Bloomfield Couple Create Wildlife Habitat In Their Backyard (PHOTOS)

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — Whenever she steps outside into her backyard, Bloomfield resident Susan Moseson is entering her own little wildlife refuge. But that’s just one of many benefits of having a National Wildlife Federation-certified habitat located on your property.

Moseson, a member of the newly-formed Bloomfield Beautification Committee, told Patch that she and her husband, Rich, a board member of the Friends of Watsessing Park Conservancy, gained official NWF certification at their Linden Avenue home about two years ago.

To get there, it took about five years of fun-but-hard work to conform their yard to NWF specifications.

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What does it take to cut the mustard? According to the NWF website, a backyard wildlife habitat must include:

• Food – “Native plants provide nectar, seeds, nuts, fruits, berries, foliage, pollen and insects eaten by an exciting variety of wildlife. Feeders can supplement natural food sources.”
• Water – “All animals need water to survive and some need it for bathing or breeding as well.”
• Cover – “Wildlife needs places to find shelter from bad weather and places to hide from predators or stalk prey.”
• Places to Raise Young – “Wildlife needs resources to reproduce and keep their species going. Some species have totally different habitat needs in their juvenile phase than they do as adults.”
• Sustainable Practices – “How you manage your garden can have an effect on the health of the soil, air, water and habitat for native wildlife as well as the human community.”

Moseson told Patch that she and her husband had two original motivations for their backyard garden: trying to replicate an English country garden in a small semi-urban yard, and trying to replicate gardens they’d seen in Maine, especially at Jordan Pond House in Acadia National Park.

“Over time, I became aware of the alarming loss of habitat for monarch butterflies and started trying to include plants that would attract them,” Moseson said. “At the same time, I discovered the National Wildlife Federation's wildlife habitat program.”

To meet the NWF requirements, the couple started gradually adding plants that attract pollinators such as bees and butterflies, mostly choosing perennials with staggered blooming times so that there would be flowers in the garden from spring to late fall.

“We added water bowls for the birds as well as small water dishes called ‘puddlers’ that bees and other insects drink from, especially on hot days,” Moseson said. “We change the water at least twice a day to discourage mosquitoes from laying eggs in them.”

Moseson said that their yard features “fairly thick vegetation” along both sides and the back of the yard to provide shelter and more food sources. In addition, a large spruce tree in their front yard has been home to many birds over the years.

“We also have a brush pile beneath some bushes in the back of the yard, which provides additional habitat for small creatures and some protection from larger ones,” Moseson said.

Moseson added that the couple are constantly amazed at the variety of wildlife that they attract in a semi-urban setting.

“Our yard can be a very busy place at night, with raccoons, possums, skunks and who knows what else? During the day, it's mostly birds… a wide variety of them, too. We recently had a visit from a pair of yellow warblers and a red-bellied woodpecker is a regular at our suet feeder, along with honeybees, bumblebees and various butterflies.”

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These days, the Mosesons are also able to grow copious amounts of milkweed in their backyard habitat, a plant that entices egg-laying Monarch butterflies, whose caterpillars will only eat that particular plant.

Bloomfield hasn’t been the only place to benefit from their green thumb. Moseson said that she was able to come to the rescue of the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge's "Monarch Waystation" demonstration butterfly garden in July, donating more than 60 swamp milkweed plants to replace others that had been destroyed.

"I'd like to encourage our neighbors here in Bloomfield to grow milkweed for monarchs and other plants that attract butterflies and pollinators, such as honeybees," Moseson said. "You don't need a huge yard to have a beautiful garden and provide a habitat for wildlife."

Learn more about the NWF’s Certified Wildlife Habitat program and how to qualify here.

Send local news tips, photos and press releases to eric.kiefer@patch.com

Photos: Susan Moseson