By Renee Frith
The saying, “It takes a village…” comes to mind when discussing biodiversity. Our world is ever evolving, and that’s a good thing. Species, whether plant, fungi or animal, have unique reproductive cycles, lifestyles and feeding preferences symbolizing biodiversity at its finest. Embracing variety as the spice of life enables the human species to grow exponentially. There are many geopolitical and social factors that come into play when describing how humans came to dominate the globe. This article focuses on the unintended environmental impacts of these actions and sheds light on some ways to add back to nature.
Wouldn’t it be great if humans were omniscient? The innate ability to see all the possible unintended consequences of decisions would greatly reduce the opportunity for negative environmental impacts. The reality is that humans make the best choices possible based on current possessed knowledge. The unintended consequences show up decades and even centuries later.
Invasive Plant Species
A great example of unintended consequences are invasive plant species. Centuries ago, plant explorers traversed the globe collecting plants that were unknown at the time. As global trade increased, so did the desire for plants that looked different than the native species. Some of these plants had no competition and spread rapidly outcompeting native species. Bradford pear, bush honeysuckle, burning bush, honeysuckle vine, and kudzu are only a few invasive plant species in a long list that are wreaking havoc on native plant population. Not only are the native populations of plants being outcompeted, so are the insects, birds and other wildlife that rely on thriving native plant populations as food sources.
Infrastructure Issues
Another example of an unintended consequence is infrastructure. Think about the interstate system. These roadways were built in the spirit of efficient travel. Many use this for our daily commute, but have you considered who this negatively impacts? Roadways act as a barrier between two sides. Many roadways bisect forests. Wildlife such as bobcat, bear, beavers and deer, just to name a few, once freely roamed in these areas. Now they have a barrier to navigate. Family groupings of wildlife can be cut off from one another by the development of roadways. The ease at which we now travel, has unintended consequences on wildlife in the form of disjunct populations, death due to vehicle accidents, and animal stress. Plant communities are also affected in a similar manner.
Strategies and Resources
Deeper connections and understanding of the natural environment can help us overcome many unintended consequences. Here are some strategies and resources:
- Understanding Host Plant Connections – Insects play a key role in the food web. They pollinate food crops, collect pollen and nectar for their own food source, and are food for many other animals, like birds. Insects have preferences. For example, the Eastern bumblebee (Bombus impatiens) is considered a generalist and has a wide range of plants from which they feed. They live in hollowed out cavities not related to their food source. Host plants provide food, shelter and cover for insects to rear the next generation. One well published host plant connection is the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) and milkweed (Asclepias sp.). Learning how to better support both generalists and host specific insects in a great first step.
- Explore keystone trees and shrubs and find native plant suppliers at homegrownnatinalpark.org
- Host plants and the insects they support. Learn more about host plant selection by insects.
- Corridor Connections for Wildlife – Creating under and over passes within our roadway system will increase the quality of life and population health of wildlife. Anytime a roadway is constructed or expanded, citizens should attend planning meetings or contact their local, state and federal representatives to lobby that funding be added to support wildlife crossings. Learn about the benefits of wildlife crossings
- Create Corridor Connections for Pollinators – Adding native species to any landscape is a win for biodiversity. Anytime native plant communities are destroyed in the name of growth, they need to be replaced. There are many planting opportunities in office parks, residential yards, roadway medians, and more. Reducing turf and creating pollinator habitat is one of the most effective ways to restore plant populations, not to mention the storm water reduction that would take place. Explore ways to reduce turf and increase wildlife habitat.
- Measuring Outcomes Before Breaking Ground – Wouldn’t it be great to be able to create a plan and know how many years it would take to be carbon neutral? What if we could adjust some calculations on a computer and see the differences without having to learn down the road from unintended consequences? It’s possible now! Technology has come so far, and we now have tools developed that help us to see our impacts before we every put the first shovel in the ground. View a template for designing a more natural world.
In order for both humans and nature to thrive, we must change our mindset when building new infrastructure. A balanced approach where both humans and wildlife are supported and can thrive is not a lofty goal. Humans have shown that when they put their mind to something it will happen. Feats in engineering happen all over the world with bridges, tunnel and building that reach above the clouds. Accepting that humans need nature more than nature needs us allows a shift in mindset to being including nature as a fundamental line item in any budget. A good friend shared with me a saying, “small is ALL”. Humans as leaders of our planet have a moral and fiduciary responsibility to protect wildlife and plant populations that seem small because they don’t have an audible voice.