Wildlife helps with sowing and planting

When morning dew leaves spiderwebs hanging in the shrubs and bushes like the lost hairnets of old women, summer is giving way to autumn. In nature, the autumn flowers are opening: asters, coneflowers, and stonecrops conjure a final burst of colour into the landscape before winter. «Now a vibrant season begins; for the wildlife it is also a busy time,» says Eva Goris, press officer of the Deutsche Wildtier Stiftung. «They are now gathering food supplies for the winter.»

The forgetful gardeners of nature

Some go about this methodically, filling the larders in their burrows, while others are more disorganised — and in doing so, help nature along. Squirrels, wood mice, coal tits, and Eurasian jays are among the “forgetful gardeners.” They hide acorns, beechnuts, pine cones, hazelnuts, and chestnuts, intending to create secret food caches for the lean winter months. «But in the end, they don’t rediscover all their hiding spots, and so become unwitting shapers of the landscape and nature,» says Goris. Whatever is not found and eaten will grow into a new seedling the following spring.

Natural regeneration through wildlife

This natural process is known as “natural regeneration.” The forgetful gardeners fulfil an important role in the ecosystem. The wood mouse, for instance, also helps spread fungal spores as a side effect — transporting them in its fur. The wood mouse is also responsible for the propagation of forest fruits such as blackberries and blueberries. These fruits are part of its diet; at the end of the digestive process, the seeds are deposited in the forest floor via droppings, where they can germinate anew.

Right through to October, the table is well set for wildlife. «Flying foresters like the Eurasian jay thus play a role in the natural regeneration of the forest.» More on biodiversity.