Habitat Yard Criteria
- Dara Sinclair
- Jun 26
- 3 min read
Updated: Sep 3
- Plantings of at least 5 native plant species (recommended species)
- Presence of Mineral stumps or Snags / down logs / woody debris pile (see Firewise guidance for placement of woody debris)
Most leaves left on the ground
- Water feature or naturally occurring water source within 100 yards
- Active removal of invasive stilt grass, Chinese Privet, Beefsteak (more on invasives)
- ‘Cues of Care’ (more on Cues of Care)
- Do No Harm
o Outdoor lights have yellow bulbs and motion sensors
o No yard art / netting / strung lights
o Keep Cats Indoors
Native Plants
Only one species of natural occurring trees is counted towards requirement of 5.
Plants can be on decks or porches or in hanging baskets.
Native plants means those grasses, sedges (solid, triangular-stemmed plants resembling grasses), forbs (flowering broadleaf plants) that are native to our area. Suggestions can be found here, or many other sources on the Native Plants Page.
Firewise Recommendations
Firewise recommends that leaf piles, Minerals stumps, Snags, down logs and woody debris piles be further than 40 feet away from structure. See the full Firewise recommendations for additional information.
Invasive Species
Invasive plants that cannot be present or must be in an active state of management/removal are any listed as Category 1 or 2 by the Georgia Invasive Species Council https://gainvasivespeciescouncil.org/list/invasive-plants/
The most common ones in this category that are found in Bent Tree include Chinese privet, Japanese Stilt Grass, Non-native lespedeza (Chinese bush clover), mimosa trees, English Ivy, Kudzu, Tree of Heaven, Paulownia trees, Amur honeysuckle shrubs, Callery (Bradford) pear tree, and Nandina.
Cues of Care
Bent Tree AC guidelines require that properties be maintained in a ‘neat’ manner. Cues of Care are indicators that an area is being managed purposefully and is not being neglected.
Edging and Borders - A distinct and clearly defined border provides a sense of order and intentionality. The border can be a permitted fence installed along a property line, or natural materials neatly arranged.
Setbacks: Three feet from any street , from rear and side lot lines. No setback is required on side and rear lot lines if there is a permitted fence along the lot lines, or if the native landscaping abuts a neighboring planned natural landscaping area, or is adjacent to a natural area.
The setback and border area can be garden beds, trees, shrubs, mulch, wood chips, landscape stone, or other approved material.
Natural planting areas can’t obstruct the visibility at intersections or roadways.
Natural Pest Control Approaches -
Many plants, including natives, will attract pollinators to your yard. Don’t attract them and then kill them with pesticides and traps!
· Do not user broadcast pesticides (mosquito foggers, lawn insecticides).
· Use mosquito ‘buckets of doom’ and other methods to control mosquitos.
· Do not use carpenter bee traps. See alternative approaches in the June 2024 Echo article on page 23.
Frequently Asked Questions
How was the criteria decided? Program criteria was leveraged from these recognized certification programs.
· Birds Georgia Wildlife Sanctuary Program - Birds Georgia
· National Wildlife Federation Garden for Wildlife (nwf.org)
· Georgia Native Plant Society at https://gnps.org/habitat/
· Homegrown National Park at Https://homegrownnationalpark.org/
More about Cues of Care: As landscape elements, CTC are design elements for placing environmentally beneficial landscape functions in human-dominated landscapes where these functions might be unnoticed or even be associated with objectionable landscape appearance. An example, is prominent strips of mown turf as a 'cue of care' where meadow or prairie gardens are introduced in residential landscapes. Cues of Care help ensure the landscape aligns with cultural expectation and clearly displays elements of human intention and not neglect.
What is ‘the seedbank’ ? Soil seed banks are reserves of viable seeds present on the soil surface and in the soil. The seed bank consists of new seeds recently shed by nearby plants as well as older seeds that have persisted in the soil for several years. Releasing these seeds with more sunlight, stopping mowing/weed eating, or removing invasives can provide pleasant results!! It can be slow, but ensures the results are site appropriate.
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