It’s easy to think of our home landscapes as solitary bubbles that don’t interact with the land around them. However, our yards are becoming an increasingly important part of Florida’s ecology.
As Florida’s population rises, undisturbed areas are shrinking and becoming isolated. The state is now a network of urban and suburban areas, with rare patches of natural areas. With increasing development, wildlife movement is further hindered without an ecologically thoughtful approach to our landscaping practices.
Having an ecologically focused yard doesn’t just benefit nature. Building a diverse landscape can naturally reduce pest and disease issues, which in turn requires less effort and chemical control.
Limit Lawn Space
Unfortunately, turfgrass alone as a groundcover does not provide food or habitat for many wildlife species. You can improve the ecological contributions of your lawn and make it more biodiverse by introducing alternative, native groundcovers. There are plenty of options that require less maintenance than traditional turfgrass, and many benefit pollinators or other wildlife.
If you require turfgrass, you can establish biodiverse, landscaped islands instead. Fill these islands with alternative groundcovers, wildflowers or native plants. Place the islands near each other, if possible, so wildlife can easily move among them.
Provide Habitats
You may be tempted to remove dead trees from your yard, but leaving them provides housing for insects and the birds that eat them. Just be sure to move snags away from buildings.
Consider leaving some brush as well. Leaving a few piles around your yard provides cover and feeding opportunities for wildlife.
Leaf litter can also be used as mulch and fertilizer. Keeping leaves in your yard provides a place for insects to overwinter and emerge from in the spring when birds and other wildlife are ready to feed. Leaving dead stems on plants is also beneficial because this is where many pollinators hatch.
Edge the mulched areas of your yard and create paths to make it look neat.
Setting up bird houses, baths and feeders supports your local bird population. Consider installing a pond or water garden as a water source, too. Just make sure the water doesn’t remain stagnant and become a nursery for mosquito larvae.
For pollinators, you need plants to support their larval stage, as well as plants that provide nectar once they’re fully developed. Birds feed on the insects that appear, but you can also give them a varied diet by providing plants with berries.
Remove Invasive Plants
Invasive plants are your worst enemy when trying to cultivate biodiversity.
These plants are defined as having been introduced to the area, are nonnative, and have caused—or will likely cause—environmental harm, economic harm and/or harm to humans.
Approximately 1.7 million acres of Florida’s natural areas are consumed by invasive plants, and local ecosystems have been devastated as a result. Destroying any invasives you find in your yard prevents them from taking over and stops them from producing seeds that could spread elsewhere.
Plant Natives
Although it seems counterintuitive, you should plant natives because our insects can eat them. Finding a small amount of damage shows your plant has ecological value.
Nonnative plants are often too different from our native species for them to qualify as insect food. A lack of insects leads to a lack of birds. Instead, plant natives to support a diverse insect population that serves as a buffet for wildlife.
Don’t assume you need to replace every nonnative in your yard today. Rather, plan to replace nonnative plants as they die.
Limit Pesticide Use
If you’ve already implemented the steps above, you’re less likely to have severe pest infestations. Pest problems thrive in monoculture systems. Increasing species diversity, density, and spatial variance can lead to declines in arthropod pests and increases in their predators.
Often, beneficial insects are unintentionally killed when pesticides are applied.
Spraying yards for mosquitos is a practice with unintentional deadly consequences for beneficial insects. Instead, only spot-treat severe problems or use baits that target specific species.
You can also take a natural route by planting insect-repulsing plants—such as marigolds—in problem areas.
Promoting Change
Hopefully, your neighbors will be so impressed by your biodiverse wildlife haven that they’ll feel inspired to transform their yards as well. The more people prioritize local ecology in their landscapes, the more Florida’s ecology will strengthen. Wildlife will thrive, invasive plants will disappear and native plants will once again support biodiversity.