PAW PRINTZ

 Urban development has destroyed much of the bush regions that our native wildlife depends upon for food and shelter.The suburban backyard is typically manicured lawns with very few trees and the use of chemicals has unbalanced the natural food chain.

  A garden floor can provide safety, food and shelter if you have areas within the garden with - Ground Cover Plants, Hollow Logs, Large Rocks, Leaf Litter, Small Shrubs. By planting native shrubs & trees, you will attract birds and insects which feed upon the flowers and buds. Plants such as - Banksia, Callistemons, Eucalypts, Grevilleas, Leptospermums, Melaleucas.

 Bird Baths, apart from making an attractive addition to your garden, provide a safe place for birds to drink and bathe. Build a nesting box and fix it to a large, sheltered tree. It will encourage Possums to use them and not your roof! Providing feeding stations and water bowls are a great way of being able to observe birds and possums close up.

 By attracting wildlife into your garden you will have a natural pest control in force - Birds eat grubs and insects, Lizards love snails, Owls, Kookaburras and Tawny Frogmouths feast upon rodents. Chemicals such as pesticides and snail baits can kill native birds and animals, destroying the food web. Avoid their use by using natural alternatives which are both environmentally friendly and effective.

© Donna Racheal 2007