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Conifers
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How
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What
we believe
NATIVE
PLANT SPECIES PROVIDE
THE MOST FOOD FOR OUR WILDLIFE
When
plants and animals have lived for hundreds or thousands of generations
in the same region, an ecosystem develops in which animals adapt to
eat those particular plants, which in turn develop strategies of damage
limitation. Similarly, other animals such as birds and bats eat the
primary consumers, which are predominantly insects and their larvae
and the system accumulates in layers and loops.
Most exotic plants, which have originated outside the local system,
have physical structures and chemistries that the locals find hard
to exploit - that is, eat. That's why British trees often look so
much better developed in a foreign land with a similar climate but
a different fauna. Our natural preference for healthiness can make
this appear desirable. However, it follows that if the local animals
can't eat the trees, then the birds, bats and beasts that eat them
go hungry too. There are quite a few honourable exceptions such as
the exploitation of buddleia by butterflies but the generalisation
is valid. That's why we like native tree species best - not for any
reason of xenophobia - but because we prefer to see the whole system
benefit.
Because Britain became an island again before all the trees with potential
could return from continental Europe after the retreat of the ice
sheets, the list of native trees and shrubs is comparatively short.
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