Why and How to Reforest Your Own Backyard- no matter how small it is!
Trees play a crucial role in the survival of life on our planet.
By reforesting your backyard, you can contribute positively to our planet’s health. Trees are instrumental in carbon sequestration, absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and storing it in their biomass. This process hugely mitigates the effects of climate change by reducing greenhouse gas levels. And as trees grow, they release oxygen, ensuring a healthier environment for all living beings.
In addition, trees reduce the risks of soil erosion through their roots binding soil and reducing raindrop impact on bare ground. Larger forests are known to regulate rainfall through the transpiration of their leaves; provide vital shade in summer and mitigate some of the cold of winter months. Trees also act like filters , both through their leaves ands roots, purifying the air and soil around them
Trees also provide essential habitats for countless species of wildlife. Birds, mammals, and insects depend on tree canopies for shelter, food, and breeding grounds; the larger and taller the trees, the more biodiversity can safely be suported in them. By reforesting, you create sanctuaries that support biodiversity and promote ecological stability. This contributes to the overall health of ecosystems, which rely on complex, and often unknown, species interelationships.
The world has seen a massive loss of trees in the past 100 years, mainly from clearance for farming, urban development and for timber.
Every small step we can take towards reforesting our garden spaces contributes to restoring some ecological balance in a dangerously unbalanced world.
Assessing Your Backyard for Reforestation
First, consider your local climate. Understanding the average temperatures, rainfall patterns, and seasonal variations can help you select trees and plants that will thrive in your area. (Look at online weather data and talk to those who have some long term knowledge of your local weather and climate.)
Next, look at the soil in your backyard. (our backyard is on an old shingle river bed, so we have to dig the holes for our new trees with a pick axe and enrich the soil in the planting hole with compost and charcoal and a good mulch layer on top!)
Soil composition plays a vital role in determining the success of your reforestation efforts. If soil fertility is low and the land has been badly depleted of nutrients by agriculture or industrial pollutants, consider bringing in some truckloads of mulch- tree mulch from arborists pruning trees in your neighbourhood can be pretty cheap and is usually not contaminated with chemicals!
Do some reading, go to your local Botanic Gardens and look up online databases about what native trees used to be in your locality or visit a local indigenous forest park.
Observe how much sunlight your backyard receives over the whole of the day in winter and summer, as this will influence the types of trees and undergrowth you can plant . Additionally, assessing drainage is crucial; areas that retain water or are prone to flooding may require different species than drier zones. New evidence suggests that native plants can and should be planted close together to provide mutual support for each other through their mycorrhizal fungal networks. (Remember that artificial fertilizers, insecticides and fungicides will almost certainly kill off those vital networks) Explore other ways to improve your soil fertility through natural methods such as the use of mulch (which helps retain moisture, suppress weeds, and improve soil quality), compost and charcoal.
The Miyawaki planting process is also well worth exploring, but remember that trees grow! and trees that become the giants of the forest will likely need to be planted well away from your house (and perhaps the neighbours fence lines!) because of the shade they bring, and possible roots in water lines etc. However, be brave and grow as many different trees as you can- the more biodiversity you can create with many diferent types of trees, the better off your local natural world will be.
Choosing the Right Trees and Plants
Wherever you can, use local native species, and ideally source your plants or seeds from local plants: they will be much better adapted to local conditions and a better ‘fit’ with local birds, insects and mammals. While local native trees are more likely to thrive without too much help from you, remember that young trees will need care and attention for the first few years, needing watering in dry spells and sometimes protection from frosts and snow until they are larger and stronger.
And if you’re community minded, participating in local conservation initiatives can help support your reforestation efforts. Through community involvement, you can gain knowledge from experienced individuals, share resources, and contribute to larger ecological goals.
Getting Started: Planting and Maintaining Your Backyard Forest
A general rule of thumb is to space trees based on their mature canopy width. For instance, larger species should be planted further apart than smaller varieties. Choose the right time of year for planting, usually in early spring or fall, when the soil is moist and temperatures are moderate, promoting strong root development. Dont plant when its hot and dry
Maintenance is essential for the longevity and health of your backyard forest. Dig the planting hole wider and deeprr than the planting bag or pot and fill the bottom with some compost beforre planting the tree. If the tree is a bit floopy or subject to winds, secure a wooden stake in the hole before planting and then loop a tie around the tree trunk and pole about half way up the tree. Some people recommend planting the tree a bit deeper than the original soil depth in the pot, and then water in well.
Mulching helps retain moisture, suppress weeds, and improve soil quality. Organic mulch, such as wood chips or straw, can also decompose over time, enriching the soil (avoid acidic mulches like pine tree bark, which while they effectively suppress weeds, also supress many other living organisms) . Regular watering is important, particularly for young trees, as they start to develep deeper roots into the sub-soil. And remember wild nature doesnt keep itself neat and tidy!; unless you really need to intervene for safety (eg falling branches), let nature do its thing!. Leaves and branches that fall, will provide food and shelter for many living things, and if you have sufficient biodiversity of plants and insects and fungi, over time diseases and insect pests will usually balance out themselves (but not always!) . Resist the urge to kill off all the bad pests, they’ll be food for other predators in the garden.
If you have the energy and space, provide opportunities for birds and insects to access water. Dig a pool in a quiet area of the garden and line it with native grasses, ferns and small shrubs. Alternatively or additionally, a bird bath or two can provide vital water for your new backyard animal life. One of my great pleasures is watching the birds delight in bathing in our bird baths- the splashing that goes on!
Once you’ve started planting your backyard forest, wander through it as often as you can. Observe how the trees grow-how they reach for light, how they compete for space and any signs of damage or rot. Look for the new insects and birds that arrive. Learn to listen and watch quietly.
Watch how each season more insects and birds arrive in your garden- and sometimes more native seedlings from the birds that arrive! You’ll notice too that traffic and other noise become more muted as the plant grows with height and more leaves.
Your backyard can become a haven of peace for you and your loved ones.
As you get more confident, you might consider wandering round you rnewighbourhood and carefully gathering seeds from some of the native trees in the neighbourhoods (with neighbours permission!) Watching native plants grow from tiny seed into big trees is a delight!
But the biggest delight of all is to just sit and watch quietly your newly emerging forest!
Paul at ChangeThatMind.com
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