This seems like a great idea for environmentalists. Return native plant and insect populations, and create areas that provide clean energy. By the end of the field campaign, the team had observed...
This seems like a great idea for environmentalists. Return native plant and insect populations, and create areas that provide clean energy.
By the end of the field campaign, the team had observed increases for all habitat and biodiversity metrics. There was an increase in native plant species diversity and flower abundance. In addition, the team observed increases in the abundance and diversity of native insect pollinators and agriculturally beneficial insects, which included honeybees, native bees, wasps, hornets, hoverflies, other flies, moths, butterflies and beetles.
Flowers and flowering plant species increased as well. Total insect abundance tripled, while native bees showed a 20-fold increase in numbers. The most numerous insect groups observed were beetles, flies and moths.
In an added benefit, the researchers found that pollinators from the solar sites also visited soybean flowers in adjacent crop fields, providing additional pollination services.
Having some solar panels or windmills are great....but there's no real reason this needs tied to green energy production. Seeding areas with wildflowers and a few native trees/shrubs is a good...
Having some solar panels or windmills are great....but there's no real reason this needs tied to green energy production.
Seeding areas with wildflowers and a few native trees/shrubs is a good start. Outside of sports fields and some parks, there's little reason to have green grass instead of an unkempt native meadow or forest. Added bonus is it'll use a lot less water as well.
This last one is harder, but especially important in suburbia where the density is low and wildlife needs space to intermingle: Turn off all the damn lights at night. Half the reason mosquito problems are so bad in suburbia is that we disrupt the circadian rythems of half of their biggest predators. That and poisioning the other half with pesticides and herbicides. Don't spray your lawn with pesticides or herbicides. If you must, to protect your home from intruders, use targetted spray along the interior and exterior of the home where it won't get washed away in the rain. If it's not safe for your kids or pets to play with, it's gonna kill smaller stuff even faster. Including birds, larger insects, and reptiles.
It just bothers me so incredibly much that we need to expend so much effort trying to prove what we already know. Any space left alone by humans can and will eventually recover...provided we give it sufficient space.
There was a corner of my side yard where there are a few trees, and the previous owner had perfectly kempt grass surrounding them. Couldn't find a single creature. I now just let the leaves pile up instead of blowing them out to be collected for yard waste, and now there's tons of worms, ants, centipedes, and birds eating those things. There is fungus growing in the soil again and things are recovering. And this is inside of 2 years.
Absolutely. Unfortunately, Americans equate "pretty" with "well manicured" even though it's incredibly unhealthy for the environment. There's an area in my neighborhood where no one is allowed to...
Absolutely. Unfortunately, Americans equate "pretty" with "well manicured" even though it's incredibly unhealthy for the environment.
There's an area in my neighborhood where no one is allowed to build, it's just an open field at this point. I'm slowly turning it into a wildflower meadow. Pretty much everyone in the neighborhood that I've spoken with are excited for it, except for 2 of the old couples. They've spoken with me about it and have said "won't it bring bugs?" Yes, that's the whole damn point.
We've made ever space on the planet uninhabitable to the organisms that have inhabited that area for hundreds of thousands of years.
There is another field in my neighborhood that I believe is a runoff for our waste treatment pond. Nothing is allowed to be put there at all. It would be a perfect place for a meadow/solar farm like this, but our state views solar panels as impervious surface, and won't allow them because it's too close to the water, as if run off from solar panels would be the same as runoff from roads or houses. I would love to petition my Department of The Environment to put a meadow/solar farm in that area and send them this article.
Believe me, I've thought about it. Unfortunately, wildflowers require a ton of set up. You have to remove basically all of the vegetation in the area, then plant and water like crazy. It's not...
Believe me, I've thought about it. Unfortunately, wildflowers require a ton of set up. You have to remove basically all of the vegetation in the area, then plant and water like crazy. It's not quite as simple as just dropping seeds in the field.
But, once the meadow is established, you basically ignore it until the winter and you can choose to cut it down to a short height of like 8 inches, or just let it do it's thing all winter. The latter is better for wildlife as then they have a food source during winter, while the former I believe is better for the meadow because then you can spread the seeds for the next season.
I do have some native grass seed I might drop over there, as well as clover seed. Right now the whole field is pretty much sand burrs which are the worst.
I think I'm going to make a post about my process/progress in the summer on Tildes to encourage more people to make a meadow in their community.
That being said, if you kill the grass (some tarps and rocks), then plant a solid pinch of whatever about 1/2 in deep, spaced about a foot apart in early April, you will probably get at least a...
That being said, if you kill the grass (some tarps and rocks), then plant a solid pinch of whatever about 1/2 in deep, spaced about a foot apart in early April, you will probably get at least a little of something.
Also, dandelions can start seeding and sprouting damn near everywhere, and they provide great early and late nectar for bees and other pollinators. Just romp wherever you find a few and make sure to help spread them.
I agree the seed does not take as well as doing the methods you mentioned. However I dropped a half pound of seed in a very heavily grassy area in my side yard to test this, and I did see some...
I agree the seed does not take as well as doing the methods you mentioned. However I dropped a half pound of seed in a very heavily grassy area in my side yard to test this, and I did see some success. I didn't water or touch it after I tossed the seed there in early spring.
Make sure itâs actually native! A lot of âwildflower mixesâ arenât great for native flower content. There are several spots online where you can buy actual native mixes.
