Garden Habitat Certification

Raise awareness. Inspire others. Make it official.

Can one person make a difference for wildlife? Absolutely.

A great place to start is in the garden. By garden, we mean any outdoor space that is influenced by a green (or not so green!) thumb. Everything from veggie gardens to water gardens, acres of land to containers on a patio, a meadow maintained for butterflies to a curated perennial bed, shoreline properties to urban plots – all outdoor spaces can help wildlife. No matter your location, level of experience, garden style or budget, your garden can be beautiful and beneficial for wildlife.

And together, we’re better.

By joining Canadians who make their gardens wildlife-friendly, you help increase suitable habitat for local and migratory wildlife, some of which may be species at risk. As more land is developed for human activities, each wildlife-friendly garden is a haven that can act as a stepping stone between larger areas of habitat, essential for many species’ survival.

The Canadian Wildlife Federation’s Garden Habitat Certification recognizes Canadians who make their home, school, business or community gardens suitable for wildlife by certifying their outdoor space as a “Wildlife-friendly Habitat”.

Complete the Application Form  Upload photos of your Garden

If you’re wondering how to make your garden wildlife-friendly, we’ve got you covered. The application form will guide you through the process but if you’d like more information, tips and ideas, visit our How to Garden with Wildlife in Mind section.

When you certify your garden, we’ll add your wildlife-friendly habitat to CWF’s map that shows our collective impact. Then we can all see Canada’s wildlife-friendly habitat grow! Sharing your Garden Habitat Certified garden accomplishments with family, friends, neighbours or on social media platforms (using #cwfgardens) can raise awareness in your community about the importance of wildlife-friendly gardens. It can also inspire others to see real life examples of different kinds of gardens that provide wildlife-friendly habitat.

View Garden Habitat Certification in a larger map

CWF Wildlife-friendly Demonstration Garden - maps, lists and photos

To qualify for Garden Habitat Certification, your outdoor space must meet the needs of wildlife. Chances are you already have many of these elements and practices in place:

You must have one or more sources of water, food and shelter in your garden and use earth-friendly gardening practices to maintain it.

Choose from three ways to apply:

1. Apply online
2. Apply by mail with our printable PDF form
3. Call us at 1-877-599-5777 and we’ll mail the form to you

Find out how you can enhance your services and support Canada’s pollinators, songbirds and more. By including simple and versatile wildlife-friendly features, your clients could be eligible for the Canadian Wildlife Federation’s “Wildlife-friendly Habitat” certification.

Can one person make a difference for wildlife? Absolutely.

Display a sign to promote your garden as a safe and sustaining place for wildlife and to encourage others to create habitat in their own gardens.

If you choose to purchase a sign and would like to include a donation with your order, your contributions will help support CWF’s conservation education programming. From sharing CWF’s work with your family and friends, to making a donation, your support goes a long way to help wildlife. We are not able to do this work without you, so thank you.

These are exclusively available to those who are Garden Habitat Certified by the Canadian Wildlife Federation. You must sign in to access this page.

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