Many concerns of the day including drought, wildfire risk, biodiversity loss and climate change can be addressed in our own landscapes. Find out how you can take action within your own yard and create a beautiful and sustainable landscape of your own.
By the Resilient Landscapes Coalition
ResilientLandscapesCoalition.org
Sonoma County, California
[Music] your garden can be fir ready resilient beautiful and Wildlife friendly this video focuses on strategies for providing habitat for wildlife improving soil conserving water and sequestering carbon all while following guidelines for defensible space within 100 ft of a home many of today’s critical issues troubling our planet can be addressed in our home gardens each of us can tackle challenges ranging from the global biodiversity crisis to the ever growing threats of climate change and the increasing risk of catastrophic wildfires We Can Make a Difference by addressing these problems in our [Music] Gardens there are many actions homeowners can take to reduce water and energy use sequester carbon and support Wildlife while decreasing risk of losing the home to Wildfire an important action to improve wildlife habitat and save water is to replace Lawns with Native drought tolerant shrubs and ground covers that flower and fruit throughout the year in fact many cities and water districts will pay homeowners to do this and if a lawn is needed in part of the garden there are water conserving native grass options available planting in Islands or clusters of vegetation will provide shelter for wildlife to hide from predators while non-flammable Pathways between between plant groupings will interrupt the path of fire remember since all plants will burn there are no fire safe plants instead the location and maintenance of plants and care of the soil that supports them will be key to a fire ready landscape planting and caring for Oaks contributes tremendously to thriving Wildlife oak trees are a food factory in Spring producing an abundance of caterpillars and other insects critical for birds to feed their young and remember that all trees shrubs and grasses help sequester carbon by pulling it in from the air to be used for growth while releasing oxygen in return water is a precious resource and with climate change resulting in longer and more significant droughts we need to adapt our water conservation habits in the garden one way to do this is by increasing soil organic matter which acts like a sponge slowly releasing water and helping plants get through drought adding 2 to 3 in of mulch such as Arbor mulch will add organic matter to the soil cool the soil surface and retain water healthy soils are a complex network of plant roots insects fungi bacteria and organic matter and can also sequester carbon while creating healthy plants another way to conserve water is to create a Swale or Dry Creek bed redirecting water from your downspouts to sink into the soil and recharge the groundwater the Swale can also reduce flooding in Creeks where down spouts often discharge and can act as a barrier to fire if lined with cobbles choose irrigation methods that favor water conservation and promote plant health and use native plants that require less water to minimize your home’s energy use plant trees to provide shade on the sunny south and west side of your home especially deciduous trees that lose their leaves in the winter providing sunlight in the cold months one action a homeowner can take to support wildlife and conserve water is to primarily use locally native plants that are adapted to California’s dry Summers many pollinators will more readily feed on the native plants with which they’ve evolved over Millennia these pollinators are important links in the Web of Life create Gardens that attract butterflies bees and Birds by planting clusters of trees shrubs and perennials that bloom throughout the year native plants like California fuchsia coffee Berry Salvia Yaro and monkey flow provide fruits pollen and nectar milkweed and pipe vine are needed for Monarch and pipe vine swallowtail butterflies to lay their eggs coyote brush and Men zenita which bloom in late fall provide excellent habitat value and are not fire hazardous of wellmaintained both plants have low growing forms that are excellent for the garden we can build resilience into our community communities by taking action at home that’s good for the environment and improves fire preparedness scan the QR code to visit our website for specific actions you can take for a fire ready Wildlife friendly and beautiful landscape for more detailed information on creating defensible space around your home see our other videos listed in the resources section of our website don’t hesitate to contact us if you have questions and if you like please leave a comment below the video telling us the first step you’re going to take with your garden