Here's How To Make Your Long Valley Home A Wildlife Habitat

LONG VALLEY, NJ — Long Valley environmental officials are encouraging residents to turn their homes and businesses into a “community habitat."

The initiative, spearheaded by the Washington Township Environmental Commission, in partnership with the Long Valley Garden Club and the Washington Township Green Team, is to certify Washington Township as a Community Wildlife Habitat through the National Wildlife Federation.

To do this, property owners must provide the four habitat components – food, water, cover, and places to raise young – and practice sustainable gardening techniques such as “eliminating pesticides, conserving water, and planting native species.”

Once you’ve met the criteria, you can apply to become a Certified Wildlife Habitat. Depending on the type of property converted to a wildlife habitat, the township receives a certain number of points from the National Wildlife Federation. The township can only become a Community Wildlife Habitat once it receives 200 points.

Homes that have been approved as a Certified Wildlife Habitat are worth one point each, businesses/parks are worth three points, and schools that become Certified Wildlife Habitats receive five points.

“Although the town already has a commendable amount of green space and preserved lands, efforts to enhance private properties through wildlife landscaping practices would provide needed help for our local pollinators, mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and plants,” a Washington Township Environmental Commission statement read.

To learn more about the National Wildlife Federation’s Community Wildlife Habitat program, click here.