Landscape companies that serve the Denver area can help the City and County of Denver achieve a unique certification by communicating with customers about the program. In late November 2019, announced its intention to certify as a Community Wildlife Habitat through the National Wildlife Federation (NWF).

Although Denver Parks & Recreation is spearheading the program, the effort relies on the involvement and participation of interested city and county of Denver citizens, businesses and agencies to certify their properties (backyard, balcony, business, agency, schoolyard, church grounds, etc.) in order to accomplish the overall goal of certifying Denver by the end of 2019.  

The remaining steps in the process require that homes, common areas (public parks, businesses, HOA common areas, and more), and schools certify themselves. Some locations may already meet the criteria for certification and need only register.

Certification is as simple as creating a space for wildlife and meet goals in five categories:

• Food. This can include things like berries, nectar and bird feeders. A habitat needs three of the 13 options.
• Water. This can include things like birdbaths, rain gardens and streams. A habitat needs one of the 10 options.
• Cover. This means areas where wildlife can take shelter from weather and predators. It includes things like wooded areas, rock piles or walls and roosting boxes. A habitat needs two of the 12 options.
• Places to raise young. This can include mature trees, burrows and host plants for caterpillars. A habitat needs two of the 10 options.
• Sustainable practices. Sub-categories include soil and water conservation, controlling exotic species and organic practices. You need to employ practices from two of those three categories in the habitat.

NWF offers resources including a full list of options in each category, at https://www.nwf.org/CertifiedWildlifeHabitat. Certified habitats can purchase signage to promote their achievement.