Continuing urban development is rapidly depleting wild spaces. It is especially important in an area like Squamish that is surrounded by wilderness, for insects and birds to have pockets of space in our yards to rest and refuel as they travel from one wild area to another.
Exotic plants may look nice, but they are actually of limited value to native wildlife. Native plants are both functional and beautiful. They attract a diverse assortment of birds, butterflies, bees, and other beneficial insects.
Insects form the backbone of the food chain: ninety-six per cent of North American terrestrial bird species require them to survive. Native plants support a vastly greater diversity of beneficial insect species than non-native ornamentals.
Native butterflies, bees, and other insects and animals have co-evolved with native plants over many thousands of years. This means, for example, that body structures of certain insect species have formed over time in relation to the specific native plants they feed on and vice versa. Because of this, native fauna have a strong preference for native plants as a food source.
Many native butterflies and other insect species are able to reproduce using only a few, and sometimes only one, specific native plant species or “host plant”.
New research shows that plants “talk” to each other using underground fungal networks. Plants grow best when they are in relationship with an ecosystem of other plants they recognize. In addition, native plants are authentic: they fit functionally and aesthetically within our regional context. They are well suited to our climate and growing conditions. Many are drought tolerant once established.
Consider becoming a “guardian” rather than a “gardener”. Choose to share your green space – whether it is a small balcony pot or an acreage – to conserve habitat and provide needed food and refuge for local wildlife. If you plant it, they will come!