Park Participation: Hollywood Earns Recertification As Community Wildlife Habitat By The National Wildlife Federation

September 28, 2023

The City of Hollywood has been recertified for the seventh year in a row as a Community Wildlife Habitat by the National Wildlife Federation (NWF). The Community Wildlife Habitat Program is designed to encourage property owners to create a habitat suitable for Native Species. Community-wide certification is earned by certifying individual properties (homes, parks, schools, businesses and others), through Education and Outreach. Points are earned by engaging community members in Habitat Restoration Projects, providing resources like Native Plant Lists and communicating through websites and Social Media.

In addition to points earned for new private properties in Hollywood that have gotten Certified as Wildlife Habitats, this year the City earned points for its Outreach Efforts on Turtle Lighting Compliance, completing Phase I of our City-Wide Tree Inventory, and partnering with the Youth Environmental Alliance to maintain the dunes in Hollywood North Beach Park. These collective efforts provide: food, shelter and safe nesting places for Birds, Butterflies, Endangered Sea Turtles and everything in between.

But the City cannot earn this certification alone, we need residents to certify their own yard as a Backyard Habitat. A big thank you to everyone who is already providing host plants for our native Butterflies, nectar for pollinators, berries and seeds for spring and fall migrants and places to raise young for our year-round residents and seasonal breeders!

If you want to welcome Butterflies and Birds onto your property, you can find information on how to get started at NWF’s Garden For Wildlife page. For those interested in certifying their property, it’s simple and you don’t even have to have a yard. A container garden on your patio or balcony can support pollinators and other Native Wildlife. To certify your Wildlife Habitat, you need to provide: food, water, cover, places to raise young (Butterfly host plants count!) and use sustainable practices. For more details and to see the National Wildlife Federation’s certification checklist, go to National Wildlife Federation - Certify.

Sunset Park Master Planning Public Meetings
The City of Hollywood Department of Parks, Recreation & Cultural Arts is hosting several Public Meetings across the City to gather input on the Master Planning of Sunset Park. Planned improvements include: Nature Preserve & Trails, Wetlands & Overlooks, Passive Recreation and supporting amenities. Meetings will be held at these locations on the following dates:

• Tuesday, October 3rd - Hollywood Branch Library Multi-purpose Room – 2600 Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood, Florida 33020.
• Monday, October 16th - Boulevard Heights Community Center – 6770 Garfield Street, Hollywood, Florida 33024.
• Tuesday, October 17th - Kay Gaither Community Center – 6291 Funston Street, Hollywood, Florida 33023.
• Thursday, October 19th - Oak Lake Community Center – 3190 North 56th Avenue, Hollywood, Florida 33021.
• Tuesday, October 24th - Hollywood Beach Culture & Community Center – 1301 South Ocean Drive, Hollywood, Florida 33019.
• Wednesday, October 25th - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center – 2400 Charleston Street, Hollywood, Florida 33020.
• Thursday, November 16th - Virtual Meeting - Meeting link on City Calendar at: www.hollywoodfl.org

For additional information, please visit: www.hollywoodfl.org - Or call the Department of Parks, Recreation & Cultural Arts at: (954) 921-3404. As a reminder: City of Hollywood facilities are Plastic and Foam FREE. Single-Use Plastics like water bottles and plastic bags are NOT permitted.