L.A. Helps Develop Backyard Habitats for Animal Planet

 

Shortly after the first backyard habitat installation, cardinals, wrens, blue jays, doves and other songbirds arrived on the scene?EUR??,,????'??+and the neighborhood cats.

The new Animal Planet television series ?EUR??,,????'??Backyard Habitat?EUR??,,????'?? has employed the services of David Drylie, a landscape architect and owner of Green Images, a native-plant nursery in east Orange County, Fla., to bring animal habitats to five Central Florida families.

The 30-minute program, which debuted Aug. 15, 2005, is hosted by David Mizejewski, who manages the National Wildlife Backyard Habitat program, and Molly Pesce. The hosts, Drylie and a crew of 15 go to the homes to install bird feeders, birdhouses, water features and dozens of native plants to the yards. The family members also get involved.

Mizejewski explains that a backyard wildlife habitat only requires a steady food sources, shelter from predators, an adequate water supply and safe nesting sites. The size of the garden is not critical. In fact, the backyard habitats created for the TV series in Central Florida were 300 square feet or less. Even an apartment’s balcony can provide a habitat, according to Mizejewski.