Going Farther

The Backyard Habitat Certification Program will now be offered in Clackamas County.

 

Columbia Land Trust is thrilled to announce the expansion of the Backyard Habitat Certification Program into new cities in Clackamas County. The program is operated jointly by the Land Trust and Audubon Society of Portland. It currently serves all of Multnomah County and only one city in Clackamas County, Lake Oswego. Starting soon, we will also be serving Milwaukie, West Linn, Oak Grove, and Jennings Lodge.

This is an exciting time for the backyard program as we seek to engage a larger audience in caring for their yards the way Columbia Land Trust conserves and cares for larger pieces of land. To date the program has inspired over 3,650 participants, cumulatively impacting over 875 acres of urbanized landscape. Together, conserved properties and urban yards add up to increased landscape permeability for wildlife throughout the region. It makes a real difference for the many species of bird and mammals that live in or migrate through the Metro area.

If you live in the new service area and would like to participate, you can enroll at backyardhabitats.org. By signing up for the program you’ll receive an in-person site visit, personalized site report, technical assistance, discounts on native plants, and support from a growing community of backyard participants. We’ll provide you with information on how to make your yard more habitat friendly by planting indigenous plants, installing wildlife features, managing stormwater onsite, removing noxious weeds, and eliminating pesticide use. Once your yard reaches one of our certification levels you’ll also receive a friendly certification plaque to reward your hard work and to encourage your neighbors to sign up.

We would like to thank our program partners, including Clackamas Soil & Water Conservation District, Clackamas County’s Water Environment Services, and Metro for their support as we planned for and are implementing this new chapter for the program.   – Susie Peterson, Backyard Habitat Certification Program Manager