What you can do at home
Start with one small step below, browse the Native Plants guide, listen to the WGCU interview, or watch the series.
Photo © Jean Hall
Nature Where We Live
Nature is an essential part of the communities where we live, work, and play. The choices we make in our homes, neighborhoods, and communities can help conserve and restore habitat, support biodiversity, protect water resources, and strengthen connections between natural areas.
Nature Where We Live highlights practical actions that each of us can take to create healthier habitat and more wildlife-friendly communities. Explore the actions below to learn how you can help make nature an integral part of the places we call home.
Photo © Audubon Western Everglades
Habitats for Owls
Starter Burrows
Urban burrowing owls primarily reside on vacant lots among increasing development on Marco Island. To provide habitat, AWE implemented a starter burrow safe harbor program in partnership with the City of Marco Island and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The start of a burrow is dug in front yards of willing homeowners.
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What are the Requirements?
A small area of the front yard free of dense vegetation and suitable for digging. Side yards and backyards can be considered depending on the habitat. Homeowners are not allowed to use any type of rat poison or have outdoor cats. Dogs need to be kept on a leash when near the burrow area. We recommend limiting or removing the use of pesticides and herbicides especially around the starter burrow. Email us at owlwatchmarco@gmail.com to become a part of our starter burrow program!
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What is a Starter Burrow?
Using a rounded spade shovel, we dig 6 inches down to ensure there is suitable substrate for digging. Weed whacking may be necessary to get through the grass layer. A fresh mound of sand or dirt is created at the entrance to mimic an apron. A T-perch is installed. PVC and rope are not required around the burrow, but it is suggested to have some sort of protection if the burrow becomes excavated by an owl (dug past 18 inches) and there is a concern for landscapers mowing with heavy equipment.
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How are they maintained?
Maintenance is simple to keep the burrow attractive to the owls. Grass needs to be kept low, burrow open and free of weeds, and apron of sand/dirt fresh. Adding white sand sometimes helps draw in the owls.
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What is Safe Harbor?
The Safe Harbor agreement ensures owls and potentially occupied burrows are kept protected. Owners that sign the agreement are able to have the burrow removed at any time of the year under a free permit as long as there is no current nesting activity or flightless chicks. Owners need to reach out to AWE's biologist to apply for removal. Upon selling a home, it is the homeowner's responsibility to educate the new owner about the presence of the burrow and options.
Starter burrow with a T-perch. Photo © Audubon Western Everglades
Starter burrow in a front yard. Photo: Aisling Gray
Photo © Audubon Western Everglades
Gopher Tortoise Habitat
Gopher tortoises are a keystone species documented to provide habitat with their extensive burrows to over 350 other species. They are losing habitat fast in Florida. In July 2026 the IUCN Red List moved gopher tortoises from Vulnerable to Critically Endangered, estimating an 80% decline across their range over the past three generations (about 120 years). In Florida they remain a State-designated Threatened species.
To provide habitat to nearby gopher tortoises in your own yard, ensure there are suitable digging areas with native plants ideal for foraging. Additionally, avoid using pesticides and herbicides. While mowing, avoid using heavy equipment over the tunnels as they can easily collapse.
Best plants for gopher tortoise food
Start with gopher apple and prickly pear, two favorites that FWC rates highly as gopher tortoise forage. These natives help too:
Low-growing: bay bean, black-eyed Susan, Florida greeneyes, golden creeper, matchweed, narrowleaf silkgrass, Spanish needle, spiderwort, tickseed, Virginia creeper
Grasses: bitter panic grass, hairy grama, lopsided Indian grass, love grass, muhly grass, seashore paspalum, star rush
Shrub: saw palmetto
List from SCCF · More choices in the FWC South Region plant guide below.
For landowners, consider donating your property or check out Conservation Collier's land acquisition program!
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On the road — and when an animal is hurt
Prevent car strikes
Watch for gopher tortoises (and burrowing owls) on roads, especially near habitat edges.
