Some people drive great distances to find the best bird-watching sights in Brevard County. All Janice Vacula and Jim Hazelton have to do is step outside their back door.

Seven years ago, they purchased a 1¼ acre homesite in Cocoa. They carefully selected which plants to remove and which plants to retain when they cleared the lot, keeping the needs of wildlife foremost in their minds. When they added plants, again, they selected plants with berries, flowers or protective nesting areas. They have erected nest boxes and feeders and water sources and have avoided the use of chemicals in their yard. They have created a beautiful home that fits in graciously with the rest of the prestigious neighborhood. But this home has an added benefit: it's own private wildlife sanctuary filled with birds, butterflies and other forms of small native wildlife.

Their reward is the enjoyment they receive every day when they take their morning coffee out onto one of their decks and are surrounded by a variety of birds and wildlife that other people never get to experience up close.

Although they weren't avid birdwatchers when they built the house, the sight of the many new and unusual species made converts of them.

"We have identified about 70 species of birds that have visited our yard. We keep a field guide on the porch with our binoculars," Janice explains. " We have even been able to photograph 40 of those species. There are several nests in action at different times of the year."

As their bird-watching hobby grew, Janice and Jim added more and more elements to the yard both for the birds comfort and for their own. A pond and waterfall were added along with birdhouses and feeders of various dimensions. To be able to appeciate the views, the outside decks were added and extended over the last 7 years to allow a more complete view of the yard.

"I had no idea how much I'd enjoy it," Janice adds. "Sitting on the porch and watching the birds is better than watching the Discovery channel on TV!"

That's why it's almost impossible to understand why they have decided to put their house up for sale. "We've already done all we can for this piece of land," Janice says. "It's time to find another piece to work on."

Are they afraid that the new homeowners won't share their love for the environment? "I think people are really starting to recognize the value of this sort of preserved land," Janice adds. "We're confident that we will find the right buyers that want to take over the "stewardship" of this particular piece. And we are anxious to find another place to work on."

Realistically, none of us can afford to buy up all the land we would love to protect in Brevard. But if each homeowner and every investor in Brevard County would follow the lead of Janice and Jim, we could all help to preserve the beauty of Brevard County Florida, one backyard at a time.