Certified Wildlife Habitat

The National Wildlife Federation runs a program whereby property owners can have their property certified as wildlife habitats.  There are no restrictions to the size or location of the property.  You can own one eighth of an acre to a thousand acres and it can be city, suburbs or out in the sticks.  It doesn't matter. 

However your property does have to meet certain criteria.  Here are some of the things your property will need:
*Shrubs and trees to serve as food sources or shelter
*A water supply such as a bird bath, brook or pond
*Use of only organic pesticides and herbicides
*A 'safe' zone.  Somewhere that is generally undisturbed by anything not ordinarily in an animals habitat
*Presence of brush piles if possible but not necessary.  For example my grandsons and I built about 4 large brush piles in our back woods and in the winter when there's snow cover we're able to see evidence of animals using them for shelter.
*Bird feeders or suet stations

There's more but you get the idea.  I was able to certify our property without doing anything additional. 

The designation of a wildlife habitat does not entitle the property owner to tax breaks or anything else for that matter except the satisfaction of knowing you're not doing any harm to the wildlife around you and are in fact helping it.  So if you're interested go to National Wildlife Federation web site and check it out.