Make sure itâs actually native! A lot of âwildflower mixesâ arenât great for native flower content. There are several spots online where you can buy actual native mixes.
I feel like light pollution doesn't get as much attention as it should when it comes to ecosystems. The light we put out at night is super disruptive to so many organisms. I've been conscious...
I feel like light pollution doesn't get as much attention as it should when it comes to ecosystems. The light we put out at night is super disruptive to so many organisms. I've been conscious about turning the porch light off at night if we're not expecting friends or deliveries.
This seems like a great idea for environmentalists. Return native plant and insect populations, and create areas that provide clean energy.
By the end of the field campaign, the team had observed increases for all habitat and biodiversity metrics. There was an increase in native plant species diversity and flower abundance. In addition, the team observed increases in the abundance and diversity of native insect pollinators and agriculturally beneficial insects, which included honeybees, native bees, wasps, hornets, hoverflies, other flies, moths, butterflies and beetles.
Flowers and flowering plant species increased as well. Total insect abundance tripled, while native bees showed a 20-fold increase in numbers. The most numerous insect groups observed were beetles, flies and moths.
In an added benefit, the researchers found that pollinators from the solar sites also visited soybean flowers in adjacent crop fields, providing additional pollination services.
Having some solar panels or windmills are great....but there's no real reason this needs tied to green energy production.
Seeding areas with wildflowers and a few native trees/shrubs is a good start. Outside of sports fields and some parks, there's little reason to have green grass instead of an unkempt native meadow or forest. Added bonus is it'll use a lot less water as well.
This last one is harder, but especially important in suburbia where the density is low and wildlife needs space to intermingle: Turn off all the damn lights at night. Half the reason mosquito problems are so bad in suburbia is that we disrupt the circadian rythems of half of their biggest predators. That and poisioning the other half with pesticides and herbicides. Don't spray your lawn with pesticides or herbicides. If you must, to protect your home from intruders, use targetted spray along the interior and exterior of the home where it won't get washed away in the rain. If it's not safe for your kids or pets to play with, it's gonna kill smaller stuff even faster. Including birds, larger insects, and reptiles.
It just bothers me so incredibly much that we need to expend so much effort trying to prove what we already know. Any space left alone by humans can and will eventually recover...provided we give it sufficient space.
There was a corner of my side yard where there are a few trees, and the previous owner had perfectly kempt grass surrounding them. Couldn't find a single creature. I now just let the leaves pile up instead of blowing them out to be collected for yard waste, and now there's tons of worms, ants, centipedes, and birds eating those things. There is fungus growing in the soil again and things are recovering. And this is inside of 2 years.
Absolutely. Unfortunately, Americans equate "pretty" with "well manicured" even though it's incredibly unhealthy for the environment.
There's an area in my neighborhood where no one is allowed to build, it's just an open field at this point. I'm slowly turning it into a wildflower meadow. Pretty much everyone in the neighborhood that I've spoken with are excited for it, except for 2 of the old couples. They've spoken with me about it and have said "won't it bring bugs?" Yes, that's the whole damn point.
We've made ever space on the planet uninhabitable to the organisms that have inhabited that area for hundreds of thousands of years.
There is another field in my neighborhood that I believe is a runoff for our waste treatment pond. Nothing is allowed to be put there at all. It would be a perfect place for a meadow/solar farm like this, but our state views solar panels as impervious surface, and won't allow them because it's too close to the water, as if run off from solar panels would be the same as runoff from roads or houses. I would love to petition my Department of The Environment to put a meadow/solar farm in that area and send them this article.
It would be a shame if someone went over to that runoff area and spread a bunch of wildflower seed đ
Believe me, I've thought about it. Unfortunately, wildflowers require a ton of set up. You have to remove basically all of the vegetation in the area, then plant and water like crazy. It's not quite as simple as just dropping seeds in the field.
But, once the meadow is established, you basically ignore it until the winter and you can choose to cut it down to a short height of like 8 inches, or just let it do it's thing all winter. The latter is better for wildlife as then they have a food source during winter, while the former I believe is better for the meadow because then you can spread the seeds for the next season.
I do have some native grass seed I might drop over there, as well as clover seed. Right now the whole field is pretty much sand burrs which are the worst.
I think I'm going to make a post about my process/progress in the summer on Tildes to encourage more people to make a meadow in their community.
That being said, if you kill the grass (some tarps and rocks), then plant a solid pinch of whatever about 1/2 in deep, spaced about a foot apart in early April, you will probably get at least a little of something.
Also, dandelions can start seeding and sprouting damn near everywhere, and they provide great early and late nectar for bees and other pollinators. Just romp wherever you find a few and make sure to help spread them.
I agree the seed does not take as well as doing the methods you mentioned. However I dropped a half pound of seed in a very heavily grassy area in my side yard to test this, and I did see some success. I didn't water or touch it after I tossed the seed there in early spring.
Oh nice! I hope I gage success this year considering how much work I've put into it!
Make sure itâs actually native! A lot of âwildflower mixesâ arenât great for native flower content. There are several spots online where you can buy actual native mixes.
I feel like light pollution doesn't get as much attention as it should when it comes to ecosystems. The light we put out at night is super disruptive to so many organisms. I've been conscious about turning the porch light off at night if we're not expecting friends or deliveries.