What can you do to protect biodiversity
Biodiversity is a wealth. It is what allows life to exist, species to coexist and, above all, to sustain each other. We often talk about it in the context of our work, but it is fundamental not only in the design of lawns and gardens, but for the health of the planet itself. Biodiversity is the basis of life but, unfortunately, we are not always able, as major institutions and as individual citizens, to do everything that is necessary to protect it.
The plans put into practice by governments worldwide, in past decades, to safeguard it did not achieve the hoped-for results and, while scientists and politicians study the next steps to protect this great – and necessary – wealth, everyone, in their own small way, can learn more about what to do to safeguard biodiversity with their own daily actions.
The first step: understanding what biodiversity is
We are used to associating the concept of biodiversity with the idea of safeguarding endangered species, perhaps reducing them to the few large animals that we most commonly include in this category. Biodiversity, however, is something much more complex and, to truly safeguard it, it is necessary to really understand what it consists of.
Biodiversity is internal to an ecosystem, when it concerns the diversity of the species that inhabit it, and it is among ecosystems, when it refers to the variety of ecosystems present on Earth. Its richness depends on this variety and, in a broad sense, on life itself: if a soil is inhabited by different varieties of plants, for example, it will be rich in different substances, since each plant absorbs some substances and releases others. A soil with a low variety of species, on the other hand, will become poor, since it will always have a very similar input of the same few substances.
When choosing the actions to take to protect biodiversity, these characteristics are very often not considered, and we end up replacing one ecosystem with another – a rainforest with a plantation, for example – without taking into account that their contributions to the diversity of the planet are very different, and do not allow us to safeguard that wealth, instead, necessary for life.
This reasoning can be applied to any ecosystem, and our daily actions, our choices, can influence the biodiversity of even distant ecosystems, with which we do not think we interact, precisely because they are all interconnected. This is why compensatory mechanisms are sometimes not enough, and it is the same reason why it is necessary to look at the whole to know how to damage the biodiversity of the planet as little as possible.
The daily actions that make a difference
There are many actions that can help in taking care of biodiversity. As our readers already know, having a mixed lawn is a great source of wealth for the planet, not only for the advantages it brings to garden maintenance, but also for the diversity it is able to provide. However, in addition to having a mixed garden, there are many daily actions that can make a difference, that can protect or, on the contrary, damage biodiversity.
Limiting water consumption
We often talk about drought problems, a consequence of climate change but also of the excessive waste of an ever-increasing global population. Water, the drinking water we use to drink, cook, and wash ourselves, and the fresh water necessary to irrigate fields and hydrate the animals that provide us with food, is not an unlimited resource, and yet, often, we use it carelessly without taking the whole into account. And, without water, many animal and plant species are destined for extinction, thus ending up damaging biodiversity.
To reduce consumption, we all already know the actions to take: prefer a shower to a bath, avoid long showers, close the tap while soaping up and brushing your teeth. These small actions really make a difference, but we could do much more. We could prefer tap water to bottled water, when possible. We could avoid using drinking water to irrigate plants and gardens, by setting up rainwater harvesting systems, as we explained in this article. We could start to consider it a good that not everyone has available, taking care of it instead of wasting it.
Supporting the planting of new trees
Supporting planting is a way to contribute to carbon dioxide sequestration and to reduce temperatures and the effects of global warming. Be careful, however: not just any trees! To truly protect biodiversity, the planting of native trees is essential, that is, those native to the area where they are planted, which are often present in excessively reduced numbers due to deforestation, carried out to build urban structures or to use that land for crops.
If you have a green space, you can think about enriching your land with native plants suitable for the local climate. If, on the other hand, you do not have land, you can always enrich your balcony with low-water-use plants, giving a little greenery to an urban area, but without causing water waste.
Consumption choices
The chemicals used in intensive farming – and the intensive farming itself – destroy biodiversity. Intensive livestock farming, in addition to being cruel, also represents a major threat to the richness of diversity. The production of some everyday items involves the use of substances that damage the most fragile ecosystems, such as marine ones. In short, many of the things we use daily harm the environment. This means, however, that with more conscious purchasing choices, it is possible to protect biodiversity. Learning about production processes, making sure you consume food that comes from sustainable farming, choosing the least polluting products possible, is a small contribution that anyone can make to safeguard biodiversity.
Supporting pollinating insects
The presence of bees and other pollinating insects is a great test of biodiversity. Take notice: passing through areas that host intensive and monocultural farming and where chemicals are used, it is almost impossible to come across one of these precious insects. Some pollinator species have been declared at risk of extinction and, partly due to increasingly hot temperatures, partly due to the lack of variety, the danger of losing them is always increasing.
If you can, equip your lawn or balcony with pollinator plants, to host bees and help them survive.
Taking care of them can really make a difference, and can help you preserve biodiversity.
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