What’s wild about your backyard? This time on The Children’s Hour we explore creating a backyard or balcony to attract wildlife, in a visit with a “more than human geographer” Laurel Ladwig. She’s part of a movement of reconciliation ecologists who are encouraging people to increase habitats around our homes to help critters who need more nectar, pollen, shade and food to survive in our artificial urban environments.

What’s wild about your backyard? This time on The Children’s Hour we explore creating a backyard or balcony to attract wildlife, in a visit with a “more than human geographer” Laurel Ladwig. She’s part of a movement of reconciliation ecologists who are encouraging people to increase habitats around our homes. Planting flowers and other plants in order to attract wildlife to our yards helps critters who need more nectar, pollen, shade and food to survive in our artificial urban environments

As we increase the native plants in our yards, or even on our urban balconies in containers, you may see beautiful birds and bugs in need of nectar. 

Some wildlife are animals we would rather not encourage, like the rattlesnakes our Kids Crew member Cade sees in his moutain backyard. Other critters look scary but are harmless to humans, and essential members of the food chain to keep the delicate balance of nature in harmony. One such bug is the vinegaroon, which looks like a scorpion but is actually a gentle giant. How can we encourage the species we want to attract? It depends on what we plant.

We learn about why it’s so important to seek out plants which are native to where we live. Here’s an online site where you can learn more about what species can thrive around you, no matter where you live. As we plant our habitats, we want to help tend our plants to survive the effects of climate change.

The kids also meet Jim Battaglia from Wildlife Rescue of New Mexico, to learn what to do when we find injured wild animals in our yards, parks and playgrounds.

Don’t forget the City Nature Challenge happening worldwide the last week in April. Find out more!

This show was written and produced by Executive Director, Katie Stone, with help from Senior Producer Christina Stella, and Education Director Lorraine Archibald.

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