resources — This is Native Habitat

Respect Indigenous People

Be a polite guest and learn about the native peoples of the land we’re on and remember to refer to them in the present tense. They are still here!

In your yard you can help wildlife by doing less!

mow only the areas of your yard where you relax and play, let nature have the rest.
leave dormant brush over winter only trim brush in early spring, many insects nest and hibernate in dormant plants
leave part of your yard unraked and allow some dead wood to stay in the trees and on the ground. insects, including young fireflies, nest and live in the mulch and bark. don’t rake up the fireflies!
turn off and minimize outdoor lighting when you’re not outside. light pollution interferes with many insects like fireflies, disrupts migratory birds, and obscures the stars.
leave piles of stones as shelter for creatures and for lizards to sun themselves.
leave patches of bare dirt in your yard, native bees use bare patches for nesting
skip pesticides, insects eating your plants means you’re part of the ecosystem!
Keep cats inside or on leash! Indoor house cats are wonderful companions. Outdoor and feral cats kills billions of birds and native mammals every year, often for play. Sorry but it is a really serious problem.

For folks who want to go further and add to their habitat here are some steps to enhance your native habitat.

In Texas get native seeds from Native American Seed
For butterflies use native milkweeds rather than tropical milkweeds which can disrupt their migration
Setup a bird bath or pond, ideally with running water. Water is life!
Provide houses for purple martins, owls, and bats. These animals are reliant on humans to provide nesting habitat due to environmental degradation and competition from invasive species.