Creating a wildlife-friendly garden
Native birds are being encouraged to return to suburban gardens through a number of different initiatives: community conservation projects in local parks and reserves, the creation of ‘mainland islands' - areas of bush protected from predators, and greater use of appropriate plant species by home gardeners.
Planning a garden to attract and support kererū and other birds can be simple. People can modify their gardens to include more leaf litter, food-producing local species, and other resources.
Planning guides to assist gardeners with this process already exist. Some good ones available online are on the Department of Conservation, and Greater Wellington Regional Council (Wellington-specific information) websites. These typically focus on suggesting appropriate native plant species, with the aesthetics of the plan left to you.
Or you can try getting creative with some of our general guides available on this website. Following their advice will reward you with an abundance of wildlife.
It doesn’t matter what garden style you prefer, it is easy to provide habitat for wildlife, as long as some general rules are followed. Happy gardening!
Playing Urban Jungle will give you a good idea of how to support kererū in your garden.
