However, all of the approaches to building wildlife-friendly garden should have some common goals. First and foremost is a commitment to minimize our impact on the environment. Backyard habitats will make more sense to you if that interest is part of an overall attempt to lessen our impacts on the environment. Our backyards are part of a larger picture. Therefore, I believe that a commitment to the backyard habitat concept naturally goes together with a commitment to the larger global environment.
Large changes can come from local, individual decisions.
Remember to view your garden as an interconnected part of the larger ecosystem. Now comes that part that can be difficult for many people. You really need to make a commitment to minimizing, and preferably eliminating, pesticides and dangerous chemicals in the garden. Unfortunately, many of us have been conditioned to reach for the can of chemicals whenever we spot a pest in the garden. The reality is that such an approach will kill off beneficial organisms too.