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Help across the road
If it is safe for you to stop, help them across in the direction they are already going.
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Never put a tortoise in water
Do not put any tortoise or turtle in water. Let the animal decide where it wants to go — especially if you do not know the species.
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Injured wildlife
For injured animals, contact von Arx Wildlife Hospital in Naples at 239-262-2273 (8 a.m.–5 p.m. daily).
Photo © Audubon Western Everglades
Sharing Space with Owls & Gopher Tortoises
What to do when you meet a burrowing owl or gopher tortoise, and how to keep habitat open and sunny.
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Protected neighbors, shrinking habitat
In Florida, both the burrowing owl and the gopher tortoise are listed as State Threatened. Burrowing owls live in open, treeless places with short groundcover, like pastures, fields, and vacant lots, and FWC says their numbers have dropped as that habitat disappears. Before land is cleared or developed, gopher tortoises have to be relocated under an FWC permit.
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Keep it open, low, and sunny
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Owls need to see predators coming. FWC says an average vegetation height under 5 inches within 10 feet of a burrow is ideal. Trim with a string trimmer, not a mower, and never mow over the entrance (FWC guidance).
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Gopher tortoises graze on low-growing plants like prickly pear, wild grape, and beautyberry. They usually feed within about 160 feet of their burrow, so leave sunny, open forage areas.
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Don't let shrubs and trees shade over a burrow area, and keep pesticides away from burrow entrances.​
If you meet an owl or a gopher tortoise, give it space
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Watch from a distance. FWC guidelines call for a buffer of at least 33 feet around owl burrows during breeding season (Feb. 15 to July 10) and 10 feet the rest of the year.
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Leave gopher tortoises where they are. Moving or relocating a gopher tortoise without an FWC permit is illegal.
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Keep dogs and kids away, and never block a burrow.
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Sick or injured owl or gopher tortoise? Call von Arx Wildlife Hospital in Naples at 239-262-2273 (8 a.m.–5 p.m. daily). For permits or harassment, call FWC.
Please don't feed or harass them. Harming or harassing these species without a permit is against the law. Feeding wild animals can lead to poor nutrition, crowding, and disease. It also draws in predators and teaches animals to depend on people. Owls eat insects and small animals, not human food. Food left at a burrow only attracts their predators. To report harassment, call 888-404-FWCC.
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AWE's work
Through Owl Watch, which started in 2016, more than 100 trained volunteers monitor over 300 burrow sites on Marco Island each nesting season. They post and maintain perches and protective fencing around burrows.
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Take action
Photo © Brittany Piersma
Cats Indoors
Keeping cats indoors protects wildlife — and cats
Domestic cats are responsible for killing an estimated 2.4 billion birds per year in the U.S., as well as many other species of animals. Even if cats are well fed, hunting instincts take over and often they will have greater success. Cats face many risks of their own outside including car strikes, predators, poison/toxins, diseases/parasites, etc. Keeping cats indoors keeps them healthier and protects all wildlife.
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A careful note on community cats
This page focuses on keeping pet cats indoors for the health of cats and wildlife. Conversations about trap-neuter-return (TNR) and community cats are best handled with education and local rescue partners — not confrontation. AWE welcomes thoughtful dialogue that keeps birds, cats, and neighbors in mind. If you're adding a cat to your family, adopt, don't shop, and support local rescue groups that need more funding and space to keep cats safe and indoors.
Give your cat a full, safe life indoors, with fresh air on your terms.
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Make indoors interesting
Ohio State's Indoor Pet Initiative says a cat-friendly home starts with a few basics:
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A space of her own with food, water, a bed, a litter box, and toys
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A scratching post, plus places to climb and window perches for bird-watching
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Food and litter boxes kept away from noisy appliances, with the litter scooped every day
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Praise, not punishment. Cats respond to praise, not force.
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When you change food, litter, or toys, set the new one next to the old so your cat can choose
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Regular vet checkups
Play together often, and consider extras like a cat exercise wheel (ABC).
