National Wildlife Federation Certifies New Wildlife Habitat Garden in St Petersburg, Florida

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­St Petersburg, Florida – 4/8/2024

The National Wildlife Federation (NWF), America’s largest wildlife conservation and education organization, is pleased to announce that Kathy LaFollett, of St Petersburg, Florida, has successfully created a Certified Wildlife Habitat^® through the NWF Garden for Wildlife™ movement.

NWF celebrates this effort to create a garden that supports birds, butterflies, bees, frogs and other local wildlife. Every Certified Wildlife Habitat garden provides natural sources of food, water, cover and places to raise young. Using sustainable, no pesticide practices incorporating native plants while conserving water.

Started in 1973, the Garden for Wildlife movement is the oldest and largest native plant/habitat program, recognizing over 289,000 Certified Wildlife Habitat® gardens across the United States to date, encompassing an estimated 4 million acres that support wildlife locally. Through the program, backyards, urban gardens, school grounds, businesses, places of worship, campuses, parks, farms, zoos, and community landscapes gain recognition as wildlife habitats. “We are excited about this new Certified Wildlife Habitat®, as it provides native plants and essential habitat elements. Research shows certified properties have the potential to support twice as much wildlife compared to non-certified properties.” Said, Mary Phillips, Head of Garden for Wildlife™/Certified Wildlife Habitat®.  

“Anyone, anywhere, can restore wildlife habitat right in their own yards and communities,” said NWF Naturalist David Mizejewski. “Whether you garden in a suburban yard, an urban area or a rural plot of land, you can make a difference for local wildlife. Creating a Certified Wildlife Habitat garden is fun, easy and makes a real difference for neighborhood wildlife. It’s the perfect grassroots way to think globally and act locally and help birds, butterflies, bees and other wildlife,” he added.

“This started out as a writing project based on my love of nature. Wildlife and gardening are my passion project in the general sense. After eight years and publishing six books on the life of a naturalist mindset, I found myself in a place where supporting the NWF and FWA was a straightforward decision. All the pieces were in place. Change starts at your own front door. Literally at your grassroots,” Said Kathy LaFollett, local author, author, and a newly certified habitat keeper.

“Every morning is a quilt of bird song, bees buzzing, butterfly flurry, and visceral celebration. The number of insects, small mammals, birds, and pollinators increases at every sunrise. We no longer irrigate, but let nature create its tapestry naturally. Our creeping white phlox joins Florida’s flowering ground covers without pesticides, fertilizers, or sprinklers. Granted, I do more racking thanks to the laurel oak. But laurel oak leaves are great mulch! There’s no losing if you let nature lead.”

“We’ve turned our entire property to the process. Letting nature present the ground covers, grasses, and flowering plants rather than planting anything ourselves. As these plants establish stronger, and we remove non-natives, we plan on adding native low hedge bushes and draught accepting plants. We live at the end of a tidal creek and across the street from an established lake. Nature wants her land back, anyway. Turtles lay eggs at our fence line, bald eagle hunt the floodplain behind the house. Last week an osprey dropped a small bass in our backyard. I scooped the fish up and put him in the creek to live to fight another day. Nature is astonishing.”  

Many of NWF’s state affiliate organizations are partners in the Garden for Wildlife movement. Habitats in partnering states have national and state certification, including Florida.

For more information on NWF’s Garden for Wildlife™ movement and how to qualify to have a garden space recognized as a Certified Wildlife Habitat, visit www.nwf.org/garden.

About National Wildlife Federation

The National Wildlife Federation is America’s largest conservation organization, uniting all Americans to ensure wildlife thrive in a rapidly changing world.