By Joan Sapp

Be a Habitat Hero!
This is a relatively new program from Audubon of the Rockies. The mission is to: Grow a network of habitat for songbirds and pollinators in gardens across the Rocky Mountains and beyond, save water for our streams and rivers, and restore our joy in nature every day.
Anyone can apply for Habitat Hero designation (for free, although donations accepted) and perhaps you may win Habitat Hero recognition! The Habitat Hero goal is to work with the community to practice a form of landscape stewardship called “wildscaping” – landscaping designed in mind to attract and benefit birds and other wildlife.
To combat the loss of open spaces, Habitat Heroes contribute a positive impact to the community by increasing natural areas, providing homes and food for wildlife, and connecting to larger green spaces. This helps to restore a fragmented ecosystem, and offers a welcome place for birds and wildlife through the implementation of wildscaping principles, a form of landscape stewardship. Even small patches of wildscape can provide oases for wildlife
like butterflies and native bees by creating green corridors
that link your wildscape to larger wild lands.
You apply online addressing four areas for how your garden fits the program goals:
Think Locally. Create a Wildscape.
Providing Habitat Essentials-food, water, shelter, nesting, safe space.
Waterwise Fundamentals-Wildscapes save water!
Encouraging Curiosity, Wonder & Respect
Join the Flock and become a Habitat Hero. Habitat Heroes are individuals who take heart in believing their wildscapes nourish not only themselves but wildlife as well.
“I hope to provide an… example in my community to demonstrate it is possible to share a garden with the creatures that were here before my home was built on top of theirs.” Marcia Tatroe, 2014 Habitat Hero.