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Whether they\u2019re hidden<\/strong> within fur farms or factory farms or other atrocious places\u2014mistreated and maligned for profit\u2014or in plain sight and struggling within unraveling ecosystems that disappear a little more each day, the suffering of non-human animals due to our expansion and behavior is everywhere. On an ecological level, the most devastating consequence of our ubiquitous presence is the disappearance of wild species that just need to be left alone. They want to live on, and in peace, just as we do. They have just as much right to exist without harm and suffering as we do.<\/p>\n Habitat destruction (including that caused by climate chaos<\/a>) is not painless and is the main threat to most wild flora and faunas: Less than four percent of original U.S. forests remain; oceans are dying; waterways are heavily polluted with toxins; farmland is quickly expanding<\/a>; a new study shows that in the past 20 years we’ve managed to destroy a tenth of the earth’s wild areas<\/a>. Half of North American bird species are predicted to go extinct by the end of this century and some especially sensitive amphibians are already there. We\u2019re the most invasive, destructive, and over-consuming species ever to walk the earth, and it’s costing us the earth, as well as our health and happiness. Our big brains are burdensome as we thoughtlessly invent things that damage and destroy, but they’re also an asset when we realize our obligation to protect and sustain. Habits of exploitation can be broken. We can stop pretending that everything is fine or beyond our control, and realize that we are very much a part of nature. We don\u2019t have to, for example, conform to having manicured, high maintenance, lawn-dominated landscapes that require massive chemical and fossil fuel applications just because other people have them. We can make choices based on caring what happens to those downstream, just as we wish those upstream would to do to us.<\/p>\n When our species was young, we weren\u2019t separated from nature. Even now, within our bubbles that disconnect, we enter this world not with a fear of natural processes and wild creatures, but with an intense curiosity. But as kids we learn<\/em> to be fearful\u2014we\u2019re taught<\/em> to fear the proverbial \u201cbig bad wolf,\u201d and trepidation of wildlife and natural processes continue throughout many people\u2019s lives. Education can help change that, and even awaken us to the awe-inspiring, interconnected layers that nature has fashioned over eons of evolution.<\/p>\n Photo courtesy Predator Defense<\/p><\/div>\n Just as essential is empathy<\/em> for other species (that is, looking at their world from their point of view, with compassion). It may be our most important capability and what is sorely needed to bring some balance to the earth\u2019s members. When we allow empathy to guide our choices and practices, we act selflessly and gain empowerment along the way. Changing our ways isn’t always difficult and some changes can be very simple; it just takes some thought and a little motivation. With compassion we can defiantly say “no” to synthetic toxic chemicals crafted by mega corporations that discriminate against other species and seek to control the natural world, “no” to wasteful monoculture lawns, and “no” to merely decorative plants with zero wildlife appeal. We can say “yes” to planning gardens that not only look pretty but also benefit and sustain other species, “yes” to keeping Fluffy and Fido away from birds and other vulnerable creatures<\/a>, “yes” to keeping outdoor lights<\/a> off and making windows visible to birds<\/a>, and “yes” to initiatives and politicians that seek to preserve and protect natural areas. There are, of course, countless other ways to express compassion for the planet outside the garden.<\/p>\n It\u2019s easy to think that the war against wildlife\u2014from the microorganisms within degraded soil to persecuted predators trying to survive on a human-dominated planet\u2014is happening somewhere \u201cout there.\u201d While a huge percentage of wild lands are dominated by livestock ranching that has \u201ccaused more damage than the chainsaw and bulldozer combined<\/a>,\u201d urban and suburban spaces\u2014including the roughly 40 million acres<\/a> of land that\u2019s currently lawn\u2014offer an important conservation opportunity and a way for us to personally provide for others right at home.<\/p>\n It\u2019s equally easy to be pulled down by the ticking extinction clock, but once we turn our backs on conventional gardening, we become part of a conversion\u2014or revolution, if you will\u2014that is proactive. Learn how healthy, balanced ecosystems function; watch native plants (especially when grown with others that co-occur in the <\/p>\n![\"hermit](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/realgardensgrownatives.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/Hermit-thrush.jpg?resize=500%2C374&ssl=1\")
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area) attract and support a diversity of native insects and other creatures; recognize the bees<\/a> and the flower flies<\/a> and the birds<\/a> that depend directly or indirectly on those plant communities; discover their life cycle and how to keep them healthy and protected. Plant trees, let the leaves<\/a> do their thing, allow the dead wood<\/a> to stay, and forget about pesticides and synthetic fertilizers. If we do all that, we’ll find ourselves more connected and caring even more about what happens within the dwindling, wilder ecosystems on this beautiful planet, and wondering how even more beautiful it will be if more of us empathize with other species.<\/p>\n