BRINGING PLATEAU HOME

Nurturing wildlife and the land in a city backyard

by Stacy Marcus, Plateau Sales and Marketing Assistant

Growing up in a big city, I had very little opportunity to experience the vast array of wildlife Texas has to offer. But during the past few months since joining Plateau Land & Wildlife Management, I've been given a chance to dive head-first into Plateau's wealth of wildlife and land conservation knowledge and experience.

While I always understood the importance of taking care of our environment, that understanding shifted from my head to my heart when I became pregnant. Like most parents, I want only the best for my child, and that includes a future full of the color and wonder of nature. In the Spring issue Seasons, our company founder, David Braun, wrote in his article "Beyond BP" about the millions of daily small assaults on our environment -- the pesticides, fertilizers, petroleum products, garbage and byproducts of our modern lifestyle. Believing in the premise that one person can make a difference, along with my family, I decided to not be one of those small assaults on the environment. Instead, we decided to be one of its small champions. Our goals were environmentally friendly gardening, lawn maintenance, and to encourage wildlife visits.

First up, we eliminated the use of harmful lawn chemicals and our usual "weed and feed" routine. This meant hand-pulling weeds instead. Oh joy! Surveying the blanket of dandelions looming above the grass in our front yard, I certainly felt overwhelmed initially. With a "baby steps" plan of action to attack it by sections, I chose the most visible area first and with a bucket and a dandelion puller in hand, my daughter and I headed outside. I was pleasantly surprised by the attention span of a two and a half year old. Although she was more successful pulling out blades of grass than actual weeds, she loved being outside with me and helping. I was also surprised by just how satisfying it was to pull out these unsightly weeds. Each time I pulled out another large plant, I could almost hear the grass sigh with relief. All the while, I'm out in the fresh air of morning with my daughter listening to the birds sing.

Next, we added a simple bird feeder and source of water. If you feed them, they will come! I am simply amazed by the amount and variety of birds that visit our feeder. We have seen Cardinals and Blue Jays and a host of other birds just waiting to be identified. The activity at our feeder morning and evening has become my family's "must-see tv." By the end of the nesting season, we counted three different Dove nests and a Mockingbird nest in the neighbor's tree. My daughter and I even had the enchanting opportunity to watch a Blue Jay chick learn to fly. Together, we watched the baby hop around with both parents standing guard on the fence.

Our next mission is increased rainwater harvesting and composting. Why waste all that delicious water when it's free and gardens thrive on rainwater? Several cities now offer rebate programs for the purchase and installation of rainwater collection barrels. Some even encourage composting. The City of Austin, for example, has offered a rebate up to $75 towards the purchase of compost bins.

Overall, the process of nurturing the land and wildlife in our city home has been easy, surprisingly cost-effective, and remarkably similar to a Plateau wildlife management plan. While the process has been simple, the physical and emotional rewards have been almost incalculable. Our yard is beautiful, one of the few on our block that remain thick and green. We've spent rewarding, quality time outdoors with our hands in the dirt. As a family, we take joy in watching our feathered friends feed at breakfast and dinner. It feels good to know my family and I are doing our small part to take care of this wonderful place while at the same time teaching the next generation a love of nature.

The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) offers loads of information on how to make your home and backyard more wildlife friendly, including regional resources, and how to have your backyard certified as a wildlife habitat by the NWF, like Stacy. For more information, visit their website at nwf.org.

Flora and fauna flourishing in Stacy's backyard!