How greenwashing can mislead us in our quest to create wildlife-friendly gardens

In recent years, the decreasing population of wild animals has motivated people to look for ways to protect and protect biodiversity in their neighborhood. And one such initiative that has gained importance is wildlife friendly gardeningUrban gardens create diverse habitats and protect biodiversity.

Gardens on private property can constitute a significant part of the green areas urban landscapesTherefore, when individual gardeners choose to plant certain species of trees or retain mature trees, these spaces can assist meet the needs of wildlife in areas dominated by humans.

However, instead of focusing their confined time, energy and finances on those interventions that deliver effective results, many individual gardeners fall victim GreenwashingGreenwashing is the practice of exaggerating or misrepresenting a product’s environmental benefits.

As an environmentalist, I have seen people spend money on products that provide relatively less environmental benefit compared to alternative (and cheaper) solutions.

Hummingbirds don’t employ birdhouses

Hummingbird houses (also called nesting boxes or hummingbird baskets) are tiny structures made of wood or straw. These products appear in gardening catalogs and offers Online sellersThe concept is straightforward: hang the structures outside, wait patiently, and soon the nesting boxes will be occupied by hummingbirds building nests.

In most of North America this intervention is directed at ruby-throated hummingbird — a habitual garden visitor with the largest geographic range of any hummingbird. During the breeding season, its range extends beyond million square kilometers.

When I was first asked about the usefulness of hummingbird houses, I delved into the literature and found no evidence to suggest that hummingbirds actually use hummingbird houses. Many organizations working to protect hummingbirds and other bird species are trying deal with this disinformation and redirect gardeners.

Hummingbird nests are usually very hard to findusually found high in the canopy of deciduous trees. Although hummingbird boxes are unlikely to have a negative impact, they are unlikely to be of much value to hummingbirds and may be a waste of time, energy, and money.

Instead, gardeners need to provide cover with trees and shrubs (so that hummingbirds have a place to build nests) and choose plants that produce a lot of nectarIf you want to provide a nesting structure for birds, build or buy a larger nesting box which will be used by other birds nesting in tree holes, such as eastern blue tits, tree swallows and tits.

Bee hotels are often occupied by wasps

Of the 3,600 species of bees found in Canada and the United States, 30 percent are classified as cavity-nesting birds. These bees store pollen in protected cavities, such as the hollow ends of twigs or stems, which are created by the insects’ tedious into the wood.

In recent years, bee hotels have become widely available to provide cavity-nesting bees with protected places to nest. Bee hotels are constructed from a variety of materials, including hollow tubes or core stems in which a solitary bee can build a nest.

The idea was that providing solitary bees with a choice of nesting sites would augment the population of solitary bees (especially native species).

But research paints a more sophisticated picture. A comprehensive study of Toronto’s bee hotels found that native bees made up less than 25 percent insects using bee hotelsMost of the inhabitants of bee hotels are solitary wasps, which typically build mud nests, providing their larvae with insects and spiders to eat.

During the study, the authors found that native bees using the hotels were attacked by parasites at a rate about three times higher than introduced bee species. A parasitoid is an insect that feeds on the tissues of the insect host (in this case the bee), ultimately leading to the death of the host.

The study authors found that, in a worst-case scenario, bee hotels can serve as a way to concentrate bees in high-density clusters, where they are more vulnerable to predators, parasites and pathogens.

Most home gardeners have difficulty determining whether a bee hotel is working as intended or whether the bees living in it are native or non-native. Understanding this before installing a bee hotel is crucial, as the rapid augment in non-native mason bees has been linked to decline in the population of native mason beesmost likely through disease transmission.

Choosing plants that offer lots of nectar and pollen, keeping patches of bare soil in a shining part of the garden (most bees live in the soil) and keeping or bringing ballast and ancient stems are a useful alternative to bee hotels.

Nature is disordered

Ecological systems are full of variability. The more diversity of plant and animal species in it, the healthier and more resistant it is. A neat and tidy garden may not fully meet the needs of native insects and birds.

My advice to anyone who wants to make their garden more wildlife-friendly is to consider resisting obsessive order syndromeThe term “obsessive tidiness syndrome” was coined by ecologist Douglas Boyes to describe humanity’s obsession with keeping everything “in order” at the expense of leaving space for wildlife.

Designating parts of your garden as “untidy” or “wild” areas can provide habitat for wildlife.

Greenwashing is a common theme in many aspects of our lives. Fortunately, when it comes to wildlife-friendly gardening, the answers are widely shared and straightforward to implement: choose plants that feed wildlife (especially native plants), tolerate a little mess, and learn more about the specific needs of the wildlife you want to protect and preserve.

Implementing these practices and encouraging others to follow their example can assist ensure that our biodiversity coexists with the diversity around us.