Many Floridians are designing landscapes that welcome wildlife. Select plants with seeds, fruit, foliage, flowers, or berries that provide food.  Supply sources of water, such as a rain garden or birdbath. Leave snags (dead trees), if they do not create a hazard, for birds to perch and nest. Add plants that increase vertical layering to provide more cover and feeding for wild critters. Build a bat house, or plant host plants for butterflies, to attract these Floridian friends to your yard. Reducing insecticide use can be good for you, native animals and beneficial insects.

Benefits:

• You and your community can observe various wildlife species
• Increased habitat areas support Florida’s wildlife
• Wildlife may control certain landscape pests
• Beneficial insects help reduce pests and may help pollinate your flowers

With each new development plan approved or building permit issued you can design and install community landscapes that minimize the impact to wildlife and help protect Florida’s water and natural resources.  During site development it is important to work with the existing landscape features to preserve natural areas and maintain vegetated buffers and corridors that provide wildlife habitat.

Attract wildlife to your community landscape to provide ecological benefits and entertainment for your residents. Plants can be selected to increase biodiversity and/or provide food and shelter for wildlife. Other wildlife features can be added such as birdbaths, bat houses, and feeders to increase wildlife in your community. 

Benefits:

• Community residents can observe various wildlife species.
• Increased habitat areas support Florida’s wildlife.
• Wildlife may control certain landscape pests.
• Beneficial insects help reduce pests and may help pollinate your flowers.

A trend in landscaping today is to design landscapes that welcome wildlife.  These designs include plants and structures that provide food, shelter and protection for a wide range of animals.  This allows people to observe and appreciate various animal species while also providing quality habitats that help native wildlife to thrive. 

Benefits:

• Clients will enjoy observing various animal species
• Increased habitat areas support Florida’s wildlife
• Native animals will help in controlling certain landscape pests