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'Tend to Your Wild' is designed to call attention to the basic and critical importance of pollinators while fundamentally changing the way we think about our gardens. Below are downloadable PDFs Compiled from others, added to and observed by Tend to Your Wild content @ 2017 all rights reserved merry cox |
So what is habitat?
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| 2- Bioregion.docx |
Home Base Bioregion
quick fill mad lib
Your bioregion is a geographical place that is defined by natural boundaries such as mountains, rivers, coasts, forests, deserts and it has a unique combination of geology, water, flora, fauna, climate that when taken wholly, distinguishes it from other regions.
To describe your place, start with watershed. Your watershed is the land area near you that drains water into a specific river or lake, gulf, bay etc.
I live in the___________________________________________
watershed
that drains into__________________________________________
river, lake, gulf, sea
surrounded by __________________________________________
prairie, mtns, coast, wetlands, desert, forests, landforms
formed by______________________________________________
glacial, uplifting, erosion, volcano
topped with____________________________________________
soil type
influenced by___________________________________________
weather, climate, altitude
and populated by________________________________________.
flora and fauna
Survey the distinguishing flora, fauna, geology and climate of your area; living things in your watershed form a closely interconnected web of relationships. By becoming intimate with these species, the climate and the conditions of your landscape, you will be able to make beneficial habitat decisions.
A few fun things to investigate:
•Trace the water you drink from precipitation to tap and from tap to ultimate disposal.
•Name five trees in your area. Which of them are native?
•Name five resident and five migratory birds in your area.
•What spring wildflower is consistently among the first to bloom where you live?
•What fall wildflower is consistently among the last to bloom?
Let’s start where you are, but where you are?
How well do you know your ‘Bioregion’?
You are located in a geographical area described in terms of its unique combination of flora, fauna, geology, climate and water, an area defined by natural boundaries and distinct living communities. Wholly taken together, these distinguish your bioregion from others.
The central message is to attend to where you live by focusing on the wisdom your place. The local mix of plants, animals and watersheds, landscapes define the character and eventually the success of habitat adventure.
Describe the distinctive characteristics of your region
Watersheds
Geography: Natural boundaries
Fauna
Flora
Migration
Seasonal changes: sun, birds, bugs, animals, winds, precipitation
Make a commitment to seek out the other inhabitants of your bioregion.
Within a bioregion lies a patchwork of land or aquatic uses.
Each patch provides habitat in which different species survive and flourish.
| 3_let’s_investigate_your_yard.docx |
Let’s investigate your yard.
We all should know that diversity makes for a rich tapestry, and we must understand that all the threads of the tapestry are equal in value no matter what their color.
Maya Angelou
The local mix of plants, animals and watersheds, landscapes define the character and eventually the success of your habitat adventure.
Always have an eye for finding your place within the limits of your bioregion.
Micro-climate places:
• Cooler, hotter, wetter, windier, more snow accumulation
• Location and impact of structures: house, garage, fences, walls etc
Climate in your yard
• Wind direction, intensity and the changes it makes over the year,
barriers and lees
• Temperatures, highs, lows, first, last and sporadic frosts
• Precipitation amounts, when and where
Sunshine and Shade
• Where is solar south? • Points of sunrise, sunset,
• Areas of sun shade throughout the day
Water:
• Creeks, gullies, water movement during storms, flood zones, well,
city water, irrigation, catchment potential.
• Where does it come from?
Network of springs, creeks, rivers flowing together.
Flora:
• Relationships and connectedness: What is growing next to what.
• Is it native or planted gone wild?
• What vegetation is near water sources, downspouts, leaks, seeps?
• Existing vegetation: species and what they indicate
• Is the north-side of a structure harboring different vegetation than the south
Fauna:
• Native, introduced, pests, paths and corridors they use
Soil: Sand Clay Loam Silt
• Drainage, texture. depleted, rich, organic materials, depth, PH,
Rock out-croppings
Migration, Seasons:
• What passes through and when
• Trace the sun's seasonal route
Things to investigate
•What is the land use history by humans in your region during
the past century?
•Were the stars out last night?
•What feeds on the plants you see?
•What bugs do you see and where?
•What nests where?
•What gathers organic matter?
•What gathers water?
•What is opportunistic in the shade?
•Plant combos
•What grows in open areas?
•What grows in windy areas?
•What grows on the north-sides of things?
•What grows on the south-sides of things?
•What is thicket forming?
•What grows near ditches?
•What grows on fence lines?
Using one thing you discovered about your yard, fill in the blanks.
Once upon a time there was ____________________________________________
Every day ____________________________________________________________
One Day _____________________________________________________________
Because of that _______________________________________________________
Because of that _______________________________________________________
Until finally ___________________________________________________________
| 4-Mapping our Place.doc |
Mapping your place
Make a basic, but large SITE PLAN of your site
Sketch the following EXISTING elements on your map:
Buildings & Infrastructure
House
Garage
Fences & Walls
Utilities – phone, sewer, septic/leach-field, gas, water, power
Access & Circulation
Paths
Driveways
Parking
Material Delivery
Vegetation (and species if known)
Trees
Shrubs
Garden Beds
Water
Creeks
Gullies
Water movement during storms
Flood zones
Well
Irrigation
Rain Catchment potentials
Views
Microclimates – Cooler, hotter, windier, wetter, more snow
accumulation
Traffic and access roads
Add EXISTING Conditions/Natural Elements from your observations:
Sun: Solar South, Points of sunrise, sunset; winter and summer solar zenith
Shade: throughout days, seasons
Wind: direction, intensity, changes it makes over the year
Animals: paths and corridors,
Neighbors: noise, pats, traffic, pollution, etc.
| 5_desired_elements.doc |