The Boreal Forest

Home External Spaces - Provision of Habitats
By Tauqeer Ul Hassan

The habitats of a great amount species of plants, animals and insects have been seriously reduced in recent years. This has occurred through the general decrease in wilderness areas, and the erosion of our countryside by modern agricultural methods, urban encroachment and road building. For instance frogs and newts, which are useful predators, are in serious decline due to the reduction in ponds and wetlands.

In other parts of the country, many species of plants, birds and insects that lived in hedgerows before they were grubbed up, have also been left without a suitable habitat. Even bats, which used to find a refuge in our roofs or behind timber weatherboarding, have suffered severely from a reduction in suitable loft spaces and the unnecessary universal toxic treatment of timber. In our gardens we have the opportunity to help redress the balance. If we wish, we can make conscious decisions to encourage particular species by understanding their specific needs. We can also encourage wildlife generally by avoiding the use of chemicals, by growing hedgerows and thickets or constructing a pond. And if the garden is big enough, having an area of controlled wildness can lead to interesting surprises.

As we gain more knowledge, we may want to go further and provide a more complex ecology. With insects, for instance, there are some that are pests and eat the plants we want to keep and others that are allies and are the natural predators of these pests. With a bit of study, it is possible to find ways of supporting colonies of insects that are allies by providing the right environment of plants etc. This ecological form of pest control and general line of thought can be extended to many different types of interaction between soil, moisture, plants and other organisms. It takes a different sort of knowledge than that required for understanding the labels on bottles.

Ponds

The provision of a pond is an important ecological asset; they can be incorporated into most gardens, however small. They provide habitats for many water creatures whose numbers are threatened and larger ponds can incorporate the attraction of fish and larger water plants.

Building a pond requires more than making a hole in the ground and lining it. There are numerous books which advise on their construction. To have success you need to understand how water quality can be maintained, and the needs of the species you wish to support. Alternatively you can simply provide the water and wait to see what develops! One of the valuable byproducts of setting up a pond will be a better understanding of this particular ecological niche, which you will be able to pass on to others.

Boundary habitats

Nearly all our gardens have some sort of a wall, fence or hedge to mark boundaries. In the past each area of the country had its own vernacular form of barrier and in many places these are still very much a feature of the landscape-hedges, stone walls or earth mounds, or even a combination of all three. The older this feature is, the greater the number of species that become accommodated. The best boundary habitats are ones that provide the most variety. The ideal boundary habitat for wildlife would be a mound of earth with stones to keep it from falling apart, topped with a hedge, and the whole covered with plants of all types. This type of boundary is common in parts of the country such as south-west Wales and Devon. If there is a suitable opportunity, there is no reason why we should not produce our own version of an attractive vernacular boundary and provide for a wide range of species.

Birds & butterflies

Birds are attracted and supported by the provision of suitable food and nesting sites, whereas butterflies are attracted by particular plants. Tall dense hedges or thick wall creepers make good nesting sites for birds-alternatively, special birdboxes can be bought to encourage particular species. Your local ornithological or natural history society should be able to help you to choose one and to decide where to position it. If there are cats in the neighbourhood, care should be taken with the siting of any bird-table or nesting box.

About the Author:
You can learn how to choose the plants for hanging baskets outside your house and also how to build skateboard ramp outside your house.