University City residents have a new opportunity to save money, improve water quality and provide habitat for birds and butterflies all within their own landscapes. The St. Louis Audubon Society’s Bring Conservation Home Program provides habitat restoration advice through “house calls” by Habitat Advisors trained in a variety of conservation practices for suburban landscapes. The program fee is just $25 for University City residential property owners, courtesy of an endorsement by the City Council in December.
After application to the program and scheduling, a team of Habitat Advisors will meet with you to discuss your use of and goals for your landscape, perform an assessment of the grounds, and then provide a menu of recommendations (including a follow-up written report) on how to improve the landscape. When you achieve a certain level of conservation on your landscape, you earn one of three levels of certification. The proof of certification will typically require a second visit, also included in the initial fee.
“Stepping beyond our ‘traditional’ landscapes of turf grass and ornamental plants can be challenging even for a seasoned gardener,” said Mitch Leachman, St. Louis Audubon Society Executive Director. “The rewards, however, are amazing and can include Monarch butterfly and songbird migration, pollination, predation and even courtship behavior—all courtesy of native plants in your own landscape. We hope you take a few minutes to consider the Bring Conservation Home program; you may be surprised at just how attractive and exciting a native landscape can be.”
The program’s vision is for a metropolitan region covered by a mosaic of small, urban habitats for birds, butterflies and other animals, helping reverse the population decline of many species and inspire families with nature encounters at home. While supporting positive action for the environment at home and work, those private nature sanctuaries are intended to inspire community-wide activism for some of the same conservation practices.
Spring will be upon us before we know it, and now is a great time to make plans. Program advisors work year-round and are able to accommodate most any schedule. For detailed info, visit the program website at http://www.stlouisaudubon.org/BCH/index.php; the online application is available on the same page. For other questions or interest in non-residential property types, including commercial sites, please contact Mitch at (314) 599-7390 or mitch@stlouisaudubon.org.
Photo - University City Certified Homeowner