If you were told that beaver, bees, an oak tree and a purple sea star were keystone species, you might wonder, “What does that mean?” Simply stated, this means that each of these species fills a critical niche in its ecosystem which no other species can. This makes them vital to the function of the
I recently watched a documentary called “Kiss the Ground ”. The basic premise is that by healing the soil we can heal our climate crisis. The story asks us to honour natural processes versus chemical processes. Soil damaged by chemicals and excess tillage gives off carbon dioxide whereas healthy soil sequesters carbon dioxide. Poor land
The book by Amy Stross, published in 2017, is a treasure trove of useful tips for busy people who would like to grow some of their own food. With more people moving to the suburbs (about 50% of Americans now live in suburbs), the impact of converting lawns to small micro-farms would have tremendous impact
Lawns into Meadows: Growing a Regenerative Landscape by Owen Wormser Owen Wormser is a landscape designer who specializes in regenerative landscaping based on his study of horticulture, permaculture, organic agriculture and ecology. In his recent book Lawns into Meadows published in June 2020 he provides a practical guide for homeowners to convert their lawns into
I am sharing material about butterflies coping with climate change, taking facts from an article titled “Soft-winged Sentinels”, written by Madeleine Finlay, published in New Scientist Magazine, July 11-17, 2020 edition. New Scientist is based in the United Kingdom. Any omissions or errors in the following are mine. L. Glover Butterflies are cold-blooded animals and
I’m old enough to remember having to scrape the bugs off the windshield every time we filled up with gas in the summertime. Insects were numerous, especially in the evening. Where did they all go? I also remember an advertising slogan that said, “The only good bug is a dead bug”. Wrong! Something like 80%
In his new book Nature’s BestHope Doug Tallamy, professor in the Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Delaware, challenges urban and suburban home owners to create wildlife habitat in their yards. He discusses why we can no longer rely on the few remaining wild spaces, including nature preserves and national parks,
Looking for ideas of what to do with your children or grandchildren during COVID 19? Check out these great ideas from Kids Gardening https://kidsgardening.org/garden-activities/
Bringing Nature Home written by Doug Tallamy, Timber Press Inc This book was first published in 2007 and has become more relevant every year, going into its 13th printing in 2019. The subtitle”How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants” sums it up. Tallamy clearly explains the relationship between plants and animals (includes insects) and
Bee Sweet Nature Company 4182 SR 20, Puslinch, ON N0B 2J0 519-763-0370 www.beesweetnature.ca Operating hours: April 15 to June 23, 2020 and September 5 to November 10, 2020, Wednesday to Saturday 10 am to 5 pm Please call first to ensure owners are home Trees, shrubs, perennials 55 minute drive from Stratford Greenbelt Farm 5901