Wildlife Habitat Certification Guide

Overview

You can transform your garden into a certified wildlife habitat recognized by the National Wildlife Federation (NWF). Certification shows that your yard provides food, water, cover, and places for wildlife to raise their young — all while using sustainable gardening practices. It’s easier than you think, and many of the things you’re already doing in Farmers Bounty qualify.

✅ THE FOUR REQUIREMENTS

1. Food Sources (Need 3+)

Food Source	Garden Examples
Seeds	Sunflowers, coneflowers, coreopsis, grasses left to seed
Berries	Blueberries, blackberries, holly, beautyberry, dogwood
Nectar	Zinnias, bee balm, native wildflowers, herbs in bloom
Nuts	Oaks, pecans, hickory
Fruits	Fruit trees, figs, persimmons, pawpaw
Foliage/Twigs	Host plants for caterpillars (milkweed, dill, passionflower)
Pollen	All flowering plants
Suet/feeder	Bird feeders, suet cages
Squirrel feeder	Corn cob holders, nut feeders

2. Water Sources (Need 1+)

Water Source	Options
Birdbath	Simplest option; change water every 2-3 days
Puddling station	Shallow dish with sand and water (for butterflies)
Rain garden	Planted depression that collects rainwater
Water garden/pond	Provides habitat for frogs, dragonflies
Stream or creek	If your property has natural water
Dripping hose	Even a slow drip attracts birds and butterflies

3. Cover (Need 2+)

Cover Type	Examples
Dense shrubs	Native hollies, viburnums, beautyberry
Evergreen trees	Southern magnolia, eastern red cedar, pines
Brush pile	Stacked branches and logs (perfect for lizards, toads)
Rock pile/wall	Stacked rocks with crevices
Ground cover	Dense plantings, leaf litter, mulched areas
Birdhouse/bat house	Cavity nesters need man-made structures
Tall grass/meadow	Unmowed areas for ground-nesting birds and insects

4. Places to Raise Young (Need 2+)

Nesting Resource	Examples
Mature trees	Oaks, pines, maples (cavity-nesting birds)
Dense shrubs	Hedge or thicket for nesting songbirds
Nesting box	Bluebird boxes, wren houses, purple martin houses
Wetland/pond	Frogs, toads, dragonflies need water for breeding
Dead trees/snags	Woodpecker nesting; leave standing dead trees when safe
Host plants	Milkweed (monarchs), dill/parsley (swallowtails), passionflower (gulf fritillary)
Bare ground patches	Ground-nesting native bees

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🌿 SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES (Need 2+)

NWF also requires you to practice at least two sustainable gardening methods:

Practice	How You’re Already Doing It
Reduce chemical use	IPM approach, organic methods
Compost	Home composting (see Composting Guide)
Mulch	Mulching garden beds
Conserve water	Drip irrigation, rain collection, mulching
Remove invasive plants	Pulling English ivy, kudzu, privet
Plant native species	Using Farmers Bounty Native Plants section
Reduce lawn area	Converting lawn to garden, meadow, or native plantings
Capture rainwater	Rain barrels, rain gardens

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📋 CERTIFICATION CHECKLIST FOR ATLANTA GARDENS

Quick Self-Assessment

• [ ] Food: 3+ food sources from list above
• [ ] Water: 1+ water source (birdbath counts!)
• [ ] Cover: 2+ cover types
• [ ] Nesting: 2+ places to raise young
• [ ] Sustainable practices: 2+ methods from list
• [ ] Application: Submit at nwf.org/garden ($20)

Easy Wins for Georgia Gardeners

1. Install a birdbath — instant water source requirement
2. Let one herb bolt (dill, cilantro, parsley) — instant food source + butterfly host plant
3. Leave leaf litter in one area — instant cover
4. Hang a birdhouse — instant nesting site
5. Plant milkweed — food for monarchs + cover + nesting in one plant

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🐦 GEORGIA WILDLIFE YOU’LL ATTRACT

Birds

Species	What They Need	What They Eat
Eastern Bluebird	Nesting box, open lawn	Insects, berries
Ruby-throated Hummingbird	Nectar flowers, feeder	Nectar, small insects
Carolina Chickadee	Dense shrubs, nest box	Insects, seeds
Northern Cardinal	Dense shrubs, seeds	Seeds, insects
Brown Thrasher (state bird!)	Thickets, ground cover	Insects, berries

Butterflies

Species	Host Plant	Nectar Favorites
Monarch	Milkweed	Lantana, zinnias
Black Swallowtail	Dill, parsley	Phlox, bee balm
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail	Tulip poplar	Butterfly bush
Gulf Fritillary	Passionflower	Lantana, pentas

Amphibians & Reptiles

Species	Habitat	Benefits
Green Anole	Shrubs, trees	Eats aphids, mosquitoes
American Toad	Moist ground cover	Eats slugs, beetles, mosquitoes
Green Tree Frog	Water feature, dense plants	Eats insects at night
Five-lined Skink	Rock piles, logs	Eats insects and larvae

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🏫 COMMUNITY HABITAT PROGRAMS

Program	Organization	Scope
Certified Wildlife Habitat	National Wildlife Federation	Individual yards
Community Wildlife Habitat	NWF	Entire neighborhoods
Audubon Bird-Friendly Community	National Audubon Society	Bird-focused certification
Monarch Waystation	Monarch Watch	Monarch butterfly habitat
Bee City USA	Xerces Society	Pollinator habitat cities
Backyard Wildlife Habitat	Georgia DNR	State-level program

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📚 RESOURCES

• NWF Certified Wildlife Habitat Application: nwf.org/garden
• Atlanta Audubon Society: atlantaaudubon.org — local bird-friendly gardening
• Georgia Native Plant Society: gnps.org — native plant sources
• Monarch Watch Waystation Program: monarchwatch.org/waystations
• Xerces Society Pollinator Habitat: xerces.org/pollinator-conservation

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Guide focused on Atlanta, Georgia (USDA Zone 7b/8a). Wildlife species and timing reflect the Georgia Piedmont region. Certification requirements per NWF as of 2026.

Last Updated: February 2026 | Farmers Bounty Knowledgebase