Greener Glenview wants Glenview to become a healthier, greener, and more pollinator-friendly community. To accomplish this, Greener Glenview has established a new program called GlenviewNative Habitat (GNH) that will work to get individual properties certified by the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) as a place for beneficial pollinators and wildlife to access food, water, shelter, and a place to raise young. A recently awarded Judy Beck Grant will help fund this important community-based project.
Throughout this spring and summer, the Native Habitat Glenview program will collaborate with a wide range of partners to educate property owners about how to create a natural habitat on part of their property that can become a National Wildlife Federation Certified Natural Habitat.
Glenview Native Habitat envisions habitat gardens on school property, HOAs, businesses, no-mow or less frequently mowed grassy areas along utility rights of way, cul-de-sac islands, and in private landscapes as homeowners ‘shrink the lawn’ by carving out space for a native (border) garden. Every native plant added to the landscape helps replenish habitat for wildlife such as bees, butterflies, birds, and amphibians—both locally and along migratory corridors.
Currently, approximately 40 individual properties in Glenview have been certified as Wildlife Habitats. The ultimate goal for NHG is for the Village of Glenview to become certified by National Wildlife Federation as a natural habitat. The certification from NWF would support the village’s aim to be a leader in sustainability and make Glenview the second NWF certified community in Illinois (Evanston is certified).
After village certification, Glenview Native Habitat will then become an ongoing program, as it works to expand natural habitat education, outreach, and projects in collaboration with other stakeholders in Glenview and earn annual recertification of Glenview as a natural habitat.
Want to help? Be a volunteer with Glenview Native Habitat. Get your garden certified – with a birdbath, a feeder, and some native plants like coneflowers, it might already meets most (if not all) of the requirements! Sign up as an ambassador to help spread the word. Donate to the program. Contact Greener Glenview to volunteer. All assistance is welcome!