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Safe time outside
Your cat can still enjoy sunshine and fresh air while staying contained (ABC Solutions for Indoor Cats, linked above):
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A catio: a window perch, a patio enclosure, or a free-standing run
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Cat-proof fencing that keeps your cat inside your yard
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A harness and leash (yes, cats can be leash-trained)
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A cat stroller or backpack for supervised outings
Switching an outdoor cat to indoor life? Make the indoor space as rich as you can, and ask your veterinarian for tips.
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Responsible pet ownership in Collier County
In Collier County, dogs and cats over four months old need a current rabies vaccination and a county license. Pets must be kept on your property or walked on a leash, and they can't run at large (Collier County Domestic Animal Services). Spaying or neutering means less roaming and fewer unwanted litters. Keep dogs leashed and away from owl and gopher tortoise burrows.
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Take action
Photo © Audubon Western Everglades
Seal Buildings & Use Poison-Free Rodent Control
Seal rodents out instead of poisoning them. Poison doesn't stop with the rat. It moves through the food chain to owls, hawks, bobcats, pets and more.
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Why rats get in, and how to seal them out
In Southwest Florida, the rat getting into homes is the roof rat, also called the black rat, palm rat or fruit rat. With plenty of food outdoors, roof rats move into attics mainly for shelter from predators and weather. They're mostly active at night, routinely travel 300 feet or more to forage (UC IPM), and are light on their feet, so in an insulated attic, many homeowners never know they're there. They also breed fast, with litters of 5 to 8 young several times a year (UC IPM), so one infested attic becomes a hub that keeps supplying the neighborhood.
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These skilled climbers get in high, through rooflines, and can squeeze through cracks just ½ inch wide (UF/IFAS). Owls, hawks and snakes can't follow them into roof joints, soffit gaps and pipe openings. Since roof rats live up high, ground-level bait stations miss most of them and only end up poisoning wildlife. The solution isn't more poison. It's keeping rats out of buildings in the first place. A structural problem needs a structural fix: sealing the gaps takes away that unfair advantage and lets natural predators do their job.
Walk around the building with a flashlight and check:
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Roof edges, eaves, soffits, and gables
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Doors and windows without weather stripping, plus garage thresholds
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The gap between the foundation and the ground
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Attic and crawl-space vents
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Holes for plumbing, electrical, cable, and gas lines
Seal openings with stainless steel and exterior-grade materials. Near the coast, regular steel wool rusts out quickly, and roof rats chew right through deteriorated galvanized metal. For bigger gaps, use stainless hardware cloth, metal sheeting or other weatherproof materials. Expanding foam alone is not rodent-proof.
Don't forget garages, sheds and overhead doors. Worn or gapped garage door seals are one of the most common ways rodents, snakes and insects get inside, so replace the bottom seal and side weatherstripping, or have a sealing or waterproofing specialist inspect them.
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Why rat poison backfires
Rat poison hurts far more than the rats it's meant for, and it isn't needed at all once your buildings are properly sealed. There is no wildlife-safe rat poison. That includes bromethalin, a non-anticoagulant poison: testing has found it in birds of prey (Tufts Wildlife Clinic). A rat that keeps feeding for days can carry many times a lethal dose. Pets and other animals that eat poisoned rats get poisoned too (EPA), and raptors build up the toxin over time, which can lead to weakness, seizures, kidney failure and death (American Bird Conservancy). Meanwhile, poison leaves the gaps open, so new roof rats move right back in. Poison treats the animal. Exclusion fixes the problem.
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Poison-free steps, in order
1. Seal every entry point.
2. Clear the rats already inside. Use indoor mechanical traps only together with sealing, to clear them out all at once. Once the home is sealed, there's no ongoing killing.
3. Take away food and cover. Keep food, pet food, birdseed and feed in tight-lidded containers, bring pet bowls in at night, use tight-lidded trash cans, keep grills clean, pick up fallen fruit, trim branches back from the roof, and move construction or landscape debris piles and compost away from the house. Download our handout: Manage Waste Responsibly.
