Certified Habitat Program

More about EKCRCD...

Certification Process

There are many amazing organizations which already have a variety of certification programs promoting a healthy, biodiverse, resilient habitat. We encourage you to learn from these established programs and support their global, national or state-level efforts. Rather than reinvent the wheel, EKCRCD would like to acknowledge your healthy habitat accomplishments through using these established checklists (information/links below).  You may chose to certify through both programs (theirs and ours), or one or the other. If you chose to certify through the EKCRCD program, we would like to share your efforts with your community, by offering a local yard sign similar to the one in the upper left of this page.

What is unique about the ECKRCD program is that we offer the chance to have "multiple certifications" in a number of healthy habitat programs by offering "stewardship badges" (see upper right list on this page). For each additional certification you chose to complete, you will receive a stewardship badge to add to your original sign.

How do you get locally certified?

1. Decide which stewardship badge to pursue (see upper right list, can chose any, in any order). How do you know which program you are interested in? Look through the checklists below to see what is of interest to you.

2. Enroll in the program: LINK.

3. Complete the checklist (see below for all links). We certify one program only at a time.

4. Fill out the "Request to Certify" form (LINK). (Note: you will need before/after pictures, completed checklist)

5. The EKCRCD Habitat Committee will consider your application and contact you with any questions, certification visit/photo. 

6. Cost is free, except for the cost of the sign/badges (about $15-20).

Certification Program Links

1. Wildlife Habitat Steward - National Wildlife Federation - Checklist

2. Bird Habitat Steward - National Wildlife Federation - Checklist/Article

3. Native Plant Habitat Steward - California Native Plant Society - Calscape Checklist/Guide - research plants, add at least a variety of seven different, diverse native plant varieties to your garden area.

4. Pollinator Habitat Steward - Xerces Society - Checklist/Article - complete the first 5 of 7 of the "Getting Started" guide.

5. Water Conservation Steward - H2ouse - Checklist/Article - complete 3 actions from the "home" list and 2 from the "yards and pools" and/or "supporting water conservation".

6. Sustainable Home Living Steward - Green America - Checklist/Article 1 or Article 2 - complete 7 actions recommended from article 1 and/or article 2.

7. Energy Conservation Steward - The Ecology Center - Checklist - complete at least 12 actions recommended in the checklist.

8. Natural Disaster Resilient Steward - FEMA In-Depth Guide - Are You Ready? Make a Plan and Build A Kit - great recommendations here - complete as applicable to your situation.

9. Dark Skies Steward - DarkSky - Checklist  - homeowner or renter, complete the recommendations of the Outdoor Lighting Assessment as appropriate to your situation.

10. Regenerative Agriculture Steward - NRDC - Checklist/Article 1 or Agricology - Checklist/Article 2 - complete 4 of 6 principles of regenerative agriculture

11. Meditation or Prayer Garden Steward - Meditation Garden Ideas, Meditation or Prayer Garden Ideas, Examples Shared (TikTok) - inspire yourself, calm your body and mind. Use some of these ideas to make yourself a spiritual corner in nature.

Saving Seeds and Seed Swaps

Resources: 

1. A Beginner's Guide to Saving Seeds

2. Advanced Guide to Saving Seeds