Native Habitats for Wildlife
 The greatest threat to wildlife today is the loss of habitat due to development, pollution and the replacement of native vegetation with exotic and invasive species. Help reverse this trend by creating and restoring habitat for wildlife - it's easy, worthwhile...and fun!
All species have four basic requirements for survival: food, water, cover, and places to raise young . Include these essential components in your habitat project in order to attract and support the greatest number and variety of wildlife species while providing important educational opportunities.
The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service offers a Native Plants for Wildlife Habitat & Conservation Landscaping: Chesapeake Bay Watershed Guide, a full color guide of native plants which indicates what type of wildlife each plant attracts (as a food source or host plant). Furthermore, this guide notes the height, width and color of each plant, which will give you an idea of how much cover it may provide. Visit this guide online or order a free full color copy.
Adding habitat features to your project is a fun, exciting and effective way to attract and protect wildlife. Visit our Habitat Features to Attract Wildlife page to learn how brush piles, nesting boxes, logs, water features and more can enhance your habitat project while  increasing biodiversity. And don't forget your human visitors - visit our Habitat Features to Attract Human Visitors page for simple yet intriguing ways of encouraging people to enjoy your project as well!
In addition to the resources mentioned above, we have included some links below on planting ideas to attract wildlife throughout the seasons. So dig in and have fun!
Also See:
Habitat Elements to Attract Wildlife
Native Landscaping
How to Create a Wildlife Habitat
Types of Habitat Project
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