By Sahana Senthilkumar
Not only is gardening a wonderful hobby that offers a peaceful and rewarding retreat from day to day activities, but it is also beneficial for the environment… right?
Contrary to the common belief, ecosystems can be harmed by the presence of certain plants. Far too often, landscapers and homeowners purchase and plant exotic species simply because of their ability to add to an area’s glamour and beauty. The newly introduced plant species could interfere with the food web and perhaps even become invasive, throwing the entire ecosystem out of balance.
That’s why before you garden, you should do your research to make sure that the plants you purchase will have a positive impact on your local ecosystem. These types of plants, appropriately termed “native species”, have a few characteristics in common:
They are adapted to supporting local wildlife by providing them with food, shelter, and other basic necessities.
They do not require fertilizers or pesticides in order to survive and grow. They will naturally reproduce in numbers required to maintain equilibrium within the ecosystem.
By increasing the soil’s capacity to hold water, they can significantly reduce the amount of runoff in water. As a result, they can reduce the likelihood of negative impacts associated with erosion such as eutrophication.
Of course, they also help purify the air by taking in carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen as a byproduct. Pollution from the burning of fossil fuels has become a significant concern in the past few decades, and native plants have become a key aspect in efforts to reduce carbon pollution.
The benefits of planting native species may seem surprising - most people know the importance of growing plants, but not many know about the importance of growing the right type of plants. The next time you decide to grow a plant in your garden, you should do some research to determine which species are native to your area. You can get started right now by clicking this link and searching the Audubon Society’s database for the native species you should plant to attract birds.