Boldly go … to a Wild Back Yard
Jen M. Harvey, Chief of Philanthropy
Astronauts can experience what’s known as the “overview effect,” or an overwhelming realization of the beauty, wonder and fragility of planet Earth. William Shatner, after traveling to space, found himself grieving for the planet and dedicated “Boldy Go,” his recent book, to his great-grandchild in hope for all future living things. There is no need for space travel to experience your own overview effect — look to the ground beneath your feet.
An amazing network of life depends on residential greenspaces. There is a collage of species that rely on food and shelter sources you can provide. Wild Back Yards support so many living things. They provide host plants for butterflies to reproduce, offer migratory stopovers for spectacular birds like the indigo bunting and ruby-throated hummingbird and create habitat for plenty of obscure, but still wonderful, creatures. All combined, even the small natural spaces in Summit County make a big difference.
Consider the potential of thousands of Wild Back Yards, plus local and national parks, and their cumulative importance to wildlife. It’s a little-known fact that the Cuyahoga River Valley is a vast migratory flyway for monarch butterflies and neo-tropical migratory birds. Your back yard is not small in the eyes of a ruby-throated hummingbird that weighs one-tenth of an ounce — especially when you are providing a nectar source for that tiny bird’s migratory journey to Central America.
Boldly go and find ideas for creating a Wild Back Yard. Early spring is a great time to start by selecting some native plants for a bird or butterfly garden, rethinking your lawn, or brainstorming ideas with family and friends. You can even attend the Summit Metro Parks Native Plant Festival on Saturday, May 20 at Munroe Falls Metro Park for inspiration.
In his book, Shatner wrote that eventually, he returned to a feeling of hope. Seeing … “a chance to rededicate ourselves to our planet, to each other, to life and love all around us.”
Each Wild Back Yard sustains the life around us. Next door, parks provide effective, nature-based solutions that counter the effects of climate change. They are vital habitats for species under stress, forests that hold carbon and open space that absorbs damaging stormwater. The Summit Metro Parks Foundation supports this critical work and more.
For more stories like this, check out Green Islands Magazine, a bi-monthly publication from Summit Metro Parks. Summit County residents can sign up to receive the publication at home free of charge.
