The Habitat Toll of Urban Sprawl
Why does this matter? From a habitat perspective, development like this signals the potential loss of more habitat for wildlife – especially pollinators. Habitat in Iowa has already been profoundly altered. Prairie once covered up to 80% of Iowa's landscape, supporting an abundance of pollinator species – bees, wasps, butterflies, moths, beetles and others. Today, roughly 85% of Iowa's land is farmed, while just 0.1% of the state's prairies remain.
A Butterfly-Friendly Farm
At Edge of the Woods Raspberry Farm, Beth and Rick are doing what they can. On land once used to grow corn and soybeans, they planted a variety of native prairie plants, including butterfly milkweed, pale coneflower, purple prairie clover and rattlesnake master. “We were really striving for diversity, a place where butterflies and bees could find a home,” Beth says. “In the summer, when we have berry-picking, it smells like a perfume factory out here. Our customers call it a magical place.” The McGeoughs are now focusing on a new habitat project that involves planting native eastern red cedars. “We wanted to create a new ecosystem of habitat for pollinators as well as other wildlife like owls,” Beth says. It will add to the other trees they have on their land, ranging from chestnuts and hazelnuts to oaks and maples, which can serve as both food and shelter for overwintering beneficial insects. In 2020, Beth and Rick also took part in a three-year monarch butterfly project organized, in part, by the Iowa Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Monarch Joint Venture at the University of Minnesota. As part of the citizen-science project, Beth and Rick recorded monarch eggs, larvae, caterpillars and flying or feeding monarchs at six sites around the farm. By the end of the project in 2022, they had found an abundance of monarchs on the farm. [pfi_gallery ids="47147,47138,47139,47146"] The study highlighted for them why it's so important to create pollinator habitat – and how even small pockets of habitat can serve as vital oases amid urban growth. Monarchs, known for their vivid orange, black and white color pattern, migrate up to 3,000 miles each year on their way to and from central Mexico. The iconic insects pass through Iowa on their epic journey, and need a mix of nectar-rich flowers for food and milkweed to lay their eggs on. As these plants have disappeared from the landscape, monarch numbers have plummeted. According to the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, the population of monarchs east of the Rocky Mountains has dropped by more than 80% since the 1990s. “Habitat loss of any kind is a significant driver of pollinator decline and wildlife generally,” says Sarah Nizzi, an Iowa-based pollinator conservation specialist with Xerces Society. “Pollinators, like any other group of wildlife, have habitat needs in order to be successful,” she adds. “Native flowering plants and host plants, nesting and overwintering areas and protection from pesticides are all key components of pollinator habitat. This holds true whether we're thinking about habitat in cities and towns or in our rural landscapes.”Every Little Bit Matters
So what can farmers in urban zones do? Sarah says there are a variety of ways to supply habitat, regardless of farm size or location. ”Pollinators are capable of thriving in large or small areas,” she says. “In my experience working within residential spaces and on urban farms, if we build it, they will come.” Sarah advises those looking to support pollinators to consider planting native wildflowers, grasses, trees or shrubs. While some urban and suburban areas have local ordinances banning tall prairie species, adding smaller flowering plants – such as milkweeds, bergamot and coneflowers – along the edges of primary crop areas can still provide much-needed nectar. “Wherever we are able to implement habitat counts, regardless of size,” Sarah says. The advice applies to farms of any size. Those with more acres can consider integrating prairie strips, planting trees or identifying marginal areas to convert to habitat. All farms could look to add flowering plants along field edges or leave some areas in grasses. Even some weeds, so long as they don't affect crop growth, can provide shade and shelter for many pollinator species.“It's important to remember every living thing benefits from diversity,” Sarah says. “Monocultures, whether it be mowed turf grass or row crop production, offer little to wildlife. If we are able to diversify our cities, towns and farms, we all benefit ecologically and socially.”
