Volunteers of all ages bundled up and braved the cold Saturday morning to put the finishing touches on a soon-to-be wildlife habitat at the University of Michigan Northwood Community Apartments.

University employees collaborated with residents at the apartment community, which is home mostly to graduate students and students with families, to design, plan and build the Northwood Wildlife Habitat, with hopes of having it registered by the National Wildlife Federation next spring.

University landscape architect Kenn Rapp worked with the children who live in the complex to design the habitat.

"The kids really developed the plan for this," Rapp said, taking a break from applying mulch to the habitat Saturday. "They really worked on learning what makes a wildlife habitat and different kinds of ecosystems."

"I developed (the children's ideas) into more working drawings," he added.

About 30 volunteers, many of whom were families living in the complex, joined in the effort Saturday to finish building what they hope will blossom into a colorful, natural habitat for wildlife in the spring. About 60 volunteers helped with the planting in October.

Rapp said various native plants were selected for the habitat, such as serviceberry and butterfly milkweed, to attract birds and butterflies to the space, which lies just behind the Northwood Community Center.

Robert Dodde, U-M Ph. D. candidate in the biomedical engineering department and a project organizer, said the habitat must meet certain criteria to become a NWF "backyard wildlife habitat," including providing wildlife an adequate food and water source, shelter, and a place to raise their young.

Melaku Mekonnen, U-M director of graduate and family housing and associate director of residence education, said getting families involved in the project helped "empower residents."

"They have ownership (of the project)," Mekonnen said. "This is kind of a lab for the kids to learn about wildlife. ... To get them started at an early stage."

Michael Han, 13 and a resident of Northwood Community Apartments, has been involved in the project since the early planning stages.

When asked why he got involved, said Han. "I like to plant stuff and I like to see lots of animals."

When asked what part of the work had been most challenging, Han replied, "digging clay."

"Success or not, still, it's a good idea to decorate this empty land," Han said.

Gerry Hish, Northwood Community Apartments resident, volunteered his time Saturday, along with his wife, daughter and son.

"I think it's nice that the university is doing this for this area," he said, shovel in hand. "Hopefully this project will let more residents know that this little area is back here."

Volunteer Lailai Chu helped her 3-year-old son Bryan Ren get a cup of hot chocolate.

Chu said she brought her son "to have fun" while helping beautify the space behind the community center where he attends pre-school.

"We're just putting mulch on, this is our first time (helping with the project)," she said. "(Bryan) likes to use the rake to play around."

Dodde said because so much of the planning and work was done by volunteers from the community, the project was "very low cost."

All of the elements in the habitat were carefully planned for, Dodde said, even what remains of a dead tree, which, he says, will be home to insects — a food source for birds.

Future additions to the habitat will include butterfly and bat houses and educational pamphlets for visitors, Dodde said.

"Everything that's here is here for a reason," he said.

Heather Lockwood is a reporter for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at heatherlockwood@annarbor.com or follow her on Twitter.