Incorporating Wildlife-Friendly Water Features In Your Pond in Waunakee and Sun Prairie WI Areas

Many homeowners are embracing a back-to-nature approach that minimizes the monoculture of lawns in favor of pollinator gardens and other more natural spaces. Wildlife needs our help because human activity has interfered with their natural habitat, and animals are forced to adapt. To minimize your ecological footprint in your landscape, here are our tips for incorporating wildlife-friendly water features in your pond in Waunakee and Sun Prairie, WI, areas.

You can make a difference in the lives of local animals, birds, pollinators, and the small creatures that live around water. Creating a wildlife-friendly landscape doesn’t necessarily mean allowing it to revert to a completely wild space. It’s a matter of offering wildlife an attractive habitat while setting aside space for your family as well.

Related: 6 Zen-Inspired Design Ideas for a Relaxing Patio and Pond in Waunakee WI

1. Go Native

Using native plants as much as possible throughout your landscape is the most wildlife-friendly approach you can take. Anywhere you plant exotics, you can plant natives!

Local wildlife is perfectly adapted to native plants. You may be surprised at how many gorgeous, hardy, and water-wise native plants are available that will beautify your landscape while nourishing wildlife with seeds, nuts, fruits, berries, leaves, and the insects that native plants attract. Native plants also provide shelter from bad weather, a place to hide from predators, and nesting spots.

Consider planting native trees, tall ornamental grasses, ground covers, shrubs, and a mix of perennials and annuals to round out your landscape.

Bees are especially endangered - and critical to our own survival. Help them out with native wildflowers in bee-friendly colors (white, yellow, blue, purple, and violet) that bloom in different parts of the season to provide food all season long.

2. Add Water

All animals need water to survive. Offer local wildlife running water in the form of a pond with a waterfall or even a fountain in a quiet part of the backyard. The built-in filtration system will help keep the water sparkling clean, and surrounding boulders, ground covers, and lush vegetation will give them places to hide and ensure a diversity of species.

Animals likely won’t approach a water feature that’s located on the patio, except at night when they feel safe. Good lighting will allow you to enjoy their presence in the soft light of landscape light fixtures.

Butterflies need a place to warm up in the sun each morning, preferably near water. A light-colored paver patio located in a sunny area will give them a place to bask in the sun - while giving you and your family the space you need to enjoy your backyard too.

3. Less Lawn

Minimize the size of your lawn in favor of more natural spaces. Where possible, leave plenty of leaf litter and fallen branches for our small animal friends, and consider allowing at least one area of your landscape to be completely wild, even “overgrown” by today’s standards.

4. Less Chemicals

Avoid using chemical treatment of any kind on your lawn and landscape: this includes herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizers. Opt for organic lawn and plant care products instead.

5. A Place for You

Don’t forget about yourself! Create a comfortable outdoor living space that suits your needs - large enough to accommodate your family’s activities and featuring amenities you’ll actually use, but small enough so that you don’t encroach too much into your backyard wildlife sanctuary.

Related: 3 Pond Styles to Consider for Your 2021 Landscape Renovation in Middleton and Monona WI Areas