Want to share your yard with wildlife and improve local water quality?
Bellingham parks, natural areas, and greenways are important habitat for birds, bees, butterflies, amphibians, fish, and other wildlife. Home, school, and business landscapes can provide wildlife habitat, too.
Creating habitat with native plants provides food and shelter for local songbirds and other wildlife, reduces the need for water and chemical pest control, and improves water quality of local streams by reducing pollution runoff and erosion (helping salmon, too!). Encouraging the growth of native plants is also an important way to slow climate change, since native plants absorb carbon dioxide and other pollutants from the air, produce oxygen, and protect biodiversity.
Our community has a history of landscaping for wildlife since the mid-1980s. Bellingham was certified by the National Wildlife Federation as the nation’s 37th Community Wildlife Habitat in March 2010.
You can help support wildlife in Bellingham, too, by creating habitat in your backyard!
Please contact the Permit Center at permits@cob.org or 360-778-8300 (M-F, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) prior to completing backyard landscaping projects that are bigger than 500 square feet, or if your property is in the Lake Whatcom watershed or near a critical area (wetland, creek, shoreline, steep slope). Landscaping projects are not permitted in right-of-way or utility easement areas.
Getting Started in your Backyard
Native plants are adapted to this climate with its late dry summer and wet winter. Maintaining native plants is generally easier as they are naturally more pest resistant and require less water. Over time, native plants have evolved features to attract wildlife for pollination and seed-dispersal. In turn, the native plants provide food, shelter, and places to raise young. Due to this interdependence, planting native plants supports wildlife. The best time of year to plant native trees and shrubs in Western Washington is in the fall.
To improve soil quality for native plants, spread a layer of organic mulch over the surface of the soil. Some benefits of mulch include:
- Weed control. Mulch can keep light from reaching weed seeds to prevent seed germination and can smother perennial weeds.
- Soil temperature moderation. Mulch keeps the soil cool in the summer and warm in the winter.
- Nutrients. Mulch slowly releases nutrients over time as it decomposes.
- Moisture retention. Mulch retains moisture in the soil, reducing the need for watering plants.
Mulch materials can be found in your own yard or home, including shredded leaves, pine needles, compost, and newspaper (black ink only). You can also use shredded or chipped bark around trees and shrubs, which can be found at local garden centers or nurseries.
“Noxious” and “invasive” are terms given to the non-native plants that compete directly with native plants for moisture, sunlight, nutrients, and space, which changes the structure of wildlife habitat and eliminates sources of food and shelter. According to the Washington State Noxious Weed Control Board, nearly half of all invasive non-native plants that threaten crops, ecosystems, and habitats are escapees from yards and gardens.
You can help native plants thrive by removing invasive plants from your own yard to prevent their spread to other areas. Examples of harmful invasive plants that cause extensive problems in Whatcom County include English ivy, holly, Himalayan blackberry, yellow archangel, butterfly bush, knotweeds, Scot’s broom, and tansy ragwort. The City has a general guide for when and how to remove common invasive plants, as well as a webpage with tips for naturally managing weeds:
The Whatcom County Noxious Weed Control Board has fact sheets and management information for a variety of weeds that are commonly found in Whatcom County:
The Garden Wise website provides native plant alternatives to common invasive or noxious weeds found in Western Washington:
Elements of a Wildlife-Friendly Backyard
According to the National Wildlife Federation, a wildlife-friendly backyard should include the five elements below. You can click on each element to learn more.
- Food sources – native plants with seeds, fruits, nuts, berries, nectar
- Water sources – birdbath, pond, stream, water garden
- Places for cover – shrubs or thickets, hedge rows, rock piles
- Places to raise young – dense shrubs, different layers of vegetation, nesting box, pond
- Sustainable gardening practices – mulch, removal of non-native plants and animals, compost, rain garden, chemical-free fertilizers
Attracting and Co-Existing with Wildlife
- Living with Wildlife – WDFW
- Basic Woodworking Projects for Backyard Wildlife
- Attracting Birds (PDF)
- Bird Feeding Tips
- Creating a Butterfly Garden (PDF)
- Attracting Pollinators – Bee City USA
- Mason Bees – Native North American Pollinators (PDF)
- Keeping Cats Indoors (PDF)
Certifying your yard, school or business helps Bellingham keep its Community Wildlife Habitat certification!
- The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife: Habitat at Home Program
Visit the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife website for information about the Habitat at Home Program. - The National Wildlife Federation: Certified Wildlife Habitat Program
The National Wildlife Federation provides plenty of information for creating backyard, school, and community habitats.
Additional Ways to Restore Habitat in Bellingham
- Join a volunteer work party: The City’s Parks Volunteer Program hosts community work parties during fall, winter, and spring at parks and trails throughout the city. All ages welcome, no experience necessary.
- Become a Park Steward: You can adopt a trail, open space, or greenway to care for. The Parks Volunteer Coordinator will provide all training necessary to complete your duties.
Email Updates: Receive email updates about habitat restoration in Bellingham by signing up for our Volunteer Newsletter and Habitat News.
Contacts
Parks Volunteer Program
Phone: (360) 778-7105
Email: pkvolunteers@cob.org
Learn more about our Parks Volunteer Program.
Parks and Recreation Contacts
City of Bellingham Habitat Restoration Program
