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. lant and animal diversity is one of the many factors that make the San Francisco Bay Watershed unique >' and beautiful. More than I ,500 local plant species bloom throughout the year, supporting hundreds of native pollinators, beneficial insects and other organisms that can reduce the need for pesticides. Birds & butterflies are attracted, bringing with them beauty, song and interest to a landscape. Biodiversity is crucial to the health and resiliency of the local landscape, the Bay area ecosystem and its inhabitants. Yet the loss of habitat is threatening local Biodiversity. The population of the Bay Area is growing and expected to continue to do so. With increased populations comes development, which is too often done without regard for wildlife habitat. And although we tend to rely on parks and open space for preserving wildlife habitat, both residential and commercial landscapes can also play an important role. Developed landscapes can provide food, water, shelter and nesting sites for birds, butterflies, beneficial insects and other creatures, thus helping to conserve valuable wildlife resources and restore damaged ecosystems. Small spaces or corridors, patched together over the entire Bay Area, add up to a great opportunity for encouraging and protecting wildlife. Offer your skill and expertise to your customers through the following practices for creating wildlife habitat: I. Diversify A diverse landscape includes annuals, biennials and perennials of many different sizes, shapes, colors and textures. It includes evergreens and deciduous plants, species that bloom at different times of the year and those that bear fruit or berries. And it includes plants that occupy different canopy levels and root zones. ^ Educate your customers and encourage them to embrace diversity. ^ Start with a trial zone, then plan for increasing diversity throughout the landscape over time. ^ Recommend to your clients that they convert a lawn that no one uses, or that they replace part of it with a diverse border. ^ Select a rich array of plant species that includes many, if not all, California natives. ^ Specify layers of groundcovers, shrubs and trees that provide a variety of nesting sites or flower and bear fruit at different times of the year. Refer to the Tips for Success: Flowering Periods of Beneficial Insects Plants in this section. ^ Do not plant invasive species as they often damage or destroy habitat. ^ Remove weeds: extra effort to clear invasive species now will save labor later. Benefits Biodiversity is fostered. A diverse landscape may resist disease and insect pests better than those with little variety, while providing a higher habitat value. A single insect or disease infestation is less likely to be devastating. Survey Says... More than I/2 of single-family households with yards or gardens are interested in creating habitat for birds and pollinators in their yard. WI '~ ~ II ~~ n ~ ~~ y 49