Anyone can have a Wildlife-friendly backyard, even in small spaces like verandas. Consider some of these ideas for your backyard.

To get support and resources to create a wildlife friendly backyard (like free plants, nest boxes and herbicides), see Environmental conservation partnerships.

Plants

Local, native plants give food and shelter for wildlife. Here are some tips for choosing plants for your backyard or verandah:

• use plants of different heights like groundcovers, bushes, shrubs, and trees
• use plants that flower and fruit so there is a food source throughout the year.
• think about the wildlife you want to attract
• prickly bushes, like lomandra or shrubs like banksias, give shelter for small birds
• native grasses, like kangaroo grass give food for birds like finches
• some plants are food for butterflies like the Richmond birdwing butterfly vine
• clumping plants, like lomandra and dianellas are great near a frog pond
• replace some of your lawn with native groundcovers to reduce mowing and give homes for small lizards and insects
• find out what native plants are bests for backyard by using this free GroNative South East Queensland App. 

Logan ratepayers can access three free trees each financial year under our Free Trees program. For more information please see Free Trees or call us on 3412 3412.

If you would like a list of native plant species for your property, please email us at Environment@logan.qld.gov.au.

Frog and fish ponds

Frog and fish ponds are a great way for children to get involved in helping the environment.

For more information about creating a frog or fish pond, please visit Department of Environment and Science.

Bird baths

A bird bath is a very easy way for you to enjoy watching birds in your own backyard. 

For more information about how to create a safe, clean bird bath, please visit Birds in Backyards - Creating Places for Birds.

Nest boxes

A few nest boxes in your garden can benefit local wildlife like parrots, owls, possums and gliders. It could even keep a possum out of your roof!

For more information about how to buy, install and maintain nest boxes, please visit Hollow Log Homes or Nest Boxes Australia.

Places for reptiles

Lizards and snakes play an important part in keeping pests like insects and rodents in check. They are also a food source to other wildlife like birds.

Hiding places for lizards and snakes are easy to make, you could use some of the following:

• mulching garden waste and leaf litter
• old timber, logs or branches
• unused terracotta plant pots
• piles of rocks or flat stones - these are ideal for lizards sunbaking
• old concrete or ceramic pipes.

Fencing

It is important to consider wildlife-safe fencing for your backyard. You can build fences to suit particular wildlife, like as kangaroos or koalas.

Fencing a part of your yard for your pet to roam can help keep wildlife safe. Keeping pets inside at night also helps to protect our wildlife.

If you have koalas in your area, you may want to consider these tips for making your fence more koala friendly:

• make it climbable by using timber posts and rail, chain wire or slats with a 1 centimetre gap between each slat
• make sure koalas can go through or over the fence - include a 30 centimetre gap from the ground to the first rail or strand
• placing a plank along the top of the fence for a koala walkway
• plant trees close to both sides of the fence so koalas can cross over
• for steel fencing, place wooden poles (at least 10 centimetre wide) at a 45 degree angle at the base of the fence so koalas can climb up. Encourage your neighbours to do the same on their side, so a koala can climb safely to and from the ground
• for an example of a koala safe yard download our  Koala friendly backyard diagram (PDF 29 MB) or to find more infomation, see Koala 

For more information about wildlife fencing, please visit Wildlife Friendly Fencing Website.

Pools

Backyard pools can be dangerous for our wildlife. Some animals can tire and drown if they can't find a way out of the pool.

You can make your pool safer for wildlife by:

• using a pool cover that is tight, secure and will not sink
• installing a fence which keeps most animals out of the pool area
• setting up a float (like an empty milk bottle) in the pool and attaching it by a thick rope to a nearby tree, post or fence
• Placing a stick in the water filter intake area to allow animals to climb out.