Fellowship Actions Impacting the Habitat

(F.A.I.T.H.)

Habitat Checklist

The North Carolina Wildlife Federation’s F.A.I.T.H. program is a non-denominational program designed to recognize and certify places of worship that meet crucial requirements for a wildlife-friendly habitat. The initiative is designed to encourage ongoing stewardship of our wildlife and wild places in urban, suburban and rural settings and in doing so, help foster an appreciation and awareness of nature. The Certification Checklist is intended to help define your site’s objectives for the F.A.I.T.H. program. It will help with beginning steps (like forming a F.A.I.T.H. team) as well as help with planning for the long-term success of the program on your site. Use this form as a guide for implementing beneficial conservation practices into your site’s plans.

Create your F.A.I.T.H. Team

Your F.A.I.T.H. Team is crucial to the success of the program. The Team will take the lead on developing and implementing projects, as well as coordinating volunteer efforts, for your F.A.I.T.H. site. When forming the Team, include members of your congregation, committees within the congregation and your community. Include those that can provide expertise when creating a viable wildlife habitat (i.e.: Master Gardeners/Composters; Landscape Designers; County Extension, Forestry, Park and Recreation employees; Environmental Educators; etc…)

Team Leader: ________________________________________________________________

Team Leader’s Contact Information (phone/e-mail address):

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Team Members: ________________________________________________________________

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Site Assessment

The Site Assessment is an important first step. Use this opportunity to look at the property and determine what components of a wildlife-friendly habitat are already present and what components you will want and need to add. Assessing the property will help determine what projects need to be done first, as well as what projects the F.A.I.T.H. team will want to work towards accomplishing in subsequent years. The following are suggestions and questions meant to help the thought process when forming your plan of action.

Take a walking tour of the property and make notes about what you see. Be aware of areas that have heavy foot traffic, collect and retain water, receive full/partial/no sun.

Does your site have areas that would be good for a Butterfly Garden, Interpretive Nature Trail, Meditation Area, Bog Garden, etc? __________________________________________

Are there old growth trees on the property? (Mature trees provide food for many animals and nesting sites for woodpeckers, owls and other cavity nesters.) _____________________

Is there an outside water source (i.e. a water hose) available for watering plants and filling a birdbath? If not, what is your plan for providing water to your habitat? _____________

Are there invasive plants that need to be removed from the property? _________________

Define Objectives of F.A.I.T.H. Program on Your Site

Prioritize your project goals and objectives for initial year and future years on the proposed site: (make a timeline to help in planning process). It will help in building momentum to pick fairly easy to accomplish and visual projects like blue bird box trail or entrance native plant garden for butterflies as beginning projects._____________________________________

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Will youth (youth groups, scout troops, etc…) be participating in the F.A.I.T.H. program, how will your congregation involve them? ________________________________

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Will community groups be encouraged to participate and or enjoy with the F.A.I.T.H. program at your site? ____________

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Some ideas of environmental projects to include in your F.A.I.T.H. site:

a. Nesting boxes

b. Feeder stations

c. Water feature(s)

d. Removal of invasive/non-native plants

e. Butterfly garden

f. Meditation areas

g. Scent/touch garden

h. Native plant garden

i. Hummingbird garden

j. Nature trail

k. Educational kiosks

l. Stewardship education for congregation

m. Other ______________________________________________________________