4. No traps outside. They can catch birds, pets and other wildlife.
5. Extra reduction, after sealing only. A fertility control bait like WISDOM Good Bites, used at Mackle Park and on City of Marco Island properties, can cut the outdoor population further.
When to call a pro
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Call a professional if you have rodents in walls or ceilings, if openings are high up or structural, or if you manage a multi-unit or commercial property. Ask whether the company starts with exclusion and offers poison-free service.
AWE's partner for poison-free exclusion, Seal Em Out, has helped the City of Marco Island and local condo communities move away from rodenticides.
Owl Friendly practices
AWE encourages poison-free rodent management through its Owl Friendly certification. Businesses, HOAs, and municipalities can help by writing wildlife-safe, poison-free pest control into their landscape and pest-management contracts and policies.
An Owl Friendly certificate, awarded to places that go poison-free.
Photo © Audubon Western Everglades
Choose Native Plants & Reduce Turf
Trade some lawn for native plants that feed wildlife, save water, and protect our bays, canals, and the Gulf.
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What turf costs us
Manicured lawns now cover more than 40 million acres of the U.S. and offer wildlife very little (Audubon). Across the country, residential outdoor water use, mostly for landscape irrigation, adds up to nearly 8 billion gallons a day (EPA WaterSense). When extra fertilizer washes off our yards, nitrogen and phosphorus end up in local water. UF/IFAS notes that keeping these nutrients out of the water improves the health of the whole ecosystem (Florida-Friendly Landscaping Guide).
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Why native plants matter
Native plants grew up here alongside our insects and birds. Research cited by Audubon found native oaks host more than 500 kinds of caterpillars, while an imported ginkgo hosts five. A single brood of chickadees needs over 6,000 caterpillars. Natives from AWE's plant guide, like firebush, coontie, beautyberry, and sea grape, give wildlife nectar, berries, seeds, cover, and places to nest. UF/IFAS calls this "Right Plant, Right Place": plants that suit their site need less water, fertilizer, mowing, and pesticide. That saves you time and money. It also makes local water rules easier to live with. In Collier County, you can irrigate no more than three days a week, and never between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
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Convert a little at a time
UF/IFAS suggests converting a yard in phases over about three years (FFL Guide, linked above):
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Map your yard: sun, shade, wet and dry spots, utilities, and views. If you have an HOA, loop them in early. Florida law says HOA documents may not prohibit Florida-Friendly landscaping.
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Call 811 at least two full business days before you dig.
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Plant trees first. Remove the sod, then plant densely with natives so the bed fills in. Skip the thick-mulch-and-spray cycle: dense native plantings shade out weeds without weekly herbicide (UF/IFAS Florida-Friendly Landscaping).
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Then convert one bed at a time. Water until it's established, then cut back.
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Keep grass only where you actually use it.​
A simple starter bed
Picture a sunny strip along your front walk. In the back, against the house, plant Simpson's stopper or firebush for height and berries. In the middle, add clumps of beautyberry, coontie, and muhly grass. In front, use sunshine mimosa or creeping sage as a living groundcover, with tropical sage and black-eyed Susan for color. Leave a small open, sunny patch for wildlife.
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Take action
Photo: NPS / Chris Johns
Dark Skies & Bird-Friendly Glass
Simple changes to lights and windows can save birds, sea turtles, and other wildlife, and often save energy too.
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Why light at night matters
Every spring and fall, billions of birds migrate, most of them at night, finding their way by the night sky. Bright lights and skyglow can throw them off course. Birds then waste energy circling, and many crash into buildings (Audubon Lights Out). FWC says artificial light disrupts, injures, or kills migrating birds, sea turtles, and many other animals every year, and that turning off unnecessary lights is the simplest and most effective fix.
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Light only what you need
DarkSky International's five principles for outdoor lighting:
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Use light only if it has a clear purpose.
