Cultivating a Home for Wildlife at Cedar Lakes Woods and Gardens
For years, Cedar Lakes Woods and Gardens has proudly participated in the National Wildlife Federation’s Certified Wildlife Habitat program, a nationwide effort to protect and grow spaces where wildlife can thrive.
Located in the heart of Central Florida in Williston, our 110-acre property blends lush botanical garden landscapes with wooded nature trails, limestone canyons, a spring-fed pond, and lakes, making us a natural fit for wildlife habitat certification. The site includes a 20-acre botanical garden open to the public and 64 acres of surrounding woodlands that were donated to Conservation Florida to ensure their permanent protection.
Beyond our scenic beauty, our team works with intention to provide the five key elements needed to support healthy ecosystems:
Food sources: We plant native flowers, berry-producing shrubs, and nectar-rich blooms to nourish pollinators like bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
Water access: Lakes, waterfalls, and ponds offer clean, fresh water for drinking, bathing, and aquatic life.
Shelter: Dense thickets, rock piles, and mature trees give animals protection from predators and the elements.
Places to raise young: Dead trees, caterpillar host plants, nesting boxes, and amphibian-friendly areas help support new generations of wildlife.
Sustainable gardening: Our eco-friendly gardening methods include the use of native plants, limited chemical use, composting, and erosion control to promote healthy soil and long-term sustainability.
Being a Certified Wildlife Habitat isn’t just a badge of honor, it also reflects our commitment to biodiversity, conservation, and climate-conscious land care. It also shows that natural beauty and ecological responsibility can thrive together in a botanical garden.
You Can Join the Movement
You don’t need 110 acres to make a difference. Whether you have a backyard, schoolyard, apartment balcony, or community plot, you can help protect wildlife by creating your own certified habitat. The National Wildlife Federation provides a Habitat Essentials Checklist and simple online certification process to get you started.
Learn more at nwf.org/certifiedwildlifehabitat.
