This month, the Pajarito Environmental Education Center (PEEC) is thrilled to celebrate an exciting milestone: Los Alamos has officially been a Certified Community Wildlife Habitat™ with the National Wildlife Federation for 11 years. It’s a moment that reflects not just a designation, but a decade‑long commitment from the entire community to care for the wildlife and wild places that make the Pajarito Plateau so special.
For more than a decade, residents, volunteers, schools, and partner organizations have worked together to preserve, enhance, restore, and connect habitat across Northern New Mexico. From native plant gardens to sustainable landscaping projects, these efforts have created a vibrant patchwork of spaces where people, wildlife, and plants can thrive side by side.
The certification is part of the National Wildlife Federation’s Garden for Wildlife™ program, which supports communities across the country in building healthier, more resilient ecosystems. Here in Los Alamos, that mission comes to life through hands‑on stewardship, community science, education programs, and the everyday choices residents make to support the natural world.
PEEC remains committed to fostering a community where habitat stewardship is second nature and where people feel empowered to make a difference—whether in their backyard, their neighborhood, or across the region.
Certify Your Own Yard as Wildlife Habitat
One of the most meaningful ways residents can support this work is by certifying their own yards or outdoor spaces as wildlife habitat through the National Wildlife Federation’s Certified Wildlife Habitat™ program. The process is simple: provide food, water, cover, and places for wildlife to raise their young, then commit to sustainable gardening practices. Whether you have a sprawling yard, a small garden, or even a balcony with native plants, you can make a real difference. Residents can learn more and complete the certification online at the National Wildlife Federation’s website.
Strengthening Our Commitment to Pollinators
PEEC is also proud to host Bee City Los Alamos, an affiliate of the Bee City USA initiative, promoted by the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation. This partnership deepens our community’s commitment to protecting native pollinators and expanding local habitat.
For more information about upcoming events and to subscribe to the Bee City Los Alamos newsletter, visit www.beecitylosalamos.org.
PEEC was founded in 2000 to serve the community of Los Alamos. It offers people of all ages a way to enrich their lives by strengthening their connections to our canyons, mesas, mountains, and skies. PEEC operates the Los Alamos Nature Center at 2600 Canyon Road, holds regular programs and events, and hosts several interest groups, from birding to hiking to butterfly watching. PEEC activities are open to everyone; however, members receive exclusive benefits such as discounts on programs and gift shop merchandise. Annual memberships start at $35. To learn more, visit peecnature.org/support/membership/.