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Aim it down and shield it, so it lights the ground and not the sky or your neighbor's yard.
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Keep it no brighter than you need.
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Use timers or motion sensors, and switch lights off when no one needs them.
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Choose warm bulbs, 3000K or lower.
Poor shielding sends 20 to 50 percent of home outdoor lighting straight into the sky. Near the beach, follow FWC's sea turtle advice: keep lights low, use long-wavelength amber or red, and keep them shielded.
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Why birds hit windows
Birds can't see clear glass, and they mistake reflections of sky and trees for open air. More than 1 billion birds die from glass collisions in the U.S. each year, and almost half of those collisions happen at homes (American Bird Conservancy). Large reflective buildings are especially dangerous.
Fix the windows you have first:
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Start with the windows birds have already hit, then big panes, glass doors, and windows across from feeders or fruiting plants.
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Put treatments on the outside of the glass. Use dots at least 1/4 inch wide or stripes at least 1/8 inch wide, spaced no more than 2 inches apart.
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Exterior insect screens work too, and so do tempera-paint patterns and the tapes and decals ABC recommends.​
Building or replacing?
New energy-efficient windows can reflect more than older ones. ABC suggests full exterior screens and bird-friendly glass, which can be special-ordered from its products database. For larger projects, ask designers to specify patterned or fritted glass from the start (ABC Bird-Friendly Building Design).
Going further: for builders & designers
Working on a new building or a major renovation? Bird-friendly glass can also earn green-building credit.
Florida Green Building Coalition: bird-safe design features can earn innovation points toward Florida Green certification for homes, high-rises, commercial buildings, land developments and local governments.
USGBC LEED: the Bird Collision Deterrence credit (Pilot Credit 55) rewards bird-safe building design.
For architects: American Bird Conservancy offers a free one-hour bird-friendly design course with AIA and green-building continuing-education credit.
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Take action
Photo: Mx. Granger
Manage Trash Responsibly
Secure trash and other attractants to keep wildlife wild and our neighborhoods, beaches, and waterways safe.
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Why trash draws wildlife
To a hungry animal, a garbage can is an easy meal. Florida black bears can smell food more than a mile away, and one trash can may hold more calories than a bear finds in a whole day of foraging (FWC). Collier and Lee counties are part of FWC's South Bear Management Unit. The same trash also attracts rats, raccoons, and birds.
Bears that find food around people become "food-conditioned," then gradually lose their fear of humans. Those bears are often killed by cars or removed for public safety. Feeding any wildlife, on purpose or by accident, can cause poor nutrition, crowding, disease, and aggression toward people. It also attracts predators such as bobcats and coyotes. In Florida, it's illegal to feed sandhill cranes, pelicans, alligators, and bald eagles, or to leave food out in a way that attracts bears, coyotes, foxes, or raccoons.
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Store it right
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Keep trash in a garage or shed, or use a bear-resistant can. FWC explains how to retrofit a regular cart.
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Set carts out as late as your pickup rules allow. In Collier County, that's after 6 p.m. the night before.
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Feed pets indoors and bring bowls in. Store pet food, birdseed, and livestock feed in sealed containers.
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Clean grills, pick up fallen fruit, and remember that screened enclosures won't keep bears out.​
Litter hurts birds, turtles, and more
Animals mistake plastic for food. Entanglement in bags or fishing line can cause infection, lost limbs, starvation, and death (FWC Stash the Trash). Florida has more than 1,600 fishing-line recycling bins at boat ramps, piers, marinas, and tackle shops. Never release balloons. If you see entangled wildlife, call 888-404-3922.
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Homes, HOAs, and businesses
FWC recommends bear-resistant dumpsters for commercial garbage. It also encourages HOAs and local governments to adopt rules that keep wildlife attractants secured. Property managers can keep dumpster lids closed, clean up spills, and write these practices into their service contracts.
