More Wildlife Habitats in Sammamish

As of November 2011, our grand total of certified wildlife habitats in Sammamish consisted of:

195 homes
9 schools
8 City Parks
5 Sammamish Plateau Water District sites
4 Farms
1 Church

Many thanks to you all for helping us reaching this community goal!!

Our new challenge for Sammamish is to have all public and private shools become certified wildlife habitats by the end of 2012!!! Up for the challenge? Check out all the information and educator resources available to help you create and use a certified Schoolyard Wildlife
Habitat as an outdoor classroom!

Celebrating Sammamish becoming a Certified Community Wildlife Habitat

CONGRATULATIONS SAMMAMISH!!!

On March 4th 2011, Sammamish officially became a certified Community Wildlife Habitat with the National Wildlife Federation, and became the 51st community in the nation and the 12th in Washington state to have been awarded this certification!

Congratulations and many thanks to everyone who participated in this community project and helped make this goal a reality!

At the time of certification, our community had certified the following areas as wildlife habitats:
- 160 residences
- 4 farms

- 1 church

- 8 schools

- 8 City Parks

- and the Sammamish Plateau Water & Sewer District Office and 4 well sites.

Our goal is to continue to encourage Sammamish residents and businesses to create additional wildlife habitats and to provide valuable educational opportunities in our community. So, stay tuned for future announcements.

Many thanks also go to our energetic and enthusiastic Habitat Team members - Hank Klein, Pauline Cantor, Dawn Sanders, Jan Bird, Stan Wood, Katya May, and Elaine McEnery (Habitat Team Leader).

We welcome anyone who is passionate about our local wildlife and environment to join our volunteer Habitat Team!

Certify your Own Yard as a Wildlife Habitat

Do you have a passion for gardening? Do you have a passion for conserving natural habitat for our local wildlife?

Then here's how you can have fun, reconnect with nature, educate your children, and be part of supporting Sammamish as a certified Community Wildlife Habitat.

A Community Wildlife Habitat is a community that provides habitat for wildlife throughout the community - in individual backyards, on school grounds, and in public areas such as parks, places of worship, and businesses - creating a place where residents, flora and fauna can all flourish.

Join your fellow Sammamish residents in certifying your own backyard as a wildlife habitat, and be recognized for creating havens for our local wildlife. The certification process involves a simple online survey, and at the end of the survey you can conveniently pay the $20 certification fee (that covers the cost of a one year membership with the National Wildlife Federation) and choose from a range of yard signs to proudly display in your yard!

CLICK HERE to certify your own Backyard Wildlife Habitat today!

Our Local Public Wildlife Habitats

In late 2009, both the City of Sammamish Parks & Recreation Department and the Sammamish Plateau Water & Sewer District completed the certification of numerous sites as Certified Wildlife Habitats with the National Wildlife Federation, leading the way for other property owners (such as businesses, golf courses and places of workship) to follow their example.

Eight of our nine City Parks are now Certified Wildlife Habitats, adding a total of 393 acres, including:

- Pine Lake Park

- Beaver Lake Park
- Beaver Lake Preserve
- Bill Reams East Sammamish Park
- Ebright Creek Park
- Sammamish Commons
- Illahee trail
- Evans Creek Preserve

The Sammamish Plateau Water & Sewer District's headquarters office site and four of their well sites are also now Certified Wildlife Habitats, adding close to 20 acres. Wildlife observed at the District office include black-tailed deer, coyotes, a variety of birds (including mallards, California quail, red-breasted sapsuckers, pileated woodpeckers, rufuous-sided towhees, juncos and chickadees), as well as reptiles, amphibians, butterflies and other insects.

Photo credit: Janet Sailer

About the Sammamish Community Wildlife Habitat Project

In November 2008, a small group of Sammamish residents met to discuss the idea of helping Sammamish become one of the first certified Community Wildlife Habitats in the nation, with the certification process being a 2 to 5 year project with the National Wildlife Federation.

A Community Wildlife Habitat is a community that provides habitat for wildlife throughout the community - in individual backyards, on school grounds and in public areas such as parks, places of worship and businesses - creating a place where residents, flora and fauna can all flourish.

It is a community where the residents make it a priority to provide habitat for wildlife by providing the four basic elements that all wildlife need: food, water, cover and places to raise young.

It is a program that will include educating Sammamish residents about sustainable garden practices (such as reducing or eliminating chemical fertilizers and pesticides, conserving water, planting native plants, removing invasive plants and composting), and holding community events (such as stream or trail clean-ups, and native plant salvages) and educational seminars and workshops - all to make our community healthier for our local residents and wildlife.

With Sammamish's wildlife corridors, migratory pathways, numerous sensitive wetlands, streams, lakes and significant second growth forest, we feel we have a responsibility to restore and protect our local natural environment for future generations, and want to give Sammamish residents of all ages an opportunity to join us in our efforts!

Come back and visit this blog often for future local events and workshops, and to find online resources associated with creating and preserving wildlife habitat in our local community!

Photo credit: (c) Kate Poaster, "Baby Robins" & "Bald Eagle"

Our Local Schoolyard Habitats

Even before the Sammamish Community Wildlife Habitat Project began, six schools in our Sammamish community had become certified Schoolyard Habitats with the National Wildlife Federation.

Congratulations to the educators, adminstrators, students and volunteers that made it possible for the following schools to lead the way and be role models for other schools in our local community.

- Red Gate Farm Preschool
- Arbor Montessori School
- Sammamish Children's School
- Christa McAuliffe Elementary
- Discovery Elementary
- Creekside Elementary School
- Elizabeth Blackwell Elementary School
- Inglewood Junior High School

Through the National Wildlife Federation's national initiative called Be Out There™ the campaign provides practical tools for millions of parents, educators, and caregivers to make outdoor time a part of our children's daily activities.

Photo credit: (c) Kate Poaster, "Yellowthroat"

Backyard Wildlife Habitat Videos

The National Wildlife Federation has recently produced 7 short instructional videos regarding creating backyard wildlife habitats.

These videos can be viewed via YouTube.

Topics covered in this video series include:

1. Why Garden for Wildlife?
2. Providing Food
3. Providing Water
4. Providing Shelter/Cover
5. Providing Places to Raise Young
6. Sustainable Practices
7. Certifying Your Yard

Enjoy creating your own backyard wildlife habitat!