3 Neighborhoods Win Wildlife Habitat Signs

Three Johns Creek neighborhoods have won bronze National Wildlife Federation Wildlife Habitat signs for their neighborhoods as part of the Johns Creek Community Wildlife Habitat project neighborhood competition.

The Johns Creek Community Wildlife Habitat project initiated a competition for local neighborhoods offering the first 10 to certify a minimum of 10 houses and their common area as National Wildlife Federation Wildlife Habitats to receive a beautiful bronze metal sign from the National Wildlife Federation (NWF), a $99 value, for display in their neighborhood.

The bronze sign declaring the area as a NWF Wildlife Habitat can be displayed in the neighborhood entrance or common area. The first three winners, Rivermont, Mayfair/St Clair, and River Glen, have all certified more than 10 homes and their common area with the National Wildlife Federation. Mayfair/St Clair has actually certified 28 homes, and Rivermont has certified 20. Several other Johns Creek neighborhoods are only a few homes away from winning a sign as well.  

With only 30 houses needed to fulfill the Johns Creek's NWF certification and seven more bronze signs to give away, the Wildlife team is encouraging residents and neighborhoods to certify as soon as possible so the city can be certified as a community by Earth Day on April 22.

NWF certification for a home or neighborhood is a simple process, and all residents need to qualify is to fill out a checklist showing that their home or common area can be designated as a wildlife habitat by providing food (can be feeders, berry bushes, etc.), water (stream, bird bath, etc.), shelter (trees, bushes, etc.) and places for wildlife to raise young (birdhouses, trees, etc).

The trees, flowers, and  overall natural environment of Johns Creek neighborhoods will, in most cases, qualify homes and common areas for NWF certification. Condominiums and apartments can also be certified, as well as local schools, businesses and houses of worship. 

Residents can click here to certify online or go to www.johnscreekwildlifehabitat.org to print an application to mail in to NWF. The cost is $20 per home or neighborhood common area and only takes a few minutes. Those certified receive a membership to the National Wildlife Federation, a subscription to their monthly magazine, a certificate to display in their home or clubhouse, and the option to purchase an outdoor display sign. 

Residents should let their neighborhood association know when their home is certified so they can track the number of homes. Once the requirements are completed, neighborhood associations can email jcwildlife@gmail.com with the name of the neighborhood, that the common area is certified, and the addresses of the 10 certified neighborhood homes to qualify for the free bronze neighborhood sign. 

Johns Creek is proud to be certifying as a National Wildlife Federation Community Wildlife Habitat, of which there are only 58 communities in the entire United States. This program teaches residents to conserve their natural environment in public and private spaces, provides gardening workshops and community education, and supports environmental education in local schools.

For more information on this project as well as a list of locally available native plants, residents can access the project website at www.johnscreekwildlifehabitat.org.