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Take action
Photo: Joe Cardinale
Photo: Robert So / Pexels
Use Renewable Energy
In the Sunshine State, clean energy can cut pollution, lower bills, and work alongside habitat and farms.
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Why it matters, and an easy way to start
Solar power reduces the carbon and other pollutants released when we make electricity. That means cleaner air and water for people and wildlife (U.S. Department of Energy).
AWE is a partner in this year's Solar United Neighbors co-op. The Southwest Florida 2026 Solar Co-op is open to residents of Lee and Collier counties, and the last day to join is January 29, 2027. Joining is free and doesn't commit you to buying anything. Members get unbiased help from SUN, and together they choose one installer to serve the group at a competitive price.
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Solar basics for homes, businesses, and HOAs
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Rooftop panels work best on roofs facing south without heavy shade. Check your roof's age before you install. Renters and shaded homes can look into community solar (DOE guide, linked above).
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Hire NABCEP-certified installers, and watch out for high-pressure sales tactics.
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Florida law says HOAs and deed restrictions can't ban solar collectors.
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On homes, the added value of a solar system is left out of property tax assessments, and qualifying solar equipment is exempt from sales tax.
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The federal residential solar tax credit doesn't apply to systems installed after December 31, 2025 (IRS).
To see how much sun your own roof gets, try Google's free Project Sunroof tool. Its savings figures are rough and may not reflect current incentives.​
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Solar that works with farms and nature
"Agrivoltaics" pairs solar panels with crops, grazing, or pollinator habitat under and between the rows. Native plants and pollinator plantings can grow beneath ground-mounted arrays, which means less mowing and herbicide (DOE Farmer's Guide).
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Efficiency first
The cleanest energy is the energy you never use. Sealing air leaks and adding insulation is often the most cost-effective upgrade (ENERGY STAR). An efficient home also needs less solar to power it (DOE guide). Businesses, HOAs, and other organizations can benchmark building energy use with ENERGY STAR tools.
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Take action
Photo © Audubon Western Everglades
Photo © Audubon Western Everglades
Vote for Nature
The choices made at the county commission and the ballot box shape our water, wildlife, and open spaces as much as anything we do at home.
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Why local decisions matter
County and city governments decide where growth goes, how stormwater is handled, and which natural lands are bought and protected. Voters have backed conservation here. Since 2003, Conservation Collier has bought land from willing sellers to protect rare habitat, water quality, flood control, and listed species. Lee County voters created Conservation 20/20 in 1996 and reaffirmed it in 2016 with 84 percent support. The program now protects about 30,000 acres.
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Show up and speak up
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Collier County Commission: meetings start at 9 a.m. on scheduled Tuesdays at the Government Center, 3299 Tamiami Trail East. To speak in person, fill out a speaker form before your item comes up. To speak remotely, register online before the meeting starts. Speakers generally get three minutes.
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Lee County Commission: meetings are at 9:30 a.m. on the first and third Tuesdays at the Old Lee County Courthouse, 2120 Main St., Fort Myers.
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Citizen advisory committees review land before it's bought. Lee's CLASAC meets monthly and is open to the public. Collier's Land Acquisition Advisory Committee makes recommendations on Conservation Collier purchases.
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Contact your commissioners by phone or email. Find Collier commissioners and Lee commissioners online. You can also look up your state senator.
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2026 election update
The 2026 General Election is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Early voting in Collier County runs Oct. 22–31, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mail ballots must be received by 7 p.m. on Election Day, regardless of postmark (Florida Division of Elections; WGCU). On Election Day, polls are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and you must vote at your assigned precinct. Collier elections: 239-252-8683. Lee elections: 239-533-8683. Find early voting dates and sites at colliervotes.gov and lee.vote.
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Stay in the loop
Find AWE action alerts on our News page whenever a local decision affects burrowing owls, gopher tortoises, wetlands, or water. You can also get AWE news and updates by email: sign up for our free newsletter.
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Take action
Start with one yard
Pick one wildlife-friendly change this month and take the pledge, so we can count your yard.