The City of Austin's challenging neighborhoods to increase wildlife habitats.

You may not know it, but your own backyard could be a wildlife habitat.

And the City of Austin and the National Wildlife Federation are challenging residents of area neighborhoods to create homes for wildlife, so take the habitat challenge.

The city is launching this campaign in an effort to get more yards to become certified wildlife habitats in an initiative to educate and assist residents in enhancing the wildlife and biodiversity.

Alice Nance with the City of Austin said with all the impending development, it's important to get involved to preserve nature.

"When we can rebuild and recreate habitat into our landscape that's going to help wildlife be able to adapt to our changing environment," she said.

She said introducing native plants to your yard is a great way to attract wildlife to your landscape.

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	Wildlife habitats Take the wildlife habitat challenge and play your part in conserving Austin's nature.

"Providing habitat in the Neighborhood Habitat Challenge is fun and engaging and gets people outdoors," she said.

The National Wildlife Federation will be the ones who certify the yards as a wildlife habitat. The City of Austin will award three prizes, like a neighborhood picnic, tree donations to plant or wildlife habitat design workshop.

Residents can certify their yards by visiting the National Wildlife Federation's Web site.

For more information you can visit Wildlife Austin.

You can always volunteer as well and learn how to conserve wildlife habitats in your community. Click here.