's Least Wanted Invasive Plant Species
Central Texas Invasive Plant Field guide
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department - The Dangers of Invasive Species
Native Plant Information
City of Austin Grow Green Plant Guide of Native & Adapted Plants
Native Plant Society of Texas
Native Plant Society of Texas Austin Chapter
Texas Native Plant Week
The University of Texas at Austin Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Central Texas Recommended Plant list
Explore Plants
Gardening for Wildlife Information
National Audubon Society - Audubon Home
National Wildlife Federation Certified Wildlife Habitat Program
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department- Texas Wildscapes Program
| Partners |
Residents can certify their yards by visiting the National Wildlife Federation's website, http://www.nwf.org/gardenforwildlife/
Pre-paid habitat certification applications (limited quantity)
are also available upon request from the Wildlife Austin program: 327-8181 x29 or e-mail us.
Please provide mailing address with request.
Photo credits to Cathy Nordstrom and Dale Bulla - thank you for your contribution.
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