Prairie Pocket Gardens Community Wildlife Habitat Certification Requirements . . .

Our Goals

Hesston's Habitat Team set the following goals for the five-year project. Additional goals are set as the previous goals are met.

Habitat Certification Goals

• 50 homes/townhouses/apartments, including 4 native plant 50 pts. displays in low-income housing areas
• 3 Schoolyards
• 10 public sites/worksites/parks/common areas
• Habitat Team members each have site certified as backyard habitat

Goals for Registration for Community Certification with the National Wildlife Federation

• Name the project: Prairie Pocket Gardens: Hesston's Liveable Landscapes
• Establish a Habitat Team, select a Team Leader established and register the Team as volunteers
• Set up and maintain a project notebook
• Develop a 5-year plan
• Register the Prairie Pocket Gardens as a CWH Project
• Develop a 5-year budget
• Obtain a map of the Hesston Community
• Obtain a letter of support from the City of Hesston
• Develop a communications plan for the Habitat Team
• Identify 3 potential funding sources
• Identify 3 potential sites for Backyard Wildlife Demonstration Gardens
• Plan a Kick off Celebration

Education Goals

• Create a resource library for the Prairie Pocket Garden project
• Create a kiosk where community members can get information about the project
• Write two feature articles in community paper
• Hold a series of workshops to educate the community about wildlife Gardening
  (Develop an annual event with a focus on educating the community about the
  goals of the project )
• Habitat Team members each complete an on-line NWF course
• Create and distribute Native Plant List

Community Project Goals

• Create a project Website
• Examine weed ordinance and work to make it more native plant and habitat friendly
• Work with local park representatives to convert parkland to native plant/wildlife friendly landscapes
• Conduct Workshops to educate builders/developers about conserving habitat in their work
• Conduct a Native Plant Sale
• Initiate conversations with NWF “affiliates” and with “local NWF field office” for assistance with the Prairie Pocket Garden project
• Habitat Team members serve on community board/council relating to environmental issues
• Present the Prairie Pocket Garden Project to organizations not yet affiliated with the project
• Restore native plant communities along stream and riverbanks for habitat and as runoff buffers