Fort Lauderdale is unique among urban areas in that it is home to a diverse array of wildlife: native and migrating birds, interesting insects, mammals around since this area was more Everglades than not, seasonal sea turtles, and of course our fish and marine life. All of these animals have a role to play in the health and quality of our environment. Many of them serve as natural pest control, such as ladybugs that feed on our City's whiteflies. Others are productive pollinators, such as the, butterflies, hummingbirds and bees that are so essential to our agriculture industry. Some balance the food chain, such as possums and native snakes which keep the rodent population in check. And others support our tourism industry, such as the sea turtles and manatees that tourists come from afar to see. The importance of wildlife is the main driver behind the City's obtaining and maintaining it's Community Wildlife Habitat designation.

What is a Community Wildlife Habitat? 

The Community Wildlife Habitat program is designed to encourage localities to achieve a critical mass of habitat suitable for native species, with over 250,000 nationwide Community Wildlife Habitats. We have adopted growing habitats as part of the City’s vision and strategic plans, and monitoring our current certification provides us with an accountability system. Maintaining our Community Wildlife Habitat certification will strengthen the quality of our ecosystem, making us more resilient, and getting us further towards other goals outlined in City’s Sustainability Action Plan and long term vision.

How did We Become a Certified Community Wildlife Habitat?

There are two benchmark goals our City met in order to become a Certified Community Wildlife Habitat through the National Wildlife Federation. The first was certifying a number of individual properties as Wildlife Habitats including residences and businesses, on school grounds and in public areas such as parks, community gardens, and places of worship. 

The second benchmark is engaging the community in activities that help foster greater knowledge and understanding of the principles of the Community Wildlife Habitat program. Each type of activity is worth a certain number of points. Once certification is achieved, a minimum number of activities totaling 30 points need to be completed annually to retain certification.

 Please visit our City's Community Profile Page here.

How to Get Involved 

Want to get involved in making Fort Lauderdale a happier, healthier, and greener place for your neighbors, including the wild ones?

Build your own habitat or get involved in the wider regional effort. Visit the NatureScape Broward  page for information on getting involved with Florida Master Gardener, Florida Master Naturalist, Natural Wildlife Federation Habitat Stewards, and the North American Butterfly Association.

Visit NWF's page on Certified Wildlife Habitats for more information.

How to Build Your Own Habitat

Whether you live in one of Fort Lauderdale’s high-rise condos or a bungalow on an acre of property, you have the ability to provide a welcoming habitat for our wild neighbors. We'd love for you to support us in our goal to remain a Certified Community Wildlife Habitat by developing a Certified Wildlife Habitat on your property.

Habitats can be a place for birds, mammals, reptiles, or insects. They can be small or large-- as big as a whole back yard or as small as a container garden. For all habitats, there are four essential requirements:  food, water, cover, and a place for wildlife to raise their young. Specifically, to qualify for certification, each habitat must have:

• 3 food sources
• 1 water source
• 2 cover and 2 nesting spaces
• At least 1 Sustainable Practice from 2 out of the 3 categories

Visit these National Wildlife Federation webpages for tips on how to Provide Food, Supply Water, Create Cover, Give Wildlife a Place to Raise Their Young for homes of all sizes and utilize Sustainable Gardening Practices.