Gardens offer a place for wildlife

CAMANO ISLAND — Sandy Koffman moved to Camano Island thinking she could finally get a riding lawn mower.

Instead, she took the National Wildlife Federation’s backyard wildlife habitat steward training on the island and now doesn’t even have a lawn.

Koffman serves as the chairman of the second annual Camano Island Backyard Wildlife Habitat Tour, set for Saturday on the island.

Camano Island is the 10th area in the country to be certified by the National Wildlife Federation as a community wildlife habitat, with more than 700 gardens qualifying as backyard wildlife habitats.

“Sandy and her husband, Dan, have done a terrific job setting aside a sanctuary for themselves to enjoy the wildlife while leaving a lot of natural space for the wildlife to be alone,” said Val Schroeder of the Camano Wildlife Habitat Project.

Wildlife gardens like the Koffmans’ can be viewed during the free, eight-stop tour in the central part of the island. Maps will be available at the Camano Multipurpose Center on Saturday.

Along with it being a lovely garden tour, the event is offered as a way to demonstrate how any property can be a backyard wildlife habitat, Koffman said.

“Just by providing food, water, shelter and places for wildlife to raise a family,” Koffman said. “The gardens range from small to large, simple to extravagant, forested to waterfront.”

Information on the National Wildlife Federation’s Backyard Wildlife Habitat Program, native plants, local wildlife, composting and the challenges faced in establishing a habitat will be available, Schroeder said.

The tour is sponsored by the Camano Wildlife Habitat Project of the Friends of Camano Island Parks.

Gale Fiege: 425-339-3427; gfiege@heraldnet.com.

Garden tour

The second annual Camano Island Backyard Wildlife Habitat Garden Tour is set for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday on the island. Maps for the free tour are available Saturday at the Camano Multipurpose Center, 141 E. Camano Drive.

For more information, call 360-387-1615.