In addition to its 55,000-plus human residents, the City of Redmond is home to various wild animals and one organization is working to ensure it stays that way.

Redmond Wild is a volunteer group whose members are working to protect local wildlife and their natural habitats.

The group started a little more than a year ago and was founded by 24-year-old Rianne BeCraft, who was born and raised in Redmond. The 2006 Redmond High School (RHS) graduate said Redmond Wild has about 10 active volunteers of all ages right now, ranging from local business owners to City Council members.

“We have a really great mix,” she said. “I’m really thankful for all the people I’ve got to work with.”

Redmond Wild focuses on encouraging people in Redmond to make their spaces — whether it’s their home, business or school — wildlife friendly by providing five essentials: Food, water, shelter, places to raise young and the use of sustainable practices. If these five requirements are met, the space will become a Certified Wildlife Habitat through the National Wildlife Federation (NWF).

A WILDLIFE-FRIENDLY CITY

In addition to helping and providing people with the resources needed to certify their spaces, BeCraft said Redmond Wild is also working to certify the entire City of Redmond as a Community Wildlife Habitat. She said communities can range from a neighborhood to an entire city, adding that 35 communities in the greater Puget Sound area are certified.

“Puget Sound just rocks it,” she said.

On the Eastside, the cities of Sammamish and Kirkland are certified and like Redmond, the City of Bellevue has registered with the NWF and is in the process of becoming certified.

BeCraft said in Washington, communities can earn a triple certification through the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and NW Zoo & Aquarium Alliance in addition to the NWF certification.

To become certified, a community must earn a certain number of points based on its population. Points are earned in four areas – habitat certification, education, community project goals and administrative goals. BeCraft, who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in environmental science from Western Washington University, said Redmond has reached its goals in all areas except habitat certification. Based on the city’s population, six common areas such as businesses and parks, five schools and 200 homes must be certified. Redmond has met the first two goals but still needs 108 homes to be certified.

“It’s really difficult to get people to certify their homes,” BeCraft admitted.

EDUCATE AND CELEBRATE

In an effort to spread the word about the habitat certification program, Redmond Wild is teaming up with the City of Redmond and Sustainable Redmond for “Wild About Redmond: An Urban Habitat Tour.”

The tour will be on June 2 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and include five Redmond sites – Grass Lawn Park at 7031 148th Ave. N.E., Albert Einstein Elementary School at 18025 N.E. 116th St., two residents’ backyards and a resident’s balcony. There will be refreshments at the park. There will also be guest speakers at the park and at two of the residences. More information on the residences will be available closer to the tour’s date. BeCraft said it is a self-guided tour so people can visit as many or as few locations as they wish throughout the day.

BeCraft said in addition to educating people on habitat certification, Wild About Redmond is also celebrating the 22 Redmond parks that have been certified through the NWF program.

Dave Tuchek, park operations manager for City of Redmond, said BeCraft approached the Parks and Trails Commission about five months ago about certifying the city. He said Redmond Wild’s goals aligned well with the park restoration work parties held throughout the city as part of the city’s Green Redmond Partnership with Forterra.

Tuchek said they have certified so many of their parks because they had already met or were close to meeting the five requirements. Redmond has a total of 48 parks and open spaces – 37 are developed and 11 are undeveloped.

“Sustainable Redmond is very excited to see the parks certified,” said Sustainable Redmond board member Cindy Jayne.

She said the organization is supportive of Wild About Redmond and habitat certification because “all the elements…are sustainable practices.”

COMPLEMENTARY MISSIONS

Jayne said it has been great to see the “cross pollination” among the various groups and the increase in community involvement.

Tuchek agreed, saying that all of the organizations involved in Wild About Redmond have different goals and missions but they complement each other and there is some overlap.

“The natural environment, for our community, is really big,” he said.

For more information about Wild About Redmond or volunteer and team leadership opportunities with Redmond Wild, visit www.redmondwild.org.