July 2, 2010
Resources: Giving Back to Nature
Books, and websites to help you in your efforts to pay it forward to Mother Earth and her smallest wild neighbors
Books
Cranshaw, Whitney. Garden Insects of North America: The Ultimate Guide to Backyard Bugs (Princeton Field Guides). Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press, 2004.
Brock, Jim P. and Kenn Kaufman. Kaufman Field Guide to Butterflies of North America. New York: Houghton Mifflin Co., 2003.
Eaton, Eric R. and Kenn Kaufman. Kaufman Field Guide to Insects of North America. New York: Houghton Mifflin Co., 2007.
Elliott, Lang and Wil Hershberger. The Songs of Insects. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2007.
Nardi, James B. Life in the Soil: A Guide for Naturalists and Gardeners. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2007.
Starcher, Allison Mia. Good Bugs for Your Garden. Chapel Hill, North Carolina: Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, 1995.
Hadidian, John. Wild Neighbors: The Humane Approach to Living with Wildlife. Washington, DC: The Humane Society of the United States, 2007.
Tallamy, Douglas. Bringing Nature Home: How Native Plants Sustain Wildlife in Our Gardens. Portland, Oregon: Timber Press, 2007.
The Xerces Society in association with the Smithsonian Institution. Butterfly Gardening: Creating Summer Magic in Your Garden. San Francisco: Sierra Club Books, 1998.
The Xerces Society in association with The Bee Works. Pollinator Conservation Handbook: A Guide to Understanding, Protecting, and Providing Habitat for Native Pollinator Insects. Portland, Oregon: The Xerces Society, 2003.
Bio-Integral Resource Center. 2009 Directory of Least Toxic Pest Control Products. Berkley, Californica: Bio-Integral Resource Center, 2009.
Web links
The Weather Channel’s Mosquito Forecast: get the mosquito activity forcast for your area.
National Pesticide Information Center: find objective, science-based information about pesticides and pesticide-related topics.
U.S. E.P.A. Office of Pesticide Programs: what you need to know about pesticides, and pesticide usage in the U.S.
Pesticide Action Network Pesticide Database: find toxicity and regulatory information for pesticides
National Coalition Against Misuse of Pesticides: leading the transition to a world free of toxic pesticides.
Natural Resources Conservation Service Backyard Conservation: advice for habitat improvement and environmentally sensible pest management.
Rachel Carson Council: environmentally benign pest management strategies; pesticide database; info about pesticide impacts upon human health, pets, and wildlife.
Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center: native plant database, guidelines, and other resources.
Bio-Integral Resource Center: non-toxic and least-toxic, integrated pest management solutions.
Cooperative Extension Offices: directory for locating local offices.
Bringing Nature Home: native plant guidance.
The Xerces Society: invertebrate conservation, natural history, plant lists, etc..
Create a sanctuary
Enjoy the company of birds and other wild neighbors in your backyard. Every day, more and more bird and wildlife habitat is lost to the spread of development. But you can help all wild animals in urban and suburban areas by offering them sanctuary in your own backyard (or front yard, roof-top garden, or deck), no matter how small. Learn how your green space can become an Urban Wildlife Sanctuary.