Wild Bloomington

All of us who live in Bloomington know that there is a certain responsibility, sensibility and pride that our residents take in preserving and maintaining the landscape of our City. On my way to Bryan Park today I drove by house after house with the most beautiful gardens. I couldn't help but be reminded of the uniqueness of our community and how fortunate our wildlife is to have people working to maintain their habitats and improving our environment.

Bryan Park itself is a testament to the conscientiousness our community shares. The park has been spearheading the Bryan Park Creek Naturalization Project with the primary goals of improving water quality, reviving the wildlife habitat and reintroducing native plants into the park. With the reintroduction of native plants, park officials have seen a return and rise in hummingbirds, goldfinches, blue jays and the monarch butterfly.

The Bryan Park project is part of the broader initiative for which all of Bloomington has become a certified Backyard Wildlife Habitat (BWH) through the National Wildlife Federation, spearheaded locally by the Center for Sustainable Living. The CSL has been working with the City and residents for several years to obtain this status by having a certain number of properties, commercial and residential, certified as a BWH. 

CSL deserves a big pat on the back for being the driving force behind making our community all the more beautiful, wildlife-friendly and environmentally conscious. Just because Bloomington is now certified doesn't mean we should stop there.

After my visit to Bryan Park I visited the City of Bloomington's website which had great information about backyard wildlife habitats and natural landscaping. I know my gardening plans for next spring have changed and I can't wait! Get in touch with the CSL or the City of Bloomington and get going planning your wildlife habitat.

The folks at the Center for Sustainable Living can help you plan your landscaping with the basic requirements for your yard to become a CWH including food, water, shelter and places to raise young- all of which are easily attainable with natural landscaping.