Wildlife-Friendly Backyards
Magic Forestdale Backyard
Living with nature means leaving space for the natural world.
Our Australian wildlife is under unprecedented pressure. As cities grow and suburbs densify, habitat loss is pushing native species…from tiny pollinators to larger birds and mammals closer to the brink. But there's hope, and it begins right outside your back door.
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Creating a wildlife-friendly garden isn’t about manicured lawns or decorative plants. In fact, it’s often the opposite. Messy corners, logs on the ground, native grasses, and flowering shrubs create essential shelter, food, and nesting sites for wildlife. These spaces are more than gardens — they become habitat.
Why It Matters
Urbanisation has rapidly changed the face of our landscapes. But here in Forestdale, we have something rare and precious: a canopy of mature, endemic trees that, in many cases, pre-date the development of the estate itself. These trees are the cornerstone of our local ecology, towering eucalypts and ironbarks that take decades, even centuries, to form hollows and support the complex web of life around them.
Many native species simply can't survive in paved, ornamental environments that lack food or shelter. Birds, frogs, gliders, butterflies, and bees need native plants, mature trees, water, and safe passage between green areas to thrive. These long-standing trees provide shade, stability, and shelter — and once removed, they can never be replaced in any meaningful timeframe.
A wildlife-friendly garden can:
Support pollinators like native bees and butterflies
Provide habitat and nesting for birds and small mammals
Protect the canopy of long-established trees that shape our suburb
Reduce urban heat and cool your property naturally
Bring joy, wonder, and connection to your daily life
Simple Actions You Can Take
You don’t need to overhaul your garden to make a difference. Here are small but powerful steps you can take:
Preserve and protect mature endemic trees: they are ecological goldmines, home to countless species.
Plant local natives: they’re best adapted to your soil and climate, and most beneficial to local fauna.
Add water: a shallow dish or birdbath can provide life-saving hydration.
Leave some leaf litter, this is after all ‘natures glitter’ it’s home to insects and frogs, and helps improve soil health.
Avoid pesticides: they harm pollinators and can poison the food chain.
Retain dead wood: logs and standing snags are vital habitats for many species.
Connect with neighbours: creating corridors across properties helps animals move safely.
Good for Wildlife, Good for You
A wildlife-friendly garden doesn’t just support biodiversity — it supports human wellbeing. Time spent in green, living spaces has been linked to lower stress, better mental health, and even improved physical health outcomes. It’s a reminder that we are not separate from nature, we are part of it.
Whether you have a quarter-acre block, a courtyard, or even just a few pots, every space counts. But the most powerful impact starts with valuing what we already have. In Forestdale, our established tree cover isn’t just beautiful, it’s vital.
Start Where You Are
There’s no ‘perfect’ time to start — only a perfect reason. Wildlife needs our help now. So add that birdbath, plant that grevillea, or protect that towering ironbark. In doing so, you’re not just gardening , you’re restoring and preserving a living, breathing ecosystem that’s been here far longer than us.
Let your garden and your trees, be a place where life continues to flourish.
For the birds. For the bees. For the joy of it all.