By Ali Dawson
Living in the city, it’s not every day that you get a chance to connect with nature. Spending too much time living in the concrete jungle can have an adverse effect on your health. It’s important to spend some time around nature every once in a while. That doesn’t necessarily mean that you need to pack up and go camping in the mountains once a month. You can encourage wildlife to flourish right in your backyard. Not only will this give you your own little slice of paradise, but also help to sustain crucial animal populations that are having trouble adapting to urban landscapes. Here’s how you can encourage the birds and the bees to frequent your garden and give them everything that they need to thrive.
Insects and Pollinators
Pollinators such as bees and butterflies are crucial to our fragile ecosystem. Many plant species rely on the movement of these pollinators to fertilize flowers, including plants that we farm. Without pollinators, the world is likely to face a global food crisis, but unfortunately, their numbers seem to be falling. You can help pollinator populations to resurge by providing them with flowers that are free of toxic herbicides and pesticides. Even if you don’t have garden space, hanging a flower box outside your window will attract pollinators and spruce up your living space. In order to conserve water, it’s a good idea to irrigate flowers using a drip system.
Our Flying Friends
Birds are also an important part of the ecosystem. Not only do they help pollinators to fertilize flowers, but they also play a critical role in insect population control. Birds eat many of the pests that invade our homes, eat our food, and decimate our crops. You can encourage bird populations to frequent the city by leaving out a source of food, such as nuts or seeds, and water. Just remember not to go overboard with the water, as much of it will be lost to evaporation. Either limit the amount of water you leave out each day or conserve it by installing a drip system for the birds instead.
Encouraging wildlife to thrive in your backyard is not only good for your psyche but also your environment. Going green in a literal sense can help to maintain and even restore dwindling animal populations in urban areas. Insects and birds, in particular, are vital to the wellbeing of our environment and our ecosystem.