Bee Balm at Tapestry Community. Photo by Dottie Head
Certify your yard as a wildlife sanctuary
Georgia Audubon's Wildlife Sanctuary Program recognizes and encourages property owners to enhance their land for birds and other wildlife. Through planting native plants, removing or controlling non-native, invasive species, and providing food, water, and shelter, property owners can provide critical wildlife habitat and create a safe-haven for wildlife and people.
Georgia Audubon's goal is to create a network of certified wildlife sanctuaries across Georgia to counter the loss and degradation of wildlife habitat. To date, Georgia Audubon has certified more than 600 properties, and we are currently working with other local Audubon chapters, including Oconee Rivers Audubon Society, to create a unified program that will allow us to certify properties statewide. |
Click here to view an interactive map of Georgia Audubon Wildlife Sanctuaries across the state.
Take a tour of a Georgia Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary in the video below.
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Georgia Audubon’s Certification Program is unique in that an Avian Advocate Volunteer Certifier will guide you throughout the process, helping you understand our bird-friendly requirements and providing support throughout the certification. Property owners who meet requirements and pass the assessment will receive a sign designating their property as a certified wildlife sanctuary. If a property does not meet certification criteria, the certifier will recommend steps that should be taken to bring the property up to certification standards and recommend a timeline for future certification.
In an effort to add more properties to our network of wildlife sanctuaries, we have developed a new, virtual certification process. This streamlined certification process is faster and will make certification available to properties across Georgia that meet our certification requirements. For an additional fee ($25), properties in the metro-Atlanta or Athens/Oconee County areas may opt for an in-person visit from a pair of our Avian Advocate Volunteer Certifiers. Please note that that on-site certifications will take longer to schedule and complete than virtual certifications.
Please note that in-person certifications are only available in the metro-Atlanta area and in the Athens/Oconee County area in the following counties: Barrow, Clarke, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fulton, Forsyth, Gwinnett, Henry, Jackson, Madison, Oconee, Oglethorpe, and Rockdale. An additional $25 will be required for all in-person certifications. Properties in all other counties across the state can still be certified via our virtual process.
If you have any questions or are interested in becoming an Avian Advocate volunteer, please email Alex LoCastro, conservation program coordinator.
A Georgia Audubon membership is required to begin the certification process.
In an effort to add more properties to our network of wildlife sanctuaries, we have developed a new, virtual certification process. This streamlined certification process is faster and will make certification available to properties across Georgia that meet our certification requirements. For an additional fee ($25), properties in the metro-Atlanta or Athens/Oconee County areas may opt for an in-person visit from a pair of our Avian Advocate Volunteer Certifiers. Please note that that on-site certifications will take longer to schedule and complete than virtual certifications.
Please note that in-person certifications are only available in the metro-Atlanta area and in the Athens/Oconee County area in the following counties: Barrow, Clarke, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Douglas, Fulton, Forsyth, Gwinnett, Henry, Jackson, Madison, Oconee, Oglethorpe, and Rockdale. An additional $25 will be required for all in-person certifications. Properties in all other counties across the state can still be certified via our virtual process.
If you have any questions or are interested in becoming an Avian Advocate volunteer, please email Alex LoCastro, conservation program coordinator.
A Georgia Audubon membership is required to begin the certification process.
Cost to Certify:
Once you have reviewed our Property Certification Guidelines and have purchased a Georgia Audubon Membership, you may sign up below. After signing up, you will receive an immediate confirmation email that will include a link to an application that you must fill out to provide us with more details about your property. We look forward to adding your property to our network of certified wildlife sanctuaries!
- Georgia Audubon membership (REQUIRED) - $35 and up
- Private Residence Certification (less than 3 acres) with virtual certification - $50
- Commercial/public property/school (less than 3 acres) with virtual certification = $75
- In-person certification (only available in select counties) - certification fee + additional $25
- Large property certification (3+ acres) - please contact Alex LoCastro for pricing
Once you have reviewed our Property Certification Guidelines and have purchased a Georgia Audubon Membership, you may sign up below. After signing up, you will receive an immediate confirmation email that will include a link to an application that you must fill out to provide us with more details about your property. We look forward to adding your property to our network of certified wildlife sanctuaries!
Certification Process & Timeline
Prior to Certication
- Review the program requirements to ensure you understand the criteria and meet the requirements for certification.
- If you have concerns, review our Resources page for help on improving your space.
Sign up and site visit
- Once you believe your property meets the requirements stated on this page, sign up on our website.
- After sign up, you will receive an immediate confirmation email that will include a link to an application that you must fill out to provide us with more details about your property.
- Once you complete the application and submit images of your property, you will be matched (usually within two weeks) with a Georgia Audubon Avian Advocate volunteer who will contact you to set up a mutually agreeable time to review your property. Please note that in-person certifications will take longer depending on time of year and availability of Avian Advocate Volunteer teams.
- During the virtual property assessment (via Zoom or Google Meet), the Avian Advocate will gather information about your property to see if it meets our program requirements (this should take roughly one hour, depending on the size/complexity of your space.)
Followup
After the Avian Advocate assessment, you will receive an email with the status of your property--Certified or In-Progress (usually within a few days of virtual meeting).
- If Certified, you will receive a Georgia Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary sign and be added to our list of certified properties.
- If In-Progress, the Avian Advocate volunteer will follow-up with recommendations and resources for improving your space to meet our minimum requirements along with a recommended timeline. After adjustments are made, the applicant can contact the Avian Advocate and Conservation Program Associate for one follow-up assessment at no additional cost.
- Your certification will need to be renewed (at no additional cost) every 5 years. We will contact you via email when you are due for re-certification.
Sanctuary Examples
You can view examples of some of our more exceptional properties in the photos on this page and on our YouTube Channel
Sign me up
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Once you have reviewed the property guidelines and have purchased a Georgia Audubon Membership, you may sign up below. After signing up, you will receive an immediate confirmation email that will include a link to an application that you must fill out to provide us with more details about your property. We look forward to adding your property to our network of certified wildlife sanctuaries!
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A Georgia Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary with a variety of native plants. Photo by Dottie Head.
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Subscribe to our Wildlife Sanctuary newsletter
Georgia Audubon distributes a periodic newsletter for our Certified Wildlife Sanctuaries. If you are already certified or if you sign up for certification, you are automatically added to this list. Individuals who are interested in becoming an Georgia Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary may sign up for this newsletter by filling out the form below. Georgia Audubon never lends or sells its mailing list to anyone for any reason.
