Why create a refuge for wildlife in your garden?

Providing a pond in your garden for wildlife creates a microclimate for animals to take refuge from the drying sun, and provides drinking water. 

Adding a pond also creates another level of diversity to your fauna habitat areas enhancing biodiversity. 

As development continues a lot of fauna habitats are destroyed, backyards are one place where we can restore habitats and provide refuges. Endangered species such a Western Ringtail possums seek out backyards in summer as bushland areas dry up and backyards can still provide water and food. 

There are so many critters that live in fresh water and in ponds. Some are so tiny you need a magnifying glass to see such as diatoms. Some are large predators in and out of the water such as dragonflies and damselflies. Dragonflies eat many mosquitoes which create a balance and can restrict the wiggerly biters. 

Many birds, reptiles and of course frogs will use ponds to drink, hunt food and sometimes hide. Sitting and watching the critters interact around your pond helps you understand your pond ecosystem and establish a food web. 

Beaufortia Environmental will be at the Warren Districts Agricultural Show in Manjimup on the 15th of March 2025 presenting a pond ecosystem set up for nature play. Hope to see you there. 

The photos shown are of a dragonfly and a damselfly that was using the habitat of my backyard pond.