By Sara Roberts, Nature Neighbors coordinator, Benton Soil and Water Conservation District

When we first opened enrollment for the Nature Neighbors backyard habitat program, we expected a lot of community interest – Corvallis is a town filled with ecologists, Master Gardeners, and others with a passion for gardening and natural resources. What we didn’t expect was for enrollment to fill up in only two days with such an amazing, diverse group of “guinea pigs” for this new program. The 25 people who signed up to be the first Nature Neighbors represent folks who have been practicing habitat gardening for years, folks who are brand new to backyard habitats, and everything in between. The uniting factor they all share is an eagerness to learn and to support wildlife in their own corner of the world.

Over the last few months, program staff has had the joy of visiting all of these enrollees at their homes to discuss program requirements, provide resources, and walk the land together, sharing ideas for native plants that will work well in different areas. We’ve also enjoyed being able to provide guidance for how native plants and other wildlife features such as rain gardens and mulching can help address problems like flooding or erosion.

Of this initial group of Nature Neighbors, three people have already received certification as an approved wildlife habitat. Vicki Wilderman is one of two people who were instantly certified at their first visit. Vicki has a vibrant garden full of native annuals, perennials, and shrubs that have spread and blended over the past 10+ years. Her property is along an unused green space, and she reported that her native plants have started spreading into that area on their own, bringing in lots of birds and other wildlife. Brigitte Chase of northwest Corvallis is our most recently certified Nature Neighbor. Brigitte spent months pulling weeds and sheet mulching her front yard to create a blank slate, which has now evolved into a haven for wildlife, complete with a diversity of native flowers and a solar-powered pond.

If you’d like to become a Nature Neighbor, get ready – we plan open to open enrollment to new members within the next month! Join our newsletter for updates, and in the meantime, be sure to visit the website for more information about the program. Happy habitat gardening!

Nature Neighbors is a partnership between Benton Soil and Water Conservation District and Greenbelt Land Trust