Margaret Murphy
Horticulture Educator for Chippewa, Dunn, & Eau Claire Counties
UW-Madison Extension
Why garden for wildlife?
- It can help restore natural habitat.
- It offers an opportunity to plant native species that, when established, may reduce your time working in the yard and increase your time relaxing in the yard.
- It’s fun to watch birds, butterflies, dragonflies, toads, and frogs in the yard.
The basics for a wildlife friendly yard:
- Food (a variety of options is best). Keep in mind food requirements vary by species and change as animals’ age as well as by season.
- Water is as important as food for survival. Think about adding a water feature to your yard. It can be something simple as a birdbath.
- Cover is important for protection from the weather or predators. It’s also important for nesting and resting.
- Space is needed for wildlife to raise young. Most species also need space to establish territory.
![](https://chippewa.extension.wisc.edu/files/2024/02/wildlife-garden-pond-boardwalk-conservatory-8326939.jpg.webp)
So, if you are considering adding some plants to your landscape this spring, think about selecting plants to benefit wildlife. Make sure to plant a diverse mixture of vegetation so wildlife will have food and shelter year-round, and you’ll have wildlife viewing opportunities year-round.
Learn more about wildlife habitat essentials and how to attract wildlife to urban and suburban spaces at The Urban Wildlife Project: https://urbanwildlifeproject.wisc.edu/.