Science Supports Habitat Haven

We are excited about the potential of Habitat Haven, our backyard certification program, to help people create habitat that supports biodiversity. But does it work?  It makes sense that through planting native vegetation and creating canopy levels, through reducing pesticide use and invasive plants, and through water and soil health, we help to provide food, nesting sites, and shelter for birds, pollinators, and other wildlife.

Recently, we were fortunate to attend a webinar with Susannah Lerman, a scientist with the USDA Forest Service Northern Research Station in Massachusetts, presenting evidence for the benefits of backyard habitat programs. Much of the presentation summarized research from “Humanity for Habitat: Residential Yards as an Opportunity for Biodiversity Conservation” (Bioscience, 2023). Below is a copy of a figure from the paper showing some salient research. Each panel is briefly commented on below. For attribution of individual studies and further explanation, see the paper at BioScience.

1. If around 70 percent of garden plants are native, there will be enough insects to support positive population growth for songbirds. In addition to supplying nectar, seeds, and fruits to birds, our native plant gardens support greater numbers of insects, particularly caterpillars, that insectivorous birds and their young rely on.
2. Less frequent lawn mowing supports greater populations of bee pollinators. Practice lazy lawn mowing!
3. Environmentally friendly yard management increases the number of distinct species found. Yes, our backyard habitats do indeed support biodiversity.
4. Vegetation in yards, and trees especially, help to store carbon. We need to take advantage of ways to slow climate change.
5. In addition to the habitat that trees provide, canopy cover helps to intercept rainwater, providing a drier basement, which benefits soil and reduces flooding.
6. Canopy cover decreases ambient temperatures, especially important now with the recorded increase in numbers and severity of hot days.
7. More birds in the garden correlates with a stronger connection to nature. Connection to nature has been shown to increase our sense of wellbeing.
8. In this study, more native plants in Arizona increased the number of native desert birds, which, in turn, was correlated with respondents reporting greater satisfaction with neighborhood birds.
9. Looking good. Yards employing environmental practices are more aesthetically pleasing.

Not to mention that they are easier to care for since native plants naturally do better in their native climate and require less chemicals and less water to grow.

Here’s the caveat: if we are going to create havens for our birds and pollinators, we do not want to be attracting them to a dangerous place. This is why our program contains a wildlife stewardship category that provides information on issues such as reducing window strikes, minimizing the impact of artificial lights at night, and keeping cats safe at home or under supervision.

In the US, people’s houses with their associated yards cover about 30 percent of the land. The total amount is more than four times greater than land such as national forests and parks classified as “protected.” Most conservation efforts focus on protected lands, although most of the world’s population lives in urban and suburban areas. Backyard habitat programs provide a tremendous opportunity to make a significant difference where we live.