Become a Wildlife Conservationist!

Posted April 21, 2020 by Vindi Sekhon


This year we are thrilled to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day! Here are some helpful tips to create a conservation haven in your backyard and collectively impact efforts to nurture and sustain a living landscape for birds and other wildlife. Conservation practices help increase food and shelter for wildlife, support bird populations, prevent disease and bring natural beauty to enjoy.

How to Create a Conservation Haven in Your Backyard:

  • Create a native plant garden with trees, shrubs, and flowers to ensure natural sources of food are readily available. Migrating species like hummingbirds are attracted to areas with native vegetation.
  • Pick up litter that harms wildlife, including six-pack rings, plastic bags, fishing tackle, and old pieces of carpet or netting.
  • Encourage birds, bees, and butterflies to feed naturally during the spring and summer. Plants that produce nectar such as honeysuckle and butterfly bush are great sources of nutrition for hummingbirds, bushtits, honeybees, and others with a sweet tooth. (if using bird feeders, it is important to clean and maintain the feeder weekly with warm water and 1 drop of liquid detergent soap)
  • Keep food and garbage bins secure to prevent wildlife from entering. Wildlife like skunks are attracted to the smell of food and unfortunately tend to get their heads stuck in plastic containers. These can cause serious injuries such as suffocation especially in babies who are growing.
  • Avoid attracting species to one spot in your yard, spread food sources like sunflower seeds to encourage social distancing in birds too! When birds congregate in one spot, it increased the spread of disease between themselves.
  • Protect your garden and wildlife! Wildlife can get terribly entangled in trellis and lawn netting and wound themselves, become dehydrated and die. Consider alternatives such as flash tape, motion-detecting sprinklers, or wooden trellises.
  • Another good way to safely invite wildlife to your yard is by creating a small backyard pond. Water provides habitat for birds, butterflies, frogs, and fish. Ensure the pond has a ramp so baby birds have a way to enter and exit.

 

Your conservation efforts go a long way toward supporting the planet!

By creating a conservation haven, you are providing an oasis of comfort and food resources for local wildlife. These small steps help wildlife to live naturally on our planet.

If you see animals that need help call our Support Centre at 604-526-7275 and follow our COVID-19 protocols here.

Give to wildlife in celebration of Earth Day!




Posted in Education, Home Page
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,