Every year between 200 – 2000 species of plants and animals go extinct. There are several factors which lead to a species extinction however one that cannot be disputed is the affect humans have on our environment. Every living organism on this planet has a part to play in the ecosystem and health the environment. The faster we lose species the worse of our environment is.
So, what does biodiversity have to do with this? Why is it important? The more plants and animals you have living in an environment the healthier that environment is. Biodiversity is the number of those animals and plants so the more biodiverse an environment is the greater the number of species in it and the healthier it is. So, to increase the biodiversity in an area, in simple terms you need to increase the number of species of plants and animals in that area.
So why are our cities and towns important for biodiversity?
Humans take up a lot of space. We spread out and in building our homes destroy other plants and animals’ habitats to make our own. We need to help these plants and animals as much as we can. Increasing the biodiversity of an area gives them sources of food and shelter providing something we took away in creating our own homes.
So here are three quick ways you can we help biodiversity in our own neighbourhoods.
1) Plant locally indigenous plants
What this means is to plant species of plants that would normally grow in your area. This will help the plants and animals who live there to have more food, shelter, and habitat. There are people who can help you find out what is local to your area and nurseries and groups who specialise in growing local indigenous plants. Ask around, your local garden centre is often a good source of information and you can often find stalls at local markets who grow plants from the area. Landcare is also a great organisation helping communities with environmental issues in their towns and cities who could help identify species and google is always your friend.
2) Plant a wide variety of plants in your garden.
Increasing biodiversity in our towns is all about having a range of plants and animals. So have a look at your garden, streets and parks. See what species are there and what others could you plant. Start with your own garden. Have a look at what you have and add one or two different species to what is there. You then might want to get involved with your local community to help increase the biodiversity in your parks, gardens, and reserves.
3) Pull out the weeds
Weeds are a constant issue to the environment. They compete for resources and can take over natural areas.
There is a whole heap of plants which are weeds. Remove them dispose of them correctly and then replace them with something more appropriate for the area. If you are not sure what is a weed, have a look at your local council web site, they have lists of plants that are weeds in your area.
If you want some help identifying ways to increase biodiversity in your area Contact Us to see how we can help.