Summer 2006

Table of Contents

Trial partnership with national group offers “one-stop-shopping”

More properties across Washington are being enrolled in the Backyard Wildlife Sanctuary (BWS) program thanks to a new trial partnership with the National Wildlife Federation.

The National Wildlife Federation is a four million member non-profit organization with a mission to “inspire Americans to protect wildlife for our children’s future.” The Washington Wildlife Federation, based in Olympia, is one of 47 state affiliates.

The Federation offers certification of yards and gardens across the country as “Backyard Wildlife Habitat” sites, much the same as the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) does with the BWS program. Recently the Federation partnered with WDFW to offer participants “one-stop-shopping” – benefits from both programs with one-time paperwork.

Here’s the way it works: Application for certification through the Federation costs $15, which includes a certificate, yard sign, subscription to a quarterly newsletter, and automatic Federation membership and a year’s subscription to “National Wildlife” magazine. For an additional $5, enrollees in that program from Washington state can automatically be enrolled in our BWS program, too.

The partnership is on a six-month trial basis, but if it solicits enough new enrollments, it may be extended more permanently and include other states.

If you’re not already enrolled in Washington’s BWS program or the Federation’s similar program, go to http://www.nwf.org/backyard/ for more information.