Wildlife gardens can be a solution to protecting biodiversity issues in Ottawa
Ottawa is home to constant construction projects – whether it’s road maintenance, knocking down buildings or making more buildings. Though this is annoying to residents, how annoying can this be to the original residents of Ottawa – the plants and animals.
Urbanization, pollution and climate change are severely affecting local wildlife, and something needs to happen before it’s too late.
There is a solution to this, wildlife-friendly gardens. Not only do these gardens help outdoor spaces look more natural, but they also provide habitats for local animals and plants.
Why are wildlife gardens important?
The Fletcher Wildlife Garden is a project of the Ottawa Field-Nationalists’ Club. The garden’s mission is to show residents of Ottawa how to create and restore wildlife-friendly habitats and gardens by using native plants.
Wildlife gardens are important because Ottawa is home to many species, from woodpeckers to bees, helping pollinate the plants. As the city grows, these animals and plants are losing their home.
Wildlife gardens support biodiversity by providing a habitat and resources for various native species that are having these things taken away from them due to human interference.
Supporting wildlife gardens
Ottawa has programs like the Ontario Pollinator Garden Initiative and the Ontario Nature’s Garden for Wildlife that help communities build sustainable gardens that will help promote biodiversity.
“You want to promote birds and bees for pollination, and ants are terrific at keeping soil aerated and can often spread healthy fungi on their travels, contributing to soil health,” said Carol Connare, editor-in-chief of The Old Famer’s Almanac. “Many gardeners now want to keep “wild” places in their gardens to promote wildlife habitats.”
The Ontario Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks also works with municipalities like Ottawa to ensure areas like the Greenbelt are kept as conservation areas. On the Government of Ontario website, they have a section where they explain how areas of Ontario are creating wildlife gardens and how people are able to create them at home.
One tip the Government of Ontario gives is – “To encourage butterflies to stop by your apartment balcony, front porch or window ledge for a visit we suggest you use a planter or two.”
How you can help
Trying to help can seem difficult due to the lack of a garden or no garden. No worries though, having a few pots on the balcony can be enough for bees, butterflies and other insects to live. Creating small parts of your outdoor space that you don’t mow can help plants and animals have a small habitat.
Conclusion
Although colourful plants and neatly kept grass are appealing to look at, they are not helping the wildlife. By making small changes to create a more natural and resourceful outdoor space, we can help animals and plants find a home while we continue to grow the city.
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