Living in a nature preserve

Audubon at Home

www.audubonathome.org

National Audubon Society

The premise of this website for home gardeners is that saving the global environment begins in your own backyard.

Developed by the National Audubon Society in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Resource Conservation Service, this website tackles vital issues such as pesticide reduction, water conservation, native plants and exotic pests, not to mention more fanciful notions like bringing more birdsong to your corner of the world.

Lessons on growing and maintaining a healthy, environmentally friendly garden are cleverly coupled with well-designed interactive graphics, illuminating exercises, downloadable materials and excellent Web links. There’s even an inventive children’s component called “Kidspace.”

Despite these nice features, there is room for improvement. Lists of plants that attract birds and beneficial insects are cursory, and the links to more information are scant. The “Monthly Tips and Reminders” section is skewed toward regions with winter ice and snow.

Overall, though, the advice is wellresearched and sound. The website is a good reminder that healthy yards, much like good websites, are created over time, slowly and in steps.

--Lili Singer