Book Review - The Biodiversity Gardener: Establishing a Legacy for the Natural World - Princeton University Press

      Paul Sterry needs little introduction, having authored or co-authored over fifty books, across the wide spectrum of natural history. This current volume, however, may be the most important work he has ever written.

     Biodiversity the world over is being diminished by the hour, and while this treatise is focused on the immediate area where Sterry lives (Hampshire, England), its principles and prescriptions are universal.

     He makes the grim statement in the second paragraph of the Introduction, "I am not the first to say this, but the UK is now one of the most nature-depleted countries on the planet." Sadly, many seem to care very little, if at all, and equally sadly other countries are marching rapidly along the same destructive path. 

     This book is not about rewilding, however laudable that may be, (it is far beyond the scope of the average citizen), but about the contribution everyone can make to the restoration of biodiversity in their own backyard - ".....the garden has become a tiny island of biodiversity richness in a rising sea of environmental degradation." The key is to learn as much as possible about the native species of your area, their historical occurrence, and the degree to which they are threatened, and introduce them to your garden in an integrated way so that the synergy of biodiversity is the primary consideration, eschewing the conventional attitude towards pretty gardens that are manicured, usually filled with alien exotics, subjected to chemical assault, and contributing nothing to biodiversity.

     It is important to become as knowledgeable as possible about your garden, beginning with the soil, taking due care to maintain its health along with the plants that grow in it. Even the most degraded area can be restored with careful planning and a commitment to remediate as required. A water feature is highly desirable and even a very small pond will attract amphibians, dragonflies and other aquatic organisms. Insects attract birds, suitable vegetation provides nesting areas, mammals too will seek food and shelter, and a small, integrated and functional ecosystem will rapidly become established.

     Many butterflies are dependent on specific plants for their very survival and the availability of those species in your garden will bring you untold joy as their life cycle unfolds before your eyes.

     A common response from many homeowners when confronted with the possibility of nativizing their garden is, "What difference can a tiny garden like mine make?" Clearly it can make a difference, does make a difference, and brings joy and satisfaction in the bargain, and possibly influences others. Imagine the habitat restoration that would occur if all the houses on a street transformed their gardens into centres of biodiversity. It seems unlikely to happen but that should be our goal.

     There are those who dismiss garden biodiversity as a fad, a mission by tree-huggers and their ilk to evangelize the world. Nothing could be further from the truth. If we are to ensure our own continued presence on Planet Earth, it can only be done by abandoning the reckless practices that now imperil our very survival. There is no choice but to permit nature to provide the life-sustaining systems it is designed to do. 

    Sterry concludes with the following statement, "For me, the natural world makes life worth living. With all that's going on in the world, sometimes it's the only thing that makes life worth living."

     And that's the simple truth, and the sooner we all embrace it the better off we will be.

The Biodiversity Gardener: Establishing a Legacy for the Natural World - Princeton University Press

Paul Sterry

Hardcover - US$29.95 - ISBN: 9780691245553

360 pages - 7.5 x 9.5 inches (18.75 x 23.75 cm)

900 colour photographs

Publication Date: 06 June, 2023