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One of the largest in eastern US Charlotte Wildlife Stewards is very proud to announce that with our partners, we certified the City of Charlotte as a Community Wildlife Habitat. This special designation makes Charlotte one of the largest city east of the Mississippi to be certified by the National Wildlife Federation. Our city-wide celebration took place on Saturday, May 2nd, 2013 Marshall Park, Charlotte, NC. Each week, we are adding additional new wildlife habitats to our total. Is your landscape one of them? Community Wildlife Habitat™, a national program for neighborhoods, towns, cities, and counties, that recognizes and celebrates community-wide efforts to naturalize landscapes and buildings, improve air and water quality, restore vital wildlife habitat and improve the health and well-being of inhabitants --one property at a time. There's room for lots more conservation projects, habitat creation and environmental education, and we encourage you to join in! Check out Charlotte's page on the NWF website! In 2013, CROWN's vice president, Dawn Anderson, began the extensive qualification process to participate and take actionable steps to make a difference here in Charlotte, for wildlife and the environment. These actions are not only important for today but will also impact future generations of citizens that will live, work, and play in the greater Charlotte community. National Wildlife Federation and the North Carolina Wildlife Federation advocate for the wise use of our land and natural resources which must include providing for wildlife and their habitat. To become part of this program and volunteer whatever amount of time works for you, we encourage you to contact Charlotte Wildlife Stewards: charlottewildlifestewards@gmail.com |
Join NCWF today and your membership helps support CWS
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Charlotte Wildlife Stewards (formerly CROWN), has a special YouTube video highlighting our purpose and the NWF certification celebration event from May 2, 2015.
Watch Video!
Each dot represents an actual certified NWF Habitat through 2017. (Map update coming soon.)
Let us help you add your property to Charlotte's total. We added 128 new habitats in 2020!
The current number of Certified Wildlife Habitats on record with the National Wildlife Federation:
Let us help you add your property to Charlotte's total. We added 128 new habitats in 2020!
The current number of Certified Wildlife Habitats on record with the National Wildlife Federation:
The Charlotte Naturally celebration took place in Marshall Park, Saturday, May 2nd 2015. See slide show below.
Check out this slide show from our NWF Certification Celebration! (hear audio through link below)
"Concrete Jungles" Can Be Haven for Wildlife in NC
Public News Service - NC | May 2015 | Covered by over 80 news outlets across North Carolina!
Download audio
May 6, 2015 CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Six North Carolina cities now are designated as Wildlife Friendly Communities by the National Wildlife Federation.
Charlotte is the most recent to make the list and the largest city east of the Mississippi to receive the recognition, said Tim Gestwicki, chief executive of the North Carolina Wildlife Federation.
"This is a huge accomplishment," he said, "and it kind of sets the stage that any city and municipality can do this and be part of the solution in a nonregulatory manner to really make a difference for local wildlife."
As a recognized community by the federation, Charlotte has 1,325 certified wildlife habitats found in homes, schools, businesses and places of worship in the city limits which help promote bird populations, pollinating insects and other aspects of wildlife. Concord, Lake Norman, Matthews, Montreat and Weaverville also are on the list of 80+ Certified Community Wildlife Habitats across the nation.
While many cities initially plant flowers to increase their aesthetics, said Collin O'Mara, president and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation, they soon realize that there is much more to gain.
"It's a secondary benefit that your city will be more beautiful, that folks will be happier and that there will be this aesthetic value," he said, "but the primary benefits really are the incredible value that communities like Charlotte are providing for wildlife."
While the certification is an accomplishment worth celebrating, said Ernie McLaney, president of Charlotte's North Carolina Wildlife Federation chapter, Charlotte Reconnecting Ourselves With Nature (CROWN), there is more work to be done.
"It doesn't in any way mean that Charlotte is in the place it needs to be and that everyone can go about their business and think that the environment and our future is all well and taken care of," he said.
McLaney and others hope this designation encourages people in Charlotte and the rest of the state to increase their plantings of flowers and other native vegetation that enhances wildlife habitat and increases the availability of food for pollinating insects.
More information is online at nwf.org. and this website.
Stephanie Carson, Public News Service - NC
See video from this event on our YouTube page.
Public News Service - NC | May 2015 | Covered by over 80 news outlets across North Carolina!
Download audio
May 6, 2015 CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Six North Carolina cities now are designated as Wildlife Friendly Communities by the National Wildlife Federation.
Charlotte is the most recent to make the list and the largest city east of the Mississippi to receive the recognition, said Tim Gestwicki, chief executive of the North Carolina Wildlife Federation.
"This is a huge accomplishment," he said, "and it kind of sets the stage that any city and municipality can do this and be part of the solution in a nonregulatory manner to really make a difference for local wildlife."
As a recognized community by the federation, Charlotte has 1,325 certified wildlife habitats found in homes, schools, businesses and places of worship in the city limits which help promote bird populations, pollinating insects and other aspects of wildlife. Concord, Lake Norman, Matthews, Montreat and Weaverville also are on the list of 80+ Certified Community Wildlife Habitats across the nation.
While many cities initially plant flowers to increase their aesthetics, said Collin O'Mara, president and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation, they soon realize that there is much more to gain.
"It's a secondary benefit that your city will be more beautiful, that folks will be happier and that there will be this aesthetic value," he said, "but the primary benefits really are the incredible value that communities like Charlotte are providing for wildlife."
While the certification is an accomplishment worth celebrating, said Ernie McLaney, president of Charlotte's North Carolina Wildlife Federation chapter, Charlotte Reconnecting Ourselves With Nature (CROWN), there is more work to be done.
"It doesn't in any way mean that Charlotte is in the place it needs to be and that everyone can go about their business and think that the environment and our future is all well and taken care of," he said.
McLaney and others hope this designation encourages people in Charlotte and the rest of the state to increase their plantings of flowers and other native vegetation that enhances wildlife habitat and increases the availability of food for pollinating insects.
More information is online at nwf.org. and this website.
Stephanie Carson, Public News Service - NC
See video from this event on our YouTube page.
What are the key benefits of Community Certification?
Need some additional help in getting started?
Visit the National Wildlife Federation's Garden for Wildlife page and sign up for their newsletter:
- Raises our community profile as a greener community for residents, businesses and organizations seeking new place to locate
- Re-establishes our human connection to the natural world, the land and wildlife
- Improves the quality of life in our community by taking actionable steps to improve water and air quality, reducing use of chemicals and pesticides, and reducing heat island impacts by adding more native green spaces by creating wildlife habitat corridors through your community. A connection to nature improves health and well-being for everyone
- Builds community pride by engaging neighborhoods to work together to create habitats
- Creates balance between economic growth and environmental conservation
- Increases awareness and practical applications of environmental education
- Participation fosters cooperative involvement not only within families, but also in schools, businesses, neighborhoods, places of worship and other organizations.
- Has long lasting impact on our region's environment as we continue each year to maintain our certification with NWF.
Need some additional help in getting started?
Visit the National Wildlife Federation's Garden for Wildlife page and sign up for their newsletter:
