A Good Day for Wildlife Habitat in Shoreline, WA

Monday, April 18, the City of Shoreline recognized the efforts of the Shoreline Community Backyard Wildlife Habitat Project. The team was awarded a certificate for achieving the goal of Certification. 

Certificate Presented to Shoreline's
Community Backyard Wildlife Project

The project was adopted by Sustainable Shoreline Education Association in 2006. Boni Biery, who is team leader of the project got to work and organized the effort.

The National Wildlife Federation is working in many communities in western Washington to get "certified". This means they have gotten a required number of households, businesses, schools and parks

in shape to be certified. Each one is required to have the 5 elements of habitat on site to attract and sustain wildlife. These five elements are:

• Food Sources - For example: Native plants, seeds, fruits, nuts, berries, nectar
• Water Sources - For example: Birdbath, pond, water garden, stream
• Places for Cover - For example: Thicket, rockpile, birdhouse
• Places to Raise Young - For example: Dense shrubs, vegetation, nesting box, pond
• Sustainable Gardening - For example: Mulch, compost, rain garden, chemical-free fertilizer

Here is the NWF Description of the Community Certification Process -

Community Habitats

If you love gardening and connecting with people in your community, the National Wildlife Federation can help you certify your community as a Community Wildlife Habitat™.

A Community Wildlife Habitat is a community that provides habitat for wildlife throughout the community--in individual backyards, on school grounds and in public areas such as parks, community gardens, places of worship and businesses.

It is a place where the residents make it a priority to provide habitat for wildlife by providing the four basic elements that all wildlife need: food, water, cover andplaces to raise young.

The community also educates its residents about sustainable gardening practicessuch as reducing or eliminating chemical fertilizers and pesticides, conserving water, planting native plants, removing invasive plants and composting.

Community Wildlife Habitats are organized by a team of people, who not only help create habitat, but also hold workshops about gardening for wildlife and organize community events such as stream or trail cleanups.

A Community Habitat project creates a place where people, flora and fauna can all flourish!

The Shoreline Community Backyard Wildlife Project has achieved its goal and is one of the largest communities in the state to do so (11th in the state, 48th in nation and largest city in King County to certify). It means that they achieved the following goal elements:


• Completed Habitats  map

221 homes

19 public space /businesses

8 schools

2 churches

• 2 public restoration projects


As another element of the Backyard Wildlife Project they completed the following projects:
WOWTA Garden Tour
Citizens Bird Banding Project

Wildlife Resources
Bird houses
Champion Tree Contest
Pesticide Free households and yards
Ronald Bog Restoration Slide Show
Brugger's Bog Restoration Slide Show


Congratulations Boni Biery and the Shoreline Team on this outstanding accomplishment!

Courtney Sullivan of NWF Awards Certificate to Boni Biery for
the Accomplishment