Habitats and Education
Learn about Nature Camp Creating Habitats
The Camp is a coeducational, academic camp that emphasizes education in natural history and environmental studies. For more information click here> Nature Camp
Click here for > Nature Camp 2010 Scholarship Winners.
Stonehouse Elementary School Habitat: A Certified Wildlife Habitat which serves as an outdoor classroom, using native plants to teach about soil, conservation, habitats, life-cycles, native plants, environmental education, and other curriculum topics. Click here for more details> Stonehouse Elementary Habitat.
Creating Habitats Books Web Sites
A wildlife habitat provides four basic items: food, water, shelter, and a place to raise young.
When designing a habitat:
Consider the types of wildlife that you wish to accommodate or attract and create your plan accordingly. For instance a butterfly habitat will need not only plants that provide nectar for the adult butterflies, but will also need host plants that provide food for the caterpillars, as well as shallow water sources, damp soil which provides minerals for adult butterflies, rocks or plant material for basking in the sun and shelter (which can be in the form of sturdy plants) to which the caterpillar can attach a chrysalis. A bird habitat would provide food in the forms of seeds, berries and fruit; water for drinking and bathing; shelter and a place for nesting such as in trees, shrubs, bird houses and nesting boxes.
Consider whether you want a summer habitat or one that provides resources all year long. If you want an all-season habitat, keep in mind seasonal interest and seasonal needs of the particular types of wildlife that your habitat is for. For an all-season habitat, you would not only want to plant nectar and fruit producing flowers for the summer, but also provide nectar sources for the spring and fall and have some evergreen trees and shrubs that will offer shelter and beauty in the winter. Keep in mind that many plants produce seeds and berries that will provide food for wildlife in the fall and/or winter. Choosing a variety of native plants will help provide a habitat that will provide year-long shelter, food and nesting sites for a variety of wildlife species.
Use native plants as they provide needed nutrients and other benefits to wildlife.
Consider the amount of sun and moisture that is available in the various areas of the site and choose plants that will work well in each situation. There are native plants that will suit just about all possible growing conditions. See our "List of Native Plants" and find plants that will satisfy your sun, moisture, height, bloom time and color requirements.
Consider the height and width of the plants at maturity when planning a habitat or garden.
Keep in mind that using odd-numbers of plantings (i.e. 1, 3, or 5...) is more interesting and aesthetically pleasing than planting in even numbers. So when possible, plant in groups of odd numbers. For instance plant three coreopsis plants, five blanket flowers, one New York ironweed and three sweet goldenrods.
Provide water with ponds, lakes, streams, birdbaths, water saucers, etc.
Provide shelter with trees, shrubs, hollow logs, a hedgerow, a meadow of wildflowers and grasses, birdhouses, bat houses, and nesting boxes. Written by Jan Newton
Resources for creating habitats:
Attracting Birds and Butterflies: How to Plan and Plant a Backyard Habitat. Barbara Ellis. New York, New York: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1997. This book includes native and non-native plants.
Attracting Birds, Butterflies and Other Backyard Wildlife. David Mizejewski. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Creative Homeowner, 2004. A National Wildlife Federation book with instructions and ideas for creating and improving wildlife habitats; lists of native plants to the U.S. Check our lists for plants native to the Gloucester/Newport News/Williamsburg area.
Life Cycles of Butterflies. Judy Burris and Wayne Richards. China: R.R. Donnelley, 2006. List native and non-native host plants for caterpillars, nectar plants for butterflies; shows comparison photographs of eggs, caterpillars, chrysalises and adults. Good for children and adults.
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National Wildlife Federation - backyard habitats The site contains information about creating wildlife habitats and their benefits, how to certify your wildlife habitat, and educational materials and resources about habitats, native plants and wildlife.
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National Wildlife Federation - schoolyard habitats The site contains information about creating schoolyard habitats and their benefits, how to certify your schoolyard habitat, and educational materials and resources about habitats, native plants and wildlife.
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Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) - native plants regions www.dcr.virginia.gov/natural_heritage/nativeplants.shtml The site contains the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation's lists of native plants for various regions and environments of Virginia, information about native plants and their benefits, where to buy them; and offers information about invasive aliens.
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Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (DGIF) - habitats www.dgif.virginia.gov/habitat/ The site contains information about habitats at home and at school, as well as wildlife information and educational resources.
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Virginia Native Plant Society (VNPS) - brochures, publications and links The Virginia Native Plant Society site offers brochures including Butterfly Gardens, Woodland Gardens, and Hedgerows; publications including books and guides for plant identification; information about meetings and fieldtrips; and links to other Native Plant Societies and native plant organizations.
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Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) - Virginia Naturally www.vanaturally.com/vanaturally/homepage.html The Virginia Naturally site provides information about environmental education, programs, workshops, and lesson plans, as well as environmental resources and links.
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| To offer additions to this list, please contact our Webmaster, Jan Newton. |
Learn about Nature Camp 2010 Scholarship Application Form
Nature Camp is a coeducational, academic camp that emphasizes education in natural history and environmental studies for students currently in 5th - 12th grades. It is intended for those with a genuine interest in the out-of-doors and the natural world. Campers attend class daily, keep a written notebook for each class and are expected to complete a written project for each class.
Nature Camp 2010 Scholarship Competition - Winners Announced!
John Clayton Chapter is pleased to announce the recipients of the scholarships for Summer 2010 sessions of Nature Camp at Vesuvius, Virginia in the George Washington National Forest. This year's scholarship winners are 10 grader Shannon Atkinson of Yorktown (Grafton H.S.), 6th grader Austin Beaulieu of Williamsburg (Norge Elementary), and 10 grader Billie Meacham of Williamsburg (Jamestown H.S.).
The scholarship committee was very pleased with all of the scholarship applications that were received this year and encourage all participants to enter the competition again next year!
These Nature Camp 2010 Scholarships are provided by the John Clayton Chapter, VNPS and the American Holly Society.
2010 Scholarship Application Form Scholarship Competition Flyer 2010
Deadline: Scholarship Application Form, Essay and Recommendation Form must be received by the John Clayton Chapter Nature Camp Scholarship Committee by January 15, 2010.
Scholarship winners will be notified in February; results will be posted online at www.claytonvnps.org. For more information call (757)220-2310.
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 Photos by Jan Newton |
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To view photos taken at Nature Camp 2009, click here > 2009 Photos by Summer Chambers
Important News about Mulch: saving cypress trees
Compiled by Helen Hamilton, president of John Clayton Chapter of the Virginia Native Plant Society
John Clayton Chapter of the VNPS, P.O. Box 1128, Williamsburg, VA 23187, www.claytonvnps.org
