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Return to Backyard Conservation Home Page Return to Backyard Lesson Home Page Backyard Conservation and Local Laws Summary Students will gain an understanding of the role that local governments play in facilitating the development of backyard habitats through activities that encourage students to assess the quality of wildlife habitat in their neighborhood, determine how they would improve quality wildlife habitat, understand how current local laws might help or impede the creation of habitat, and learn how to enact changes in laws.
Grades: 7-12 Subject: Science, social studies, language arts, government Location: Backyards and neighborhoods, a wildlife habitat, the classroom. Materials: Field guides, notebooks, pens, case study. _____________________________________________________________________________ Background Students should begin this module after gaining an understanding of the concepts of ecosystems and habitat. Students should be able to describe the components of habitat -- food, water, shelter and space -- and be able to identify these components in the environment. Students should understand the concepts of native and invasive (also known as nonnative) species and why native species are highly desirable. Students should be able to describe the interdependency between plants and animals. A traditional neighborhood in the United States consists of homes, either single family, townhouses, or apartments with a yard or common area. Generally, the yard is planted in a monoculture of grass and cut short. Most yards have trees, shrubs and flowers selected for aesthetic value. Plants found in yards may be both a mixture of native and nonnative species. A mowed lawn provides little value for wildlife and is 90 percent impervious resulting in the runoff of stormwater into local creeks and rivers. Because most grass is nonnative, it requires intense cultivation including regular watering and application of fertilizers and herbicides to achieve the desired effect. These fertilizers and herbicides are often applied excessively and will run off during major rain events adversely affecting natural habitats. Transforming this monoculture into a diverse, native habitat is challenging. Letting the grass grow, planting wildflowers and providing a habitat for wildlife is often misunderstood by the greater community. Many think that providing habitat for wildlife increases populations of mosquitoes, rodents and snakes and that these animals pose a nuisance to the community. News reports about the West Nile Virus ask citizens to remove sources of standing water and keep the grass cut short to decrease habitat for mosquitoes. However, creating native habitats has significant benefits such as improving water quality by reducing runoff and by providing the food, water and shelter that species such as butterflies, bats, migratory birds and amphibians need to survive. Many of these birds, insects and bats prey on large quantities of mosquitoes. Exploring ways in which we can instill in our communities an appreciation for native habitats will provide significant environmental benefits. The Backyard Conservation program provides guidance to homeowners wishing to employ conservation practices used by many farmers that improve soil and water quality and provide habitat for wildlife. Backyard Conservation emphasizes the importance of providing food, water, shelter and space for wildlife while conserving precious resources. Communities may misunderstand the concept of Backyard Conservation and oppose efforts to establish this wildlife habitat. While many local governments are taking steps to encourage Backyard Conservation practices, others have passed ordinances that impede the development of wildlife habitat. The following activities:
will encourage students to think about how to encourage the development of native habitats in the backyards of their community.
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