If you love watching nature shows on television, then you'll love creating your own backyard habitat for year 'round nature "shows."

If the enjoyment of watching a squirrel balance on your deck rail as he sneaks a snack, or a spider building a web is not enough reason for you create a habitat in your yard, Melynda Hickman, Natural Resources Biologist for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, can give you another one: "wildlife can assist you by controlling insects, rodents, and other pest."

It is not hard to start a habitat for wildlife in your yard. You need three main elements: food, water, and shelter.

Once you decide what type of wildlife you wish to attract to your yard, then you can plant native plants to attract them. Native plants are also tolerant of Oklahoma's diverse climate, insects and disease. Wildscapes also require less water, so you will be conserving one of the many resources we need to survive.

Birds are the most frequent listed target species, but butterflies, toads, frogs and bats are also commonly listed for backyard habitats.

You can even get your yard certified by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife. This is the conservation's way of recognizing the conservation efforts made. "It does not, however, provide legal protection - city and other ordinances must be followed," Hickman said.

"Certification also serves to notify your neighbors of what you are doing and perhaps encourage them to Wildscape their property."

"The size of the property is not relevant to acquire certification - as long as the habitat needs of your desired wildlife species are provided, certification can be achieved," Hickman said. But she continues to encourage whole neighborhoods to Wildscape, because size doesn't matter to wildlife populations. One backyard habitat does not help a population, but a large area, such as a neighborhood, can be a signification wildlife conservation.

The Wildscape certification process begins by purchasing the Wildscape packet from the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation for $6.50. "The packet contains lots of information on how to Wildscape, including a list of wildlife-friendly trees, shrubs, vines, wildflowers, water gardening ideas, shelter ideas, list of sources and the application form," Hickman said.

To receive a Wildscape Packet, send $6.50 to Oklahoma Wildlife Diversity Program, 1801 N. Lincoln Blvd., Oklahoma City, OK 73105. Include your name and shipping address. For information on Wildscape demonstration sites around the state, check out the Wildlife Department's website: Wild Life Department, and go to watchable wildlife opportunities.