Sustainable landscaping has become a major consideration for homeowners throughout Australia and the world. One of the best ways to create a sustainable outdoor space is to make it wildlife friendly. Increasing amounts of habitat clearing and fragmentation mean that many species – especially birds – simply don’t have enough places to live.
According to Landscapers Network, wildlife friendly landscaping is simple. Choose native species, avoid chemicals and artificial fertilisers, and encourage wildlife to visit your garden. 5 reasons why you should do this include:
- Animals Are Relaxing
Personally, nothing cheers me up more than sitting down for a coffee in the morning and watching the birds go about their business. Simply planting the right species and creating a habitable environment can encourage animals to both live and breed in your garden. This can lead to innumerable opportunities for you to simply sit back, relax and take in the beauty of nature.
- Creating Habitat Can Give Species Somewhere To Live
Most native species have significantly reduced habitat range due to land clearing and fragmentation. This means that they can have trouble finding places to both live and breed. Keeping your native species in mind when you’re landscaping can help you develop an outdoor space for these animals to thrive. Think about things like birds, possums and other small mammals.
- A Native Garden Is Beautiful
Australian conditions are tough, which means that it can be hard to find plants that are easy to grow and look after. Landscapers working with wildlife in mind will allow you to create a maintenance free garden that requires few chemicals and synthetic fertilisers.
- Attracting The Right Animals Can Keep Your Garden Healthy
If you’re smart about the way you landscape your outdoor space, you should be able to significantly reduce the amount of chemicals you have to use. For example, attracting birds can help reduce the risk of insect infestations, while pollinating insects like bees and butterflies can help keep your plants healthy.
- Many Animals Will Use Your Garden For Refuge
Whether you like it or not, native species will undoubtedly use your garden in some way or another, especially if you live in a rural or semi-rural area. Creating a wildlife friendly garden will give them places to shelter, food sources and a safe refuge from predators and human damage.
Life is becoming harder and harder for many native species. Their numbers are in decline due to habitat loss and fragmentation, and it’s up to us to try and reverse this. One of the best ways to do this is to create wildlife friendly gardens. Plant native species, think about the sort of animals that are likely to visit your garden and try and avoid chemicals and fertilisers if possible.
