How Wildlife Can Motivate People to Reduce Water Consumption Beth Pratt-Bergstrom, California Regional Executive Director

The National Wildlife Federation’s Garden for Wildlife Program since 1973 has enrolled over 200,000 spaces representing 1.5 million acres as Certified Wildlife Habitats in yards, schools, campuses, churches, corporate properties, farms, parks and more.

NWF Certified Wildlife Habitats have on average 48 NWF Certified Wildlife Habitats have on average 48.5% more tree coverage than their neighbor, improving water retention, minimizing erosion and surface habitat. Properties containing NWF Certified Wildlife Habitat sequester 811.62 metric tons of CO2 annually more than their non-certified neighbor. On average, CWH owners reported that 40.86% of the plants in their CWH are native, 26.40% of plants are non-native but climate adapted, and 22.16% of plants are neither native nor climate adapted. Improved water conservation and stormwater runoff management through groundwater permeability.