We’re losing birds, by the billions.
Which is why I wanted to mention a movement in which you devote 2/3 of your land to native species of plants.
If we could plant even half of our 40 million acres of lawn in 2/3 native plants, and keep them pesticide free, we could turn the bird losses into gains.
Learn more here.
And for those of you in the Great Northwest, Oregon State University has put together a wonderful (and free) PDF resource: Enhancing Urban and Suburban Landscapes to Protect Pollinators.
Finally, please keep your cats inside.
If they pester you to go outside, just do what I did for many years — I walked them. It’s a great way to bond with your cat, clear your head, and watch the birds.
Or, in the case of our Harlan, watching the turkeys.
John is co-author, with Midge Raymond, of the eco-mystery Devils Island, forthcoming in 2024. He is also author of the novels The Tourist Trail and Where Oceans Hide Their Dead. Co-founder of Ashland Creek Press and editor of Writing for Animals (also now a writing program).