Montreat Landcare

This is the description for the Native Plan Garden, which is located near the Gate and will grow native plan species for sale at an annual plant sale.

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Galax is an evergreen herbaceous perennial plant of the Southern Appalachian Highlands, now endangered in the Montreat wilderness. The leaves are in great demand by florists, but cannot be cultivated commercially. Consequently, distributors of floral materials pay teams of pickers to harvest the leaves illegally from public and private land, like the Montreat hiking areas. Serious soil erosion often results from such commercial harvesting, and the galax species may soon become officially endangered.

Who can certify their property with the National Wildlife Federation?

Certifying a site is as simple as providing the 4 habitat components: food, water, cover and places to raise young, in addition to practicing sustainable gardening techniques. Any site can be recognized as a certified wildlife habitat regardless of size. Whether it’s your backyard, a community garden, a school-yard, or a business site.

6 Simple Tips to Get Started

1. Put out a bird feeder and fill it with sunflower seed.
2. Plant a shrub with flowers for butterflies or berries for birds and small animals.
3. Put out a birdbath. Even small water features will be used by wildlife.
4. Provide dense shrubs, wildflower gardens, rock walls and evergreens as cover for wildlife.
5. Hang a birdhouse, plant hose plants for butterfly caterpillars or install a frog pond to provide places to raise young.
6. Put away the chemicals. Natural gardens are better for you and your family as well as wildlife.

Why Certify?

Aside from offering wildlife a wonderful place to thrive you’ll be eligible for the following benefits: A certificate for your wildlife habitat. A free one-year membership to National Wildlife Federation (NWF) and subscription to National Wildlife magazine A subscription to the Habitats e-newsletter An optional press release to your local newspaper announcing your certification Inclusion in NWF’s National Registry of Habitats.

The Montreat Landcare Committee wants to recognize all efforts to restore habitat for wildlife.

We invite you join your neighbors in rolling out the welcome mat for birds, butterflies, and other small wildlife species that shares our land.

Montreat is the first Town in North Carolina to join the ranks of a few select communities across the country that are certified as a Community Wildlife Habitats by the National Wildlife Federation

You can Certify Your Habitat by visit www.nwf.org/gardenforwildlife directly online.

Walk Jones Wildlife Sanctuary is a five-acre environmental preserve located one mile north of Lake Susan at the end of the paved road to the Graybeard Trail parking area in Montreat. It is centered around a lovely reservoir of fresh water and a small Pavilion with a labyrinth.

A free Prayer Path guide featuring seven mediation stations is available at the Assembly Inn front desk, the general store and bookstore, and here in our resources section.

The sanctuary was created in 1999 and expanded in 2009 by the Jones family, and Sam and Beau Hope, to honor Walk C. Jones, a former chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Conference Center.

It is a favorite spot for a quiet, leisurely walk to enjoy the beauty of wildflowers and pick a few blueberries - or just sit on a bench an ponder the wonder of life.

To learn more about Montreat College visit www.montreat.edu.