Gardening is good for your health and good for your diet, but it's also good for pollinator health and biodiversity, according to Phys.org.
The site reports that the University of Bristol, in the United Kingdom, found that gardens provide much-needed nectar for pollinators during seasons when it's hard for them to find it in the wild. In early spring and late summer, pollinators get between 50 and 95% of the nectar they need from gardens people plant. This can help these populations thrive, rather than forcing them to struggle or even resulting in their decline if they can't get enough food.
"Many people feel powerless when it comes to fighting biodiversity loss, thinking it's too big of a problem to tackle on their own," Thomas Timberlake, who led the study, said. "But our study shows that individual citizens can make a big difference."
According to the U.S. National Science Foundation, because pollinators move nectar from plant to plant, they help ensure that biodiversity continues and plants don't get inbred or have other genetic issues.
This, in turn, protects the food supply for people around the world, per the Center for Food Safety. In fact, without healthy pollinators, up to 70% of the world's plants would not be able to reproduce. That would be devastating for the whole planet, because there wouldn't be enough food to go around. Protecting pollinators and helping them survive the lean times should be a priority, then, for the good of ourselves and the good of the planet.
It's easy to feel worried or concerned about pollinators and the food supply. Fortunately, it's also easy to do something about the problem. Learn how to plant a garden, and you may do much more good than you ever imagined.
"In a country like the U.K., where towns and villages are spread throughout the countryside, gardens might be helping pollinators more than we ever realized," Timberlake said.
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