Biodiversity means “the variety of life”. With greater variety we have stronger food webs and food systems, stronger ecosystems, and a more wonderous world.
Things You Can Do At Home
“All landscapes really do matter” are sage words from Dr. Jaret Daniels when it comes to making a difference and strengthening biodiversity.
Your Plants
Whether you have a patio or acreage, adding native plants helps to provide food, habitat, and connectivity for wildlife. The entire food web is built on plants and the insects that have co-evolved with your local plants. Consider some of these actions for your landscape:
▢ Plant native plants. This means plants that naturally grow in your local immediate area. See the NWF Native Plant Finder for help. Did you know that native plants are not just yard art, but are vibrant ecosystems which can help strengthen biodiversity in your neighborhood?
▢ Opt for keystone plant species when choosing what to include in your landscape.
▢ In general, avoid cultivars. These are plants with names in quotation marks, such as Floribunda Rose ‘Ivey Hall’, and represent plants that have been selectively bred for ornamental value. Cultivars have reduced value to pollinators, including birds, butterflies, bees, and other insects.
▢ Certain plants often deemed as weeds, such as dandelions, are important sources of nectar for pollinators in the early season. Consider leaving some in your landscape to support these beneficial insects.
▢ Avoid plants pre-treated with systemic insecticides. Ask your nursery if they can confirm this. System insecticides will sicken or kill important insects, and leach into water supplies and nearby plants.
▢ It’s OK to start small. If you only have room for one plant, or time to plant one plant, that is OK! Everyone starts somewhere.
▢ Do some research before trimming trees and large shrubs as it may be nesting season for birds. Did you know it is illegal to disturb a bird’s nest in many places?
Pesticide Use
Many homeowners use excessive amounts of chemicals in their yards due to societal pressure and aggressive marketing by industries. It’s important to note that there is no such thing as a selective pesticide, and any chemical use will ultimately make its way into our water and harm other plants and animals.
Excessive use of pesticides, fertilizers, herbicides, and other lawn chemicals can lead to various health issues such as respiratory problems and cancer in humans and pets.
▢ Reduce pesticide use. As you plant more native plants and start to build a self-supporting habitat, you may be surprised that you don’t need as many pesticides.
▢ If you do have a pest outbreak, spot treat, and only minimally.
▢ Seek organic and non-toxic options to control unwanted landscape issues.
▢ Avoid purchasing plants and seeds pre-treated with systemic pesticides. These “systemics” can leach into water supplies and into nearby plants. Ask your supplier to confirm their products are not pre-treated.
▢ Did you know that native plants have developed their own natural defenses against pests and many diseases? Planting more natives means you won’t need to spend money and time or risk your health on unnecessary chemicals.
Be Lazy (Yes!)
Being a little lazy is often the best way to improve your yard’s habitat.
▢ Leave the leaves! Many critical insects rely on fallen leaves, including moths, butterflies, hoverflies, and other beneficial insects. Leaves biodegrade quickly and place nutrients back in your soil. Don’t mulch them (you’re mulching caterpillars!).
▢ Allow dead annuals and twigs to remain on plants until spring (or later). Dead annuals may still have seed pods for birds, and otherwise provide cover. Hollow stems are used by many important native insects, including native bees.
▢ As other sections of this page indicate, reduce or stop applying pesticides and fertilizers.
▢ If you still have a lawn, mow it less frequently. Longer grass is more drought resistant, uses less water, and you’ll save time and energy.
▢ Again, it’s OK to start small, even if it’s only a corner of your yard.
▢ Consider leaving dead or dying trees in place since snags are a very important habitat for many birds, animals, mammals, and insects.
Water and Fertilizer
The single best thing you can do is to replace as much of your lawn with native plants as possible. This reduces the need for water, mowing, chemicals, and saves you time. But if you can’t do this, you can still improve your water and fertilizer use.
