Climate

Climate Resilient Habitat Increases Ecological Connectivity

Urbanization of natural spaces and accelerated climate change has significantly increased the ongoing loss and fragmentation of wildlife habitat. We can help by restoring natural habitat to increase ecological connectivity and support rapidly disappearing pollinator and other wildlife species.

A hummingbird sipping nectar from a red cardinal flower while a scorching hot orange sun glows in the background.

CREDIT: ANDY RAUPP

Climate Smart Approach to Habitats

Climate-smart gardening and landscaping that factors in the effects of climate change and minimizes our contribution to carbon pollution is an important step in creating sustainable spaces that support wildlife, people, and the health of our ecosystems.

Many of the effects of climate change, including increased frequency and intensity of storms, flooding, drought, and wildfires—as well as range shifts of plants and animals—are all actively changing what plants will survive and thrive in our landscapes. Now, in addition to factors such as sun exposure, shade, soil types, and other site conditions, we must consider the impacts of climate change when we choose plants and in designing our habitat and garden spaces.

CREDIT: FEMA; FOUR TWENTY SEVEN

Throughout our community landscapes, we can create spaces that not only support local wildlife now, but that will also help wildlife as they face increasing challenges from the impacts of climate change over the next several decades. Later is too late.

“A recent study reported wildlife friendly yards used about 50 gallons of water per day on average, while yards with conventional lawns used up to 200 gallons per day.”
Source: Evapotranspiration of residential lawns across the United States. Water Resources Research, 59, e2022WR032893

By replacing invasive nonnative plants, and lawns, with a mix of diverse native plants that bloom through multiple seasons, property owners and community members can create resilient habitats year round to benefit both people and wildlife.

Caring for Plants

Plant varieties require different amounts of sunlight, water, nutrients, and season length. As climate changes, gardeners who once had luck planting certain species in their yard over the years may now find themselves struggling to keep that plant alive. Planting more climate-resilient species, like drought tolerant native plants species that have deeper root systems, can be a good solution.

Working in the Heat

As the earth’s climate continues to warm, gardeners will face difficult issues like working outside in hotter temperatures. If it’s hot for us, it’s hot for the native wildlife, too. Planning your garden with shade structures, a variety of large shading trees, and water features can be good for you and for wildlife when outdoors.^14,15

Story Map—Implications of Extreme Rise of Heat and Reasons for Hope

Encountering “Pests”

As the climate changes, certain species thrive while others struggle. Mosquitoes and ticks are both becoming more prevalent in many areas, and the diseases they spread pose a real threat to all who enjoy the outdoors.¹⁶ Gardening to increase biodiversity helps manage these species by inviting in their predators. Opossums, frogs, and wild turkeys are all expert tick eaters, while dragonflies, turtles, bats, and newts will all chow down on mosquitoes.

It’s possible that your local plants may be reacting to changing climate conditions. Pay attention to changes in the USDA Hardiness Zone map for garden plants. What used to thrive in your area may no longer survive. Also consider ecoregions. Think long-term; native plants that are at the southern end of their range in your area might not survive long-term as the climate changes and their range shifts northward. Learn more.

Gardening to increase biodiversity makes your local wildlife more resilient. Many animals and plants suffer when their habitats are split up by large developments. By restoring native habitat to your garden, you’re helping bridge the gap between habitats for these species. Removing turf lawn and non-native invasive plants and replacing them with native plants is key.

Effective planting ensures that rain is stored, utilized, and allowed to slowly absorb into the soil. Healthy soil, fallen leaf layers, and deep-rooted plants will all store this water and minimize storm water runoff. In addition, planting climate-resilient native species reduces the need for fertilizers and pesticides and therefore improves the quality of water that flows into our waterways and our communities.

A common sight every fall are large bags of “yard waste” destined for the landfill. This produces more methane and fails to return important nutrients to our soil. Practicing simple wildlife gardening habits like leaving the leaves, will not only keep leave bags out of the landfill but will help local species like moths who overwinter in leaf litter. Working with the earth’s natural system of decomposition positively impacts the climate.

Carbon in our atmosphere is a leading cause of climate change and plants are great at taking carbon out of our atmosphere and storing it in the ground. This is hugely beneficial to the soil and wildlife. Because many of our native plants are perennial (re-growing year after year) and often have large root systems, they are particularly skilled at sequestering this carbon! This means that planting native, especially trees and shrubs, can help decrease the amount of CO2 in our atmosphere.

Layered native plant habitat that replaces concrete or other heat absorbing materials with trees, shrubs and other plants reduces the heat island effect in highly populated areas. These plants help lower air temperatures by providing shade and cooling through evaporation and transpiration, also called evapotranspiration. For the best effect, plant a diversity of native tree species that mature at varied heights.