GREEN MAP
Land: Habitat
- BYB Program Components
Backyard Biodiversity Program Components:
The program is communicated in a number of ways. These include a demonstration yard at FortWhyte Alive, informational workshops, an educative brochure, and a certification process.
Demonstration Garden
The demonstration garden is located between the Alloway Reception Centre and the Interpretive Centre on the east side of the path. It includes many of the elements outlined in the habitat elements section and in the educative brochure such as a diverse habitat structure with native plants, shrubs and trees, rock piles, nesting boxes, water features, feeders. In addition to this, a large display sign is located in the garden along the path. This sign informs people on the principles of creating backyard habit and the value this creates.
Workshops
Each Spring, Fort Whyte Alive holds a series of instructive workshops pertaining to gardening and biodiversity. One of these workshops is a comprehensive workshop to get people started on increasing the biodiversity in their yards using native prairie plants and grasses. This session introduces working with native plants, propagation, landscape design, and plant maintenance and identification (FortWhyte Alive).
Backyard Biodiversity Bulletin
This bulletin outlines habitat elements, explains habitat functions, offers a sample plan for a wildlife-friendly yard, contains instructions for increasing biodiversity, provides a list of selected native vegetation, and includes a certification checklist.
Certification Process
To have your yard certified it has to adhere to criteria listed in the biodiversity bulletin. The criteria are divided into the three habitat elements: food, shelter and water. Certified yards receive a sign acknowledging their role in improving biodiversity in Winnipeg as well as a gift certificate. The signs have played an important role in promoting this program. Many people transform their yards into ecologically diverse spaces after seeing the signs in yards of Fort Whyte employees or members.
Sample backyard plan to increase biodiversity. Source: Fort Whyte Centre, Backyard Biodiversity Bulletin