BACK TO NATURE - Habitat

Lately we’ve been working on some minor construction projects around the nursery, which has resulted in some piles of hardwood offcuts laying around for some days afterwards. Invariably, within a day or two we’ll see Shade Skinks (Saproscincus sp.) turn up in these piles of wood. 

The same thing happens when we place small piles of sticks and rocks around the garden. When we talk about creating habitat and improving biodiversity in our gardens and larger scale projects, the emphasis is of course on the stars of the show, the plants. But planting a diversity of local species is only a part of the habitat story. 

By adding structure we can greatly enhance the habitat potential of a planted area. This structure can take many forms and the more diversity of these forms we can accommodate in an area the more habitat potential we can achieve. 

In its simplest form this may be a pile of leaves or mulch which provide important conditions for many species of insects to thrive. The decomposition process generates nutrients that support both the insects directly and the microorganisms they feed on. And of course, the insects living there serve as important food sources for birds, small mammals, amphibians, and reptiles, making leaf litter communities essential components of an ecosystem. 

Piles of sticks and rocks of various sizes are an essential component of improving biodiversity in a planted area. This is particularly true for reptile species which rely on these areas for shelter. And these structures don’t strictly need to be simple piles of sticks and rocks but can be incorporated into design forms such as rock walls for retaining or dividing sections in a graden. 

By applying creative design in a naturalistic way through the use of organic structure, you can greatly improve the biodiversity outcomes in your garden space.

If you’d like to see some examples of these principles in use, please call in and see us at the Barung Community Nursery and take a wander in the garden