Habitat and Wildlife Keepers, the first chapter of the North Carolina Wildlife Federation, started out as the "Squirrel Lake Team", a group of gardeners and wildlife enthusiasts who adopted Squirrel Lake Park in Matthews and turned it into a demonstration site for how individual home owners could provide the five elements of a habitat and create a haven for wildlife. The park was certified in 2004 by the National Wildlife Federation as a Wildlife Habitat of Exceptional Merit.