Step 3: Providing Cover

Local/Native plants and vegetation are great sources of cover for wildlife. Chances are that the birds or squirrels that come to your yard are used to certain species of plants and will be more than happy to take cover in them. You can even get double duty from these plants if they're also a source of berries or seeds that wildlife can use as food.

Dead tress and shrubs, or brush piles, can also serve as shelter for various animals including birds and

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squirrels. Gathering up dead tree limbs, yard cuttings, and plant debris and piling them in one corner of your yard can be a great start.

If natural options don't work, then you can provide man made ones instead. Birdhouses fill this need well and can be tailored to specific types of birds that you'd like to attract. 

If you're trying to attract amphibians into your habitat then a pond, if it's deep enough, can serve as cover from predators as well. 

Depending on the critter, they may end up turning these cover locations into their permanent den/nesting sites. 

Options for cover are pretty varied. In order to become certified you must provide to places for critters to take cover. Here are some suggestions:

• Wooded Area
• Bramble Patch
• Ground Cover
• Rock Pile
• Cave
• Roosting Box/birdhouse
• Shrubs or Thickets
• Evergreens
• Brush pile
• Burrow
• Pond

The goal with cover is to provide a place where critters feel safe. A place that they'd instantly run/fly/crawl the moment a predator appears. These places can also provide shelter from the elements if rain or wind suddenly makes conditions unpleasant.