PA Woods and Forests
"Conserving Habitat For Overlooked Species In Your Backyard"
Backyard Habitats
Backyard habitats created through PA Woods and Forests are designed to bring conservation directly into the communities where people live. Frogs and toads depend on small, often overlooked spaces such as temporary pools, damp forest edges, and quiet water sources to breed and survive. As development increases and natural habitats become fragmented, these small spaces are disappearing, making it harder for amphibians to complete their life cycles.
Conserving The Backyard
The PA Woods and Forests Conservation Committee works directly with landowners to create backyard habitats that support these species. By installing simple but intentional features such as water sources, shelter, and native plantings, these habitats provide breeding areas, refuge, and feeding grounds for frogs, toads, solitary bees, bats, and other wildlife.
These sites also serve as monitoring locations, allowing us to observe which species are using the habitat, how often they return, and how environmental conditions influence their activity. Over time, these backyard habitats act as stepping stones across the landscape, helping connect fragmented populations and support long term conservation.
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To make these habitats accessible and scalable, PA Woods and Forests offers a tiered system that allows landowners and partners to participate at different levels depending on resources and goals.
Habitat Tiers
Through this tiered system, PA Woods and Forests is creating a network of backyard habitats across the region.
Each site contributes to a larger conservation effort, helping protect frogs and toads, solitary bees, and bats while engaging communities in hands-on stewardship and long-term environmental awareness.
Habitat Options
Basic Backyard Habitat
Estimated Cost: $400
This entry-level habitat provides the foundation for amphibian use and monitoring. It includes an 18-gallon utility tub that serves as a water source for frogs and toads, along with a trail camera to document wildlife activity. This setup creates immediate habitat while allowing for observation and data collection.
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Backyard Habitat Plus
Estimated Cost: $700
This level builds on the basic habitat by adding a weather station connected to the Ambient Weather Network. This allows real-time environmental data, such as temperature, humidity, and rainfall, to be recorded and shared publicly. The addition of weather data strengthens the ability to understand how conditions influence amphibian movement and behavior.
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Backyard Habitat Premium
Estimated Cost: $800 to $1,200
The premium habitat enhances biodiversity by adding features that support a wider range of species. In addition to the base components, this tier may include solitary bee houses for native pollinators such as leafcutter and eastern mason bees, and a toad house to provide shelter for amphibians. These additions create a more complete habitat that supports both amphibians and beneficial insects.
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Backyard Habitat Advanced
Estimated Cost: $1,200 to $2,000+
The advanced habitat is designed for expanded monitoring and long-term sustainability. In addition to all previous features, this tier may include water-testing kits to monitor habitat quality, additional sensors for the weather station, a rain barrel to sustainably manage water levels, and optional structures such as a bat house. This level provides the most comprehensive approach to backyard conservation, combining habitat creation with detailed environmental monitoring.