▢ Reduce your fertilizer use, and/or switch to organic fertilizers. Synthetic fertilizers and the salts associated with it can be detrimental to important soil microorganisms according to renowned soil scientist Dr. Elaine Ingham.
▢ Water deeply but less frequently. Surveys have shown that many, if not most land owners caring for lawns water inefficiently – often too frequently and too shallowly. This can lead to a vicious cycle of a lawn with shallow roots and prone to fungus.
▢ The deep root systems of established native plants help the soil retain more water thereby reducing the need to water frequently and helps mitigate flooding.
▢ The traditional suburban lawn, on average, has 10x more chemical pesticides per acre than farmland. Consider reducing your lawn size and you are not only helping wildlife, but are creating a healthier space for you, your family, and your community.
▢ Did you know that fertilizers ultimately work their way into watersheds, leading to a disruption of river, lake, and stream ecosystems which can cause toxic algae blooms that deplete waters of oxygen, killing everything in the vicinity?
Ways to Get Involved
Individual actions are important for strengthening biodiversity, but we need everyone to contribute on all levels – companies, governments, politicians, friends, family, and neighbors. Here are some ways to spread the word and make your voice heard
Actively Participate in Your HOA
Homeowners Associations often enforce dated policies that have negative impacts to biodiversity. Attend an HOA meeting and join a committee so you can help steer bylaws and policies to permit habitat-friendly (and climate-friendly) landscapes within your community.
- Be the game changer in your neighborhood and help dispel the myth that lawns make for better curb appeal.
- More climate friendly yards near one another helps create the connectivity that our nature friends need to survive and thrive.
Proactively Contact Your Politicians
Biodiversity is impacted by decisions at all levels of government – city, county, state/province, and federal. Proactively contact your representatives, from city council to mayor to governor to federal congress representatives, and tell them that habitat preservation and biodiversity are important to you, and that you vote accordingly.
- Yes, there are a lot of representatives to contact, so if you can’t do it all, make a plan to contact 1 or 2 a week, and schedule it.
- Common Cause makes finding your elected politicians easy.
Stay Informed About Legislation and Get Involved
Staying informed can take many forms. It may mean joining a local environmental advocacy email list, or keeping up to date with city council agendas.
- When environmental proposals arise, such as new development plans or statutes, contact your representatives and make your voice heard. An email may be enough, or pay a visit to your city council meeting.
- Learning and keeping informed is a big step forward. The next step is to get out there and share your knowledge with others. After all, it does take a village.
Where to Learn More
Creating and sustaining biodiversity around us can be a complex topic with numerous pathways of action. These resources can help you make sense of the many ideas and suggestions.
Follow Organizations That Support Biodiversity
Many organizations provide useful resources, facts, and real-time insights.
- The Xerces Society is a leading proponent of pollinators and insects.
- Homegrown National Park advocates for treating private property like the important habitat that it is.
- The Nature Conservancy purchases, preserves, and rehabilitates natural environments around the world.
- Our oceans are also critically threatened, and core to our food webs and climate. Follow the Ocean Conservancy to learn more.
- Volunteer at a native plant nursery. Not only will you gather valuable information about growing these plants, you may even get some freebies to take home for your yard.
- Take a class on native plant care and maintenance. You’ll be surprised at the change of mindset needed to help your new natives thrive.
Educate Yourself on the Biodiversity Crisis
Following the organizations above are a good start – many offer newsletters and webinars. If you want a more formal approach, start to learn about ecology – the study of how organisms relate to each other and their environments:
- Khan Academy has a free ecology unit.
- Open Yale Courses offers a Evolution, Ecology and Behavior course, with video lectures online.
- Look for a Master Naturalist class in your state – nearly every state has one! In California it is called the California Naturalist Program.
- Consider joining a “BioBlitz” in your area. This may take some creative Googling, or search during the “City Nature Challenge“, a global annual bioblitz. These events bring amateurs and experts alike together in search of any and all plants, animals, fungi, and more. A BioBlitz is a great way to get connected to your local ecology and nature experts.