We have a good sized fox population in Lake Worth and they are often seen on and around the municipal golf course along the Intracoastal Waterway. Neighbors spot them in backyards and alleys and we talk about them at neighborhood gatherings. The foxes are very tolerant of humans and have adopted an ‘urban’ lifestyle, walking down streets in late evenings or very early mornings at a leisurely pace in full view of passersby, not too close, but close enough to get a really good look at them.

I saw a mother fox carrying her babies to another location across the street from where she had them and thought it would be a better situation if they had a safer place to make their dens. We could improve the situation for all our urban wildlife with simple projects the neighbors could get involved in.

The golf course is a natural location for wildlife, and it could be improved and enhanced by planting more native trees and shrubs to provide more cover and food. Our neighborhood association could take an active role in identifying places on the course that would not interfere with golf or the neighbors’ views and still make special areas for the animals. Logs and large rocks could be strategically placed among the landscape to help protect the young in their early weeks. Nest boxes could be mounted to trees, poles, and buildings to house the screech owls and woodpeckers we have.

Alleys can also be landscaped with native trees shrubs and groundcovers to be utilized by animals and humans too, and become beautiful greenways we can all enjoy. Some alleys are already on their way to becoming greenways by efforts of community groups and volunteers. The city could close the golf course for the time it would take to install the landscaping or do it in small sections with the help of volunteers from the neighborhood.

It would also be fun to have guided wildlife ‘prowls’ with children and adults to see how many critters can be spotted in the wee hours. This would help educate residents about their furry and feathered friends and help create a sense of stewardship for them.

In a couple of years, a boardwalk will be installed adjacent to the golf course through a restored area called Snook Islands (picture below). This will increase the opportunities to observe wildlife on the golf course itself and expand the viewing area to include the shallow waters where manatees, fish, and birds are beginning to gather.

Today, mangroves and oyster beds are growing in the shallows, the silt has settled, and wading birds are all over the area at any time of day or night Black crowned night herons, rarely seen in the area, can now be seen on a regular basis. As the mangroves mature, we hope to start seeing roseate spoonbills and manatees.

There are lots of little things we can do that together will make a huge difference. In neighborhoods, all generations can be involved, and knowledge and experience can be passed on. The foxes and owls will still be there, doing what they do best, ridding us of rats, mice, bugs and other varmints we don’t want around anyway.