Ecosystem Gardening has Immediate Benefits for Wildlife
Ecosystem Gardening is about giving a little back to wildlife. We tend to think that wildlife conservation happens far away from our homes. We see advertisements to “Save the Polar Bears” or “Save the Tigers” and if you’re like me, you feel a little helpless because this task seems so daunting. We feel like there’s nothing we can do to make a difference.
But I believe that conservation begins in our own backyards. We can make an immediate difference for our local wild animals by planning a wildlife garden to provide the essentials that birds, butterflies, pollinators, frogs and toads, mammals and other critters need right in our own gardens.
Wildlife gardening is one of the very few actions we can take that has immediate benefits in our environment. It is truly an “If you build it, they will come” activity, and a wonderful way to get children involved in caring for the critters that live right outside their doors.
And by following these four simple steps you’ll be well on your way to creating an oasis for wildlife in your garden.
Wildlife Garden Provides Food
A wildlife garden will provide food for all stages of life. Feeding wild animals means going beyond bird feeders and learning about the native plants that support all the wildlife of your area. Your garden is an ecosystem that contributes to the inter-related food webs on which your local critters are dependent. Pollinators, butterflies, birds, mammals will find a welcoming home in your garden when you plan your garden to include the plants that will best provide for their needs.
Wildlife Garden Provides Water
Access to clean water is one of the most important elements in caring for wildlife in your garden, especially in winter. Providing water is not limited to birdbaths, but can include rain gardens, wildlife ponds, saucers, fountains and more. Wildlife gardening also uses water sustainably and manages rainwater in a responsible way to protect our streams and watersheds.
Wildlife Garden Provides Shelter
Your wildlife garden will provide safe places for wildlife to get out of the heat and cold and find respite from predators. Urban neighborhoods provide particular challenges as some species of wildlife have adapted very well to living near humans, for example raccoons, opossums, and introduced species such as starlings, house sparrows and domestic cats.
Wildlife Garden Provides Safe Places to Raise Young
A wildlife garden will include many places for wildlife to raise their young, including your garden pond for frogs, toads, dragonflies, and salamanders, tree snags with cavities for birds and crevices for butterflies, wood piles, brush piles, and rock piles. The more of these elements you add to your garden, the more wildlife will choose to raise their next generation in your habitat. You need to make sure that these places to raise their young are safe from predators.
These four elements: food, water, shelter, and safe places to raise young are the foundation of your wildlife garden. Please try out some of these ideas and come back to tell us about your success.
© 2011, Carole Sevilla Brown. All rights reserved. This article is the property of BeautifulWildlifeGarden.com If you are reading this at another site, please report that to us
About Carole Sevilla Brown
Carole you always make me think. I am adding more berry bushes in the garden for the birds and continue to find more native plants for butterflies. I think we have enough shelter but I will assess that. The pond is safe and we have no pets. We welcome the wildlife in the garden and accept even the snakes and the deer. Great post
Donna@Gardens Eye View recently posted..Play
Donna, your wildlife garden sounds like a wonderful haven!
Carole Sevilla Brown recently posted..Lets Just Eat the Invasive Plants
There are so many little creatures and plants that well worth taking the time to get to know in our habitat gardens. Each season is different not only in color ,bloom and weather but in what wildlife shows itself for the first time. It is certainly never exactly the same even day to day.
I watched the movie “Rango” with the grandchildren recently. It was fun for all even the kids, trying to figure out what creature each character represented. It was surprising how many insects, birds, lizards and frogs and a host of small mammals were used. Every wildlife garden, over time could provide such a creative palette.
Gloria recently posted..Harvesting seed.
Gloria, I read somewhere that the best tool for gardeners is a lawn chair, and I totally agree. When we take the time to sit and just observe we can be amazed at the number of critters who make their homes in our wildlife gardens.
Carole Sevilla Brown recently posted..Lets Just Eat the Invasive Plants