Redmond Wild Making Progress in Earning Wildlife Certification for City

From Redmond Wild:

Redmond Wild, a local volunteer group that seeks to raise awareness of wildlife habitat loss in the community, is continuing its work to certify the city through the National Wildlife Federation.

Redmond Wild is currently working with  to create a wildlife friendly habitat on the school grounds. In order for the space to be certified by the National Wildlife Federation, it must provide the five essentials wildlife need in order to thrive: food, water, cover, places to raise young, and the use of sustainable practices. 

Fifth-grade teacher Marie Hartford ( for an earlier Patch profile) is leading the students in this effort and working to create a bird habitat ont he school zones. Hartford, who was selected as a 2011 Earth Hero at School by King County, plans to use bird houses and whisky barrel planters to create sources of cover and food. She also plans to grow more native plants and to add a pond to the school’s grounds. Horace Mann has already integrated other green practices, including adding worm composting bins, turning the parking lot into a no-idle zone, and implementing a “Walking School Bus” program to encourage walking to school instead of driving. 

Sustainable Redmond, a local community group focused on sustainable living, challenged Horace Mann to reach out to other schools in the district to implement the no-idling zone rule, as well. Horace Mann students are now ready to take on this challenge while expanding their work to creating a wildlife habitat.

The students’ efforts are worth celebrating, and it is hoped that other schools will also start to create wildlife habitats as well. Other Redmond schools that have created a CWH are: Emily Dickinson Elementary/Discovery Community School, The Overlake School, Rachel Carson Elementary, and the Montessori Children’s House. Currently, Albert Einstein Elementary is making great process on building a CWH as its newly founded Green Team’s first project. Michelle Brennan, a fourth grade teacher, is the enthusiastic leader of Albert Einstein’s green team. 

For more information on Redmond Wild, visit www.redmondwild.org. 

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Editor's note: An earlier version of this announcement incorrectly stated Redmond Wild is an nonprofit group.