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How wild is your home?

While people are staying home and many parks and trails are closed, we can still experience nature—right where we live.

Conserving Carolina has launched an online Habitat at Home Contest, open to both kids and adults. The contest challenges people to submit photos or videos of projects that improve pollinator and wildlife habitat at their homes, such as gardening with native plants, installing bird boxes, or live staking a stream. They can also submit photos of wildlife seen at their home, whether that means insects, frogs, birds or bears.

The contest runs through May 15, 2020. There will be a drawing for prizes donated by Bee City USA-Hendersonville, Milkweed Meadows Farm, New Leaf Garden, Spriggly’s Beescaping and Conserving Carolina’s land protection director, Tom Fanslow.

In addition, there will be a voters’ choice award based on voting on social media. Entries may also earn online “shout-outs” based on four criteria: beautiful photography, inspiring habitat enhancement projects, creative use of a small space and outstanding youth entries. 

To enter the contest, submit your photo or video on Facebook, Instagram or both. Your entry must be a public post, using the hashtag #HabitatAtHome2020. You may share as many photos or videos as you want, although you will be entered in the drawing a maximum of three times. For full contest rules, go to www.conservingcarolina.org/habitat-contest. 

“It’s been difficult for all of us to stay home and not have access to all of the parks and trails that we can usually enjoy,” says Conserving Carolina’s communications director, Rose Jenkins Lane. “But it’s also an opportunity to turn our attention to a vital habitat restoration project—our own homes. Conservation in parks and nature preserves isn’t enough. Wild animals need more places to live and we all have a role to play. The great thing about enhancing natural habitat at your home is that you start to see rewards right away—like more pollinators, more butterflies, and more birds.”  

Every month, Conserving Carolina publishes a Habitat at Home column with seasonal tips. The columns can be found at www.conservingcarolina.org/habitat-at-home. These columns cover topics like how to grow milkweed for monarch butterflies, how to get rid of invasive plants like kudzu, how to improve the health of your stream, or how to put up nesting boxes for birds. Now, the Habitat at Home contest offers opportunities for us all to inspire each other with the vibrant and beautiful natural habitats where we live.

Conserving Carolina is a local land trust that has protected over 45,000 acres, primarily in Henderson, Polk, Transylvania and Rutherford Counties in NC and the Landrum, SC area. The mission of Conserving Carolina is to protect, restore and inspire appreciation of nature. Learn more and become a member at conservingcarolina.org.

 

Submitted by Rose Jenkins Lane