Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 18, 2010

For more information contact:

Tiffany Wright, Bowie Watershed Manager
301-809-3043
twright@cityofbowie.org

Maria Arnold
Bowie Gardens for Wildlife Habitat Team Leader
703-772-7694
bowiegardens4wildlife@gmail.com

Learn How to Create a Wildlife Habitat
at a Workshop on February 8th

The Bowie Gardens for Wildlife Habitat Team is presenting a “How-to” Wildlife Habitat Workshop on Monday, February 8 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at St. Matthew's United Methodist Church, 14900 Annapolis Road.  The workshop is co-hosted by three local congregations—All Saints Lutheran Church, St. Matthew’s United Methodist Church and Holy Trinity Episcopal Church—and open to anyone interested in learning how to create or enhance habitat in which people, flora and fauna can flourish.

Habitat Team members will familiarize local congregations and others about how their gardening practices can be modified to support pollinators and other wildlife in environmentally friendly ways.  Providing the four basic elements that all wildlife need to thrive—food, water, cover, and places to raise young—is key.  Presenters also will talk about sustainable gardening practices—such as planting native plants, reducing or eliminating the use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers, conserving water, removing invasive plants, and composting—while also creating habitat that meets all relevant City codes.

This effort is part of a larger project for Bowie to become a National Wildlife Federation (NWF) Certified Wildlife HabitatTM.  Bowie will achieve this goal when the City meets NWF benchmarks for certification, education, community, and administrative goals for a community with more than 50,000 people.  Certification goals call for at least 200 homes, including townhomes and apartments; at least 6 community, common grounds, places of worship, and workplace sites; and at least 5 schools or learning centers.  Education goals include providing workshops, articles, brochures and other materials designed to educate the community about how they can garden for wildlife.  Community project goals include creating a web presence via Facebook.

NWF habitat certification application forms will be available at the workshop and can be found, along with tips for attracting butterflies, birds and other wildlife, at http://www.nwf.org/gardenforwildlife/. 

The Bowie Gardens for Wildlife Habitat Team, in conjunction with the City’s Environmental Advisory Committee, provides support to the City for this project.  To learn more about this project or to become a Habitat Team member, contact the Habitat Team at bowiegardens4wildlife@gmail.com or on the Bowie Gardens for Wildlife Facebook Page.

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