Checking out what biodiversity there is in your home garden is something a family could do. A Bioblitz is a snapshot in time of what plant and animal species can be found in a certain area in a 24hour period.
This article about a mini-bioblitz to see what species could be found in a suburban garden in London(they identified 200 species in just two hours!) http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/may/18/secret-life-suburban-garden?&CMP=EMCENVEML1003
seems like a useful thing for a family to do, and an interesting way to get children to understand what "biodiversity" actually is.
Forest & Bird » Terrestrial
Mini Bioblitz in your home garden
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Posted 1 year ago #
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Well, this is a list of flora and fauna observed in my back yard in general, rather than over a 24 hour period. Not quite a genuine bioblitz, but it's good to see what's out there and just as importantly, what isn't, and what you can do to reintroduce some species.
Flora - existing species include several large ngaio, taupata, harakeke, huruhuruwhenua, karo (not locally native and is being removed) karaka (not locally native and is being removed) a couple of unidentified pittosporum (leaves look a bit similar to karo) kawakawa, puka (Three King's island species- with all wildings removed - the popularity of this plant in garden centres will see it becoming a weed species on mainland coasts - with a Techomanthe speciosa growing up it)several tarata and kohuhu, mahoe, several five-finger wildings (may be hybrids) and a selection of exotic deciduous trees and a species of fern I think is often called "male fern" which is exotic and has a tendancy to become a weed.
Flora - weeds. I have dug out a patch of agapanthas that was covering several square metres. A large infestation of Japanese honeysuckle and old man's beard that was chocking the ngaois and taupata has been secessfully eradicated, and I'm working with a neighbour to remove it from a steep bank bordering our properties. Patches of ivy are being progressively cut back or eradicated where possible. What patches are left are trimmed every autumn before birds can spread their seeds. Ivy is a common weed species smothering native bush around Wellington.
I've also removed about 20 rubbish sacks of tradescantia! The result of removing these weeds is that the trees are putting on new growth and there are now hundreds of seedlings of trees and ferns popping up where once there were none.Flora - planted. About 15 nikau, and assorted numers of matipo, pate, harakeke, wharariki, Muehlenbeckia astonii, mingmingi, poroporo, Carex secta, silver tussock, manuka, kanuka, NZ daphne, NZ iceplant, toothed lancewood, akiraho, Olearia solandri, Coprosma virescens, toetoe, shield fern, Blechnum novae-zealandii, NZ privet, ti kauka, pigeonwood, putaputaweta, kaikomako, kawakawa, taupata, rangiora, rengarenga, hurhuruwhenua, kohekohe, titoki, small leaved Griselinia, mamaku, ponga and wheki-ponga and kowhai. There are a few others but their names escape me at the moment.
Fauna- Common avian visitors include several tui, piwakawaka (a family of 2 adults and 4 fledglings spent last summer in our back yard, very cute, with another adult piwakawaka seen collecting nesting material from the tree ferns). Piwakawaka are sometimes seen on the roof -not bad considering it is a 8 storeys high building! Wax eyes, grey warbler and winter visits from a kotare/kingfisher. A kaka flew over the back yard last year, and several have started roosting in some trees across the road over the last month or so. Hundreds of sea birds shelter on the field across the road during rough weather at sea. We also get sparrows, blackbirds and a few other exotic bird species
Our neighbour also says they have skinks as her cat has brought several into her house, so I'm hoping there are still some around and that they'll spread to our place. I've seen several weta as well.In all, quite a good amount of biodiversity for a block of flats in one of the most densely populated suburbs of Aotearoa.
Posted 1 year ago #
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