Why is Native Gardening so Important?
Native pollinators play a vital role throughout Mother Earths ecosystems. As many of you may know, we have already seen a significant decline in the population of our precious Bees, Bats, Butterflies, Birds, Moths, Beetles and other insects. These creatures are estimated to be responsible for the pollination of 75% of all flowering plants and about 35% of the worlds food crops (1 in every 3 bites of food wouldn’t be possible without them), making them play a very critical role in our ability to have whole foods on our plates.
One of the most consequential causes of this decline is habitat loss, which can easily be attributed to the rapid suburbanization and industrialization of our world. Although we may have little control of human population growth and need for housing, we have an abundance of control in what we do with our personal space. Unfortunately, the most common aesthetic of modern landscapes mainly consists of alien species that provide neither food nor shelter for native species, limiting biodiversity and habitat for pollinators.
By incorporating various native species in your existing garden, or designating an entire area for a diverse native collection, you can make a difference!!!!
See below for more resources and information!
Good Reads!
Bringing Nature Home
By Douglas W. Tallamy
As development and habitat destruction accelerate, there are increasing pressures on wildlife populations. In Bringing Nature Home, Douglas W. Tallamy reveals the unbreakable link between native plant species and native wildlife—native insects cannot, or will not, eat alien plants. When native plants disappear, the insects disappear, impoverishing the food source for birds and other animals
Nature’s best hope
By Douglas W. Tallamy
In this new book, Tallamy takes the next step and outlines his vision for a grassroots approach to conservation. Nature’s Best Hope shows how homeowners everywhere can turn their yards into conservation corridors that provide wildlife habitats.
The Humane Gardener
By Nancy Lawson
Why and how to welcome wildlife to our backyards. An eloquent plea for compassion and respect for all species, journalist and gardener Nancy Lawson uses engaging anecdotes and inspired advice, profiles of home gardeners throughout the United States, and interviews with scientists and horticulturalists to demonstrate how we can apply the broader lessons of ecology to our own outdoor spaces.