A Canadian expert on flora and fauna has revealed there is increasing interest in eco-friendly gardening that supports pollinators.
Bren Beckwith from KinSeed Ecologies in Nelson, British Columbia, said: “There really is momentum around native plants and wanting to get them into gardens.”
Bren and her team advise homeowners on incorporating plant seeds that naturally grow in their region.
The ethnobotanist told broadcaster CBC: “Native plants are the foundation of local ecosystems. The plants themselves are part of this community.”
On her company’s website, Bren explains: “More than 500 species of native bees in British Columbia – 60 per cent of all bees in Canada – alone rely on the diversity and availability of a wide assortment of plants.”
She warns that “loss of pollinators jeopardises plant reproduction and health.”
CBC reports that Bren and her colleagues are gathering wild seeds that do well in gardens – such as camassias and yellow avalanches lily – to distribute them.
The co-founder of KinSeed Ecologies explained focusing on native plants would lead to better pollination and increased genetic variability in local ecosystems. She added: “We don’t think about those plants in terms of big showy flowers but they are super important for early pollinators.”
Speaking about the importance of balanced flora and fauna, Bren also underlined the impact of trees like hazelnut and willow.
On the KinSeed Ecologies homepage, Bren says warns: “Habitat loss, land conversion and mismanagement and resource extraction continue to accelerate, crowding out our native plant relatives.”
She emphasises: “The need for native plant conservation is more acute than ever.”
Bren concludes that native plants “are the foundation of life, including yours.”
