YVAS Links

Get Wild - Put Down That Rake and Help Your Backyard Wildlife

At first the dictionary definition of "wild" sounds like something out of your own Backyard Wildlife Sanctuary: "growing, living in a natural state."

But keep reading: "unruly," "mussy," "disorderly," even "slovenly." These are words that try our gardening souls! We certainly don't want to be accused of laziness. But the most successful wildlife habitat managers know that resisting that neat-and-tidy urge, especially in the fall, is the key to helping wildlife.

So put down that rake and get "wild." Here's why:

Leaf litter, dry heads and stalks of summer perennials, and other "leftovers" from the growing season may look unkempt to you, but they are homes and/or food for wildlife. Insects and other invertebrates in that backyard duff are food for soon-to-be-migrating blackbirds, robins, bluebirds and many others. Birds love to feed on the old seed heads of your spent blooms and other plants which can provide seeds well into winter. Let them stand for goldfinches to grosbeaks. (It might even help your winter feed budget!)

Reptiles and amphibians use spent yard and garden vegetation for cover. Many small mammals make use of decaying matter and brush piles. Some, like mice, are not welcome in great numbers, but they DO provide foods for birds of prey and coyotes. Skunks, raccoons, and opossums are better off using natural garden "waste" rather than your garbage can or pet food.

Any wildlife, especially in abundance, can become a nuisance. So the amount of fall clean-up work you do depends on your situation, preference and tolerance.

Remember, what looks unruly to you could be a fall and winter haven for wildlife. And it's not "slovenly" to have a "mussy" backyard wildlife sanctuary - it's "wild!"

- Crossing Paths Newsletter

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife