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Creating my habitat has
brought me much joy, peace and
a wonderful sense of accomplishment!.
I love butterflies and hummingbirds.
As a property owner I had the
opportunity to preserve and
create a habitat that is beneficial
to local wildlife right in my
own backyard.
When I decided I wanted to learn
how to protect the local wildlife,
I started by taking National
Wildlife Federation Habitat
Steward training, which was
given in Brevard County in April
2003. The training provided
information about local wildlife
and stressed the importance
of providing food, water, shelter
and a places for wildlife to
raise their young.
 Part
of my role
as a Habitat Steward is to help
others with this process. I
began by telling my neighbors
how easy it was to naturalize
their backyards. I also speak
at garden clubs and schools
about simple steps required
to convert natural areas to
attract birds and butterflies.
I tell them about my pond in
the front yard that brings great
blue herons, egrets, otters,
dragonflies, and frogs, and
how peaceful the time is that
I spend watching their activity.
After getting my own backyard
certified by the National Wildlife
Federation I decided I wanted
to know and learn more. So,
I studied and became a Master
Gardener. Learning plant pathology
taught me how to recognize and
control plant disease in my
backyard. I decided I wanted
to help others do the same,
so I am now in training to help
children become Junior Master
Gardeners.
I am still learning more by
training in The Enchanted Forest
Sanctuary environment, where
I am learning the history of
the forest and how it is so
closely related to my own backyard,
which is just a few blocks from
the Windover Archaeological
Research site, estimated to
be 8000 years old.
 So,
you can see why my back yard
brings me such a surprising
sense of accomplishment. I had
no idea just by loving butterflies
and hummingbirds I would learn
so much and receive so much
gratification from the whole
experience.
Happy
Gardening!
Jo
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