March 3rd

By Mutt Mulligan

Happy World Wildlife Day from TurfMutt

March 3 is World Wildlife Day, and TurfMutt wants to take the opportunity to give a shout-out to his backyard wildlife pals. As TurfMutt knows, nature starts at our own back doors!

Our yards, parks, schoolyards and other community green spaces are an important part of the world’s ecosystem. Urban environments are largely responsible for the loss of biodiversity. But increasing natural habits for birds, insects and other animals with living landscapes can help combat this problem.

Grass, trees, shrubs and other plant life provide food and habitat for birds and small mammals. Insects, spiders and worms live among the grass blades and below the surface in the turf.

Xeriscaping or hardscaping your yard forces birds, squirrels and other animals to forage for food elsewhere. If we eliminate living landscapes from urban and suburban life, birds and wildlife will lose their habitat.

So when you’re thinking about spring, plan to plant something green to feed and shelter backyard wildlife and pollinators. Check out the USDA’s Plant Hardiness Zone Map to determine which plants will do best in your climate.