The National Wildlife Federation announces that the community of Centreville, Maryland is putting out the welcome mat for birds, butterflies and other wildlife, by recently registering its Community Wildlife Habitat™ project with NWF.

The town of Centreville is sending a clear and powerful message to communities all over America that caring people, working together, can help wildlife, wild places and the health of the environment. The residents of Centreville are making a difference in their own community and beyond.

Since 1973, NWF has provided millions of people with the basic guidelines for making their landscapes more hospitable for wildlife. To date, through the Certified Wildlife Habitat™ program, NWF has certified over 147,000 sites including yards, schools, businesses, community gardens and parks, and places of worship. Each of these sites provides the four basic elements that all wildlife need to thrive: food, water, cover and places to raise young.

In addition, NWF has certified fifty-seven entire communities. Centreville is working to become part of this distinguished group. A Community Wildlife Habitat project brings people together for a common purpose – to create a community where people, flora and fauna can flourish. Centreville’s action plan includes a long-term commitment to citizen education about providing habitat for wildlife and employing sustainable gardening practices. These practices include reducing or eliminating the use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers, conserving water, planting native plants, removing invasive plants and composting. Their goal is to certify at least 50 homes, 1 school and 2 businesses, places of worship or other locations.

For more information on becoming involved in Centreville’s efforts to become a certified Community Wildlife Habitat, please contact Lynn Caligiuri at 410-279-0711 or lynnnpf@aol.com . To get started on your own gardening for wildlife adventure, visit NWF’s website at www.nwf.org/gardenforwildlife . The site offers access to continually-updated information and resources for habitat projects, along with a wealth of other information on wildlife and wild places, and how to help protect these precious natural resources. You can also obtain a free application/brochure by calling 1-800-822-9919 or by writing to National Wildlife Federation, 11100 Wildlife Center Drive, Reston, VA 20190