The Habitat Steward training session conducted at Cedar Hill Enrichment Center on March 24, 25, and 31 was received enthusiastically by participants from a number of locations in Georgia. The 24 hours of training was planned and implemented by certified Habitat Steward Hosts Kat Stratton, Director at Cedar Hill, and Rosalie Jensen, member of Georgia Mountains Master Gardeners. Many materials were furnished by the National Wildlife Federation® (NWF) and its state affiliate the Georgia Wildlife Federation (GWF).
Classes met at The Barn at Cedar Hill. Participants enjoyed field trips on the property, which includes wooded areas with native trees, shrubs, and herbaceous flowering plants, as well as a stream. Some participants stayed in residential facilities on the premises and enjoyed the full experience of living in a very special certified Backyard Wildlife Habitat™.
Classroom topics included the role of the Habitat Steward, introduction to wildlife habitat restoration, basic landscape design, plant conservation, basics of bee conservation, identifying native plants, butterfly and hummingbird gardens, creation of a Schoolyard Habitat®, testing water quality, and forestry conservation and management. Guest speakers were: Patti Ackermann, Blackburn Elementary School; Heather Alley, State Botanical Garden of Georgia; Charles Bailey, Georgia Forestry Commission; Jennifer Berry, University of Georgia; Yvonne Bombardier, Wild Birds Unlimited Dawsonville; Shannon Pable, Shannon’s Garden Gallery; and Brian Wiley, Adopt-a-Stream, Gainesville.
Eight Master Gardeners were among the 21 participants who completed the 24 hour training portion of the certification program. They are now among a cadre of volunteers throughout Georgia and the nation who can assist homeowners, schools, business establishments, spiritual centers, and communities in creating Wildlife Habitats in compliance with NWF certifications guidelines. In order to be fully certified each will now perform 30 hours of service.
In order to celebrate its 70th birthday in 2006, NWF was hoping to have 70,000 certified Backyard Habitats by the end of the year. By October there were already 74,000 certified Habitats. The next goal
is 100,000 Habitats. If you are interested in learning about the requirements for a certified Habitat and to download a certification application consult www.nwf.org/backyard/.
