How to Take Action to Preserve Nature
Stop mowing your lawn., Participate in beach or river cleanup., Stop using pesticides., Plant native trees and shrubs., Catch your rainwater., Plant flowers that bees will like.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Stop mowing your lawn.
The grasses and weeds will go to seed, and offer haven for insects and birds.
Wildflowers will bloom, providing nourishment for bees.
When you maintain a standard grass lawn, you’re depriving these creatures of their natural environment.You might wish to set aside part of your lawn to leave unmown, or you might decide to mow paths through longer grassy areas.
Be prepared to share your reasons with your neighbors, who might at first not realize the benefits of long grass. -
Step 2: Participate in beach or river cleanup.
When people litter, their trash often makes its way to our local waterways, destroying the natural homesites of birds, fish and other waterland creatures.
Help out by joining with others in beach or riverside cleanup events.If there’s not a cleanup in your area, consider creating one.
All you’ll need are trash bags, rubber gloves, and a team of like-minded volunteers.
You can select any lake, river, creek, swamp, marsh, beach, or wetland you prefer to help clean. , Pesticides, despite the name, don’t actually solve pest problems.
Rather than spraying toxic pesticides that are dangerous to humans, pets, fish and birds, the best solution is to alter the garden environment in a way that causes the pests to leave.Try using beneficial insects that can control the pest population, or natural pesticides which have been developed to make the plant taste bad to the pest.
Pesticides include insecticides, herbicides, biocides, fungicides, and nematicides. , By planting trees and shrubs that are native to your area, you’ll be working with the local ecosystem rather than against it.
Check with your local nursery, or with your state’s cooperative extension agency, to learn more about the particular varieties of native plants that might thrive on your property.Planting native plants helps with water conservation.
Once established, little or no irrigation should be needed for most well-placed native plants.
You’ll be increasing the local biodiversity, establishing native pollinator and songbird habitats in your yard. , A ½ inch of rain on a 1000 sq. foot roof produces about 280 gallons of water that you can then use to irrigate your garden, and clean items around your home.
Most people use a rain barrel to save their rainwater until it’s used for irrigation.
You can put a rain barrel directly beneath your gutter, or you can install a diverter that pulls water from your water drainage system.Rainwater isn’t safe for drinking; it should only be used for irrigation and cleaning purposes.
Saving your rainwater helps protect nature by preventing stormwater runoff from carrying trash, nutrients, and other pollution to your local lakes and streams. , Small, diverse plantings that bloom for multiple seasons will help support your local bee population.
There are many reasons that bees are vital to your local ecosystem, including pollination of fruit trees and food crops.Examples of favorites among bees include borage, cleome, cosmos, “bee-balm” or monarda, verbena and zinnia.
Herbs that bees frequent include rosemary, thyme, mint, basil, and all kinds of sage or salvia. -
Step 3: Stop using pesticides.
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Step 4: Plant native trees and shrubs.
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Step 5: Catch your rainwater.
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Step 6: Plant flowers that bees will like.
Detailed Guide
The grasses and weeds will go to seed, and offer haven for insects and birds.
Wildflowers will bloom, providing nourishment for bees.
When you maintain a standard grass lawn, you’re depriving these creatures of their natural environment.You might wish to set aside part of your lawn to leave unmown, or you might decide to mow paths through longer grassy areas.
Be prepared to share your reasons with your neighbors, who might at first not realize the benefits of long grass.
When people litter, their trash often makes its way to our local waterways, destroying the natural homesites of birds, fish and other waterland creatures.
Help out by joining with others in beach or riverside cleanup events.If there’s not a cleanup in your area, consider creating one.
All you’ll need are trash bags, rubber gloves, and a team of like-minded volunteers.
You can select any lake, river, creek, swamp, marsh, beach, or wetland you prefer to help clean. , Pesticides, despite the name, don’t actually solve pest problems.
Rather than spraying toxic pesticides that are dangerous to humans, pets, fish and birds, the best solution is to alter the garden environment in a way that causes the pests to leave.Try using beneficial insects that can control the pest population, or natural pesticides which have been developed to make the plant taste bad to the pest.
Pesticides include insecticides, herbicides, biocides, fungicides, and nematicides. , By planting trees and shrubs that are native to your area, you’ll be working with the local ecosystem rather than against it.
Check with your local nursery, or with your state’s cooperative extension agency, to learn more about the particular varieties of native plants that might thrive on your property.Planting native plants helps with water conservation.
Once established, little or no irrigation should be needed for most well-placed native plants.
You’ll be increasing the local biodiversity, establishing native pollinator and songbird habitats in your yard. , A ½ inch of rain on a 1000 sq. foot roof produces about 280 gallons of water that you can then use to irrigate your garden, and clean items around your home.
Most people use a rain barrel to save their rainwater until it’s used for irrigation.
You can put a rain barrel directly beneath your gutter, or you can install a diverter that pulls water from your water drainage system.Rainwater isn’t safe for drinking; it should only be used for irrigation and cleaning purposes.
Saving your rainwater helps protect nature by preventing stormwater runoff from carrying trash, nutrients, and other pollution to your local lakes and streams. , Small, diverse plantings that bloom for multiple seasons will help support your local bee population.
There are many reasons that bees are vital to your local ecosystem, including pollination of fruit trees and food crops.Examples of favorites among bees include borage, cleome, cosmos, “bee-balm” or monarda, verbena and zinnia.
Herbs that bees frequent include rosemary, thyme, mint, basil, and all kinds of sage or salvia.
About the Author
Deborah Ferguson
Specializes in breaking down complex creative arts topics into simple steps.
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