The Man Cave on… Lawns and Wildlife

Climate change, pollution, inflated food prices, and loss of habitat – all take a toll on our lives and our natural world. But what if all of us took a small step and looked at our own backyards?

Go Green

The first step is the most important – shrink your lawn and stop or reduce the use herbicides, pesticides and fertilizers. A “perfect” chemically crafted monoculture lawn is a dead zone. Pollinators and birds are hit especially hard and we have seen big declines in both here in the U.S.

I’ve tried to teach both my children and grandchildren the benefits of pollinators and how to help them by planting a diversity of flowering plants.  (A grass lawn is devoid of life and any source of nutrition.)  I point out that clover is desirable on our lawns and I show the kids the insects that visit the clover flowers.

Caterpillars!

We also need to emphasis the importance of caterpillars.  Without a healthy supply of caterpillars our bird populations will plunge even further than they have.  For many bird species, caterpillars are the number one food source. (Want to know more?  The National Audubon Society is raising the alarm about diminishing flocks of birds and reveals the best plants for birds here.)

When I was studying my bluebirds I realized just how hard the parents work to bring food to the nest because the young ones need to eat hourly or more. Birds raising their young cannot travel far hunting for food – another reason to shrink your grass-only yard and instead have sections gone wild, or planted with native wildflowers.

No Mo’ Mow

“No Mow May” is a way to increase the bee population by letting more flowers bloom when hungry bees emerge in spring. But how about No Mow Until Next November – or March? Help the birds and insects more by letting some leaf litter stay on a section of yard so that insects have a winter home. Other wildlife from amphibians to mammals also benefit from a section of your yard that you let go “wild” or allow it to become a meadow. This website offers some specific planting tips for targeted species such as bats, butterflies, and hummingbirds.

G(r)ow Wild!

In parts of my property without a turf area for the grandkids or a vegetable patch, I’ve laid down a weed guard, covered with pine bark mulch, and planted blueberries and raspberries, plus an apple tree and some dogwoods.  Elsewhere, the creeping juniper took over; the hill with my mini orchard is mostly weeds and wild flowers.  Some years I trim it every now and then, other years I just mow a walking path along its edge.  The effort I’ve put into my property has a trifecta of benefits: I’m saving money on “lawn treatments”, I’m giving wildlife either a home or a safe place to feed and rest, and I’m doing my part to save the planet.

What Each of Us Can Do

• Reduce your lawn, and on the turf section eliminate the chemicals and fertilizers. (There are more than 18,000 pesticide chemical formations registered in the U.S. and many of those are used by homeowners, which makes our lawns the most toxic “crop” of all.)
• Plant a vegetable and fruit garden, no matter how small.
• Let part of your property go wild, perhaps mowing only once a year.
• Join a group for change. Garden Clubs, Native Plant Societies, and dozens of other organizations have local chapters you can join where members help newcomers with their gardens, petition their towns to make a more healthy public spaces, and rally to protect wildlife and the local environment.
• Keep the Outside Lights off when possible. Artificial light causes disruptions in the health of birds, amphibians and insects (especially moths).  Go with motion detector lights for security.
• Get your town involved. Petition your town or city leaders to set aside land for community gardens, where renters and those homeowners who have no yard space can grow some vegetables. Towns should also have pre-made signs available for your use that announce why a patch of your yard looks the way it does, i.e. “Pollinator Patch”, “Natural Area”, “No Mow May”, “Native plants only”.

My closing argument? Choose a Healthy Yard over a Perfect Yard.  Keep in mind that the Martha Stewart’s property is not maintained solely by her – she has plenty of help.  My property will never look as neat and orderly as Martha’s!

YOUR TURN

What do you do to encourage wildlife and insect life?  Share your ideas in the comments!

Michael Tougias’ latest book is about a 2022 survival story of three men in the Gulf who survived 28 hours treading water and an attack by a 9 foot tiger shark.  In Deep Water: A True Story of Sharks, Survival and Courage.  (www.michaeltougias.com)