In May of 2005, Hidden Springs was the seventh community in the United States to be certified by the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) as a Wildlife Habitat Community site. Certification took residents more than three years to achieve. As part of the program, local residents:
- formed a resident habitat team
- assessed existing habitats
- offered environmental education opportunities
- implemented restoration projects
- provided semi-annual progress reports to the NWF
Hidden Springs' unique features that enhance wildlife habitat opportunities include:
- Wetland restoration projects
- Workshops on sustainable gardening
- Monthly environmental education speakers, walks and hikes
- Native plant demonstration garden
- Wildlife viewing area near the wetlands for use as an outdoor classroom
- Annual Wetlands Day at Hidden Springs for children and adults.
- Community farm and separate orchard
- Wildlife-friendly Memorial Garden on the Village Green
- On staff Open Space manager to implement conservation projects
- Open Space Council of interested residents
- Miles of trails for hiking and biking
- A minimum of 810 acres of open space
- More than 60 Hidden Springs homes certified as NWF as backyard habitat sites.
The NWF’s Community Certification Program teaches us how to be good stewards of the land and enables us to foster a conservation-minded community with wildlife viewing and educational opportunities. Additional information about the program is available at the National Wildlife Federation’s website at www.nwf.org.
We believe our community is a model for other communities wishing to give back to nature, and we hope you will visit us in the near future. Please contact us for information on how you can become involved:
Paul and Susie Headlee
National Wildlife Federation Habitat Stewards
headlee@ctcweb.net
(208) 229-3434