Backyard Ponds: 5 Environmental Benefits You’ll Love
Along with making a beautiful addition to any home, backyard ponds are enormously beneficial for the environment.
They’re also good for humans, providing a tranquil backdrop for meditation, reading or just some good old R&R.
If you’re fortunate enough to have a garden, you may want to consider putting one in.
Of course, like most things, your pond will require some care. It’s a good idea to know what you’re in for before diving in, otherwise you could end up with an aquatic white elephant.
Taking Care of Your Backyard Pond
A healthy backyard pond provides a beneficial environment for fish, while at the same time attracting wildlife into the garden. However, no matter how well-maintained your pond is, if it lacks oxygen you’re going to have problems.
Mosquitoes, algae, unpleasant smells and a poor appearance can all be rectified by increasing the oxygen level. Pond aerators and fountains enable a natural cleanup process that will soon have things looking good again.
You also need to consider things like seasonal maintenance, removing debris, changing the water when necessary, etc. Take a look at the Pond Guy’s pond maintenance tips to learn more.
What Are the Benefits of Backyard Ponds?
As Erik from Permaculture Artisans points out, there are plenty of reasons to have a pond in your eco-friendly garden. He’s outlined six in his video and I have another five below.
Crossover notwithstanding, we have some solid positives for backyard ponds.
1. It’s Like Having a Nature School in Your Backyard
A backyard pond fosters awareness. Most children nowadays are rooted to their screens. By exposing your kids and their friends to the wonders of nature they’ll be more likely to view themselves as custodians of the environment.
2. You Reduce the Amount of Lawn in Your Garden
Green grass is lovely to look at and pleasant to picnic on, but it’s not good for the environment. It requires a lot to keep it in good shape (water, fertilizers, pesticides, etc.).
Unlike ponds, rolling lawns offer no benefit to the environment. They don’t attract wildlife and they certainly don’t provide a safe haven to the many other critters we share our planet with.
3. You’re Providing a Safe Haven for Native Wildlife
Our ever-changing and developing world has resulted in habitat loss for many animals. Word spreads quickly in nature. Before long, a large variety of creatures will view your pond as a secure, healthy sanctuary.
Depending on where you live, you could have all sorts of insects, amphibians, birds and mammals frequenting your little piece of paradise.
Bee gardens are especially important, given the rapid decline in honey bee populations in recent years. On that note, here’s why vegans don’t eat honey (and you shouldn’t either).
4. Ponds are Ecological Hotspots for Biodiversity
According to the Journal of Ecosystem & Ecography, ponds are ecological hotspots for diversity. You might not think it, but even a small, man made pond has been shown to increase insect diversity.
5. Pest Problems Become a Thing of the Past
A backyard pond is one of the best integrative pest management elements you can have. It attracts beneficial insects and provides homes for frogs, lizards, dragon flies and even snakes, all of which make short work of the pests in your garden.
Photo by Ryan Bruce from Burst
