Close your eyes and think of springtime. What sights, sounds and smells does the mind conjure?
Spring is a time of renewal and hope; a time to emerge from winter’s chill and revel in the beauty and magic of a natural world coming to life. We delight in birdsong, the transformation of trees from grey to green, and the first bees buzzing amongst the first colourful flowers. But these hallmarks of the season that bring us so much joy are reliant on healthy, functioning ecosystems, which are unfortunately under increasing threat from human activities and development. Report after report of declines in birds, pollinators and other species are sobering, and a genuine cause for concern.
But in this season of hope, let’s flip the narrative! We know what’s wrong so what can we do – as individuals and as a community – to protect what we love now and for future generations?
An excellent place to start is in our own gardens and the public spaces in our community, where individually and collectively we hold the power to make a tangible difference to our local environment.
For some expert advice on gardening for biodiversity, I asked author and native plant guru Lorraine Johnson three questions.
1) In a rural township with an abundance of nature, does encouraging biodiversity in our gardens and more urban landscapes really make a difference?
What we do in our gardens makes a huge difference to pollinators, most of which are small insects such as bees that may only move a few kilometres (or less) in their whole lives. Whether or not there are habitat gardens for them (with nectar, pollen, and nesting areas) makes the difference between life and death.
2) What are the top three things people can do this spring to encourage more biodiversity in their gardens?
The great news is that the top three things I’m going to suggest are also incredibly simple things to do—some are just small tweaks to common practices—but each makes a big difference to biodiversity.
i) Leave the leaves and don’t cut down plant stubble. We’ve been taught as gardeners to “clean up” the garden in spring, but this is very harmful to overwintering pollinators that use dead leaves and
plant stems as habitat (and nesting areas). When we remove leaf litter and stems, we are basically throwing out pollinators!
ii) Add some decorative dead wood to our gardens – old branches or old stumps can be such beautiful features in a garden and they’re such important habitat, supporting a diverse community of life! When you add decorative dead wood to the garden, you’ll see and experience all the birds, butterflies, bees and other creatures who come to visit, fed by the life you’re supporting.
iii) Plant some native plants. A few species that do extra duty in the pollinator-support department are goldenrods (which do not cause hayfever!), asters, milkweed and black-eyed Susans. It’s important to note that although Canada Goldenrod and Tall Goldenrod spread quite exuberantly, there are many other species of goldenrod that don’t spread as quickly; there are even goldenrod species for shade.
3) How can the township work with citizens to support biodiversity-friendly gardening practices on private and public lands?
One important way is to have enabling bylaws that encourage naturalization – or, at least, that don’t put up barriers to naturalization! I also think it’s important for municipalities to model the behaviour they want to see residents adopt – for example, the township could support demonstration gardens designed for pollinators. These could help teach people about native plants, how beautiful native plant gardens can be, and could also inspire residents to consider creating habitat in their own yards, on school grounds, at work, at libraries and community centres, on balconies… everywhere!
For many more tips and suggestions, Johnson will be presenting on Gardening for Biodiversity at the Creemore Station on the Green on April 24, beginning at 7 p.m. She will also have copies of her latest book, A Garden for the Rusty-Patched Bumblebee, available for purchase at the event.
Brenna Lattimore, environmental scientist and biodiversity lead for Clearview Sustainability Network, an inclusive and optimistic citizen-led group bringing together diverse members of our community to help our local government adapt and evolve in the face of a changing climate.