Press Release

Oglethorpe University: Certified Wildlife Habitat

ATLANTA – The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) announces that the property of Oglethorpe University located in the Buckhead neighborhood of Atlanta has been certified as an official Wildlife Habitat site. Oglethorpe’s 105-acre campus attracts a variety of birds, butterflies and other wildlife, while helping to protect the local environment.

NWF began the Wildlife Habitat certification program in 1973, and has since certified over 75,000 habitats nationwide. The majority of these sites represent the hard work and commitment of individuals and families providing habitat near their homes, but NWF has also certified more than 2,500 schools and hundreds of business and community sites. The average habitat is between 1/3 and 1/2 acre, but certified sites range from urban balconies to thousand-acre areas.

Any habitat enthusiast can create a certified habitat and learn the rewards of gardening for wildlife. NWF teaches the importance of environmental stewardship by providing guidelines for making landscapes more hospitable to wildlife. In order to become certified, a property must provide the four basic elements that all wildlife need: food, water, cover and places to raise young. It must also employ sustainable gardening practices. Habitat restoration is critical in urban and suburban settings where commercial and residential development encroaches on natural wildlife areas. In addition to providing for wildlife, certified habitats conserve our natural resources by reducing or elimination the need for fertilizers, pesticides or irrigation water, which ultimately protects the air, soil and water throughout our communities. For more information please visit www.nwf.org or call 800.900.2656.