Wildlife Habitat
All living things have requirements for survival, such as food, water, shelter and space. Many species across the globe are suffering population declines due primarily to loss of habitat. If we want to avoid extinctions, we have to make room for other species, recognize what they need for survival, and ensure that they have appropriate habitat available. Almost everyone can help by creating some type of small habitat space where they live, even if it is as small as a potted pollinator garden on a windowsill! At Harmon Park, the grounds have been divided into spaces for wildlife to find various kinds of habitat and spaces for people to find various fun things to do!
When Loren and James Harmon originally acquired the property in 2022 & 2023, they did not have any particular plans for its use. They only knew that, 1) they did not want to see it clear-cut and developed into the cheaply constructed cookie-cutter garden homes typical of 'new construction' projects in the U.S., 2) they believed the purchase would be a good investment for their future, 3) they had no intention of returning it to use as a golf course, and 4) they wanted to be able to continue enjoying the wildlife that had grown accustomed to calling it home since the golf course closed. While the couple cycled through various ideas for the land's use, Loren moved ahead with her plan of selecting spaces that would be 'left for nature to reclaim.'
As Loren set about surveying the land for plant and animal species and further educated herself on the habitat requirements of those already present and those she hoped to attract, she discovered that leaving the spaces entirely to their own devices was not the optimal course of action. She learned that many native animals survived optimally or even exclusively in habitats dominated by "native" plantlife, and that many non-tree native flora species required occasional (every 2-3 years) ground disturbance (such as by fire, disking, or even simply mowing/bush-hogging). Furthermore, she discovered that some of the plant life was invasive and would crowd-out the desirable native species. With each new understanding, Loren altered her approaches, plans, and land-stewardship policies to best restore the wild areas to states of optimal habitat condition.
When starting out, both Loren and Cole, the younger of the couple's two adult sons, believed that one of the first tenets of habitat provision for local fauna was to reserve the selected zones exclusively for use by wildlife and to keep them the same year after year. Further study taught them that the more appropriate land stewardship practice will include annual disruption of selected habitat zone(s), such that only a small portion of the total wildlife area is disturbed in any single year, and that most zones are disturbed at least once every few years. Regardless, all natural habitat space is reserved for the wildlife and Park guests are asked to keep to the paths and clearings intended for use by people.
