Ensuring Your Backyard is a Safe Environment

Ensuring Your Backyard is a Safe Environment

The following contribution is from another author.

We are making our way out of the winter months and many of us are turning our minds towards the Spring and Summer. These seasons generally see us spend increasing amounts of time outdoors, enjoying the good weather and elements. So, it’s not all too surprising that we are also turning our minds towards our outdoor spaces. The majority of us tend to neglect these areas during colder times of year – who wants to get green fingered when frost, rain, and harsh winds are about? There’s a good chance that you’re going to have a whole lot of work on your hands when it comes to making your backyard presentable and habitable again. Perhaps the most important area to focus on when getting involved in this process is safety. So, let’s take a moment to look at a few different ways that you can make your backyard a truly safe environment before you start spending extended periods of time in it.

Cutting the Grass

Everyone with a garden that has grass should mow the lawn regularly. Of course, there’s an aesthetic aspect to this – we want our green spaces to be neat, tidy, and we want to get rid of weeds. But you should also mow the lawn regularly for the sake of safety. Long grass can conceal all sorts of problems and threats. Keeping it short means that you will be able to identify these issues much more quickly and easily. Potential problems could include sharp rocks or stones, broken bottles, changes in ground levels, and uneven ground. While you’re at it, you might also want to pull any weeds that are present. These can grow unruly and tangle when left to their own devices. Pulling them ensures that your feet don’t get caught and reduces chances of slips and falls.

Eliminating Wildlife Threats

While our indoor spaces tend to be secure, our outdoor spaces are much more open to wildlife entering and passing through. This is fine, but there are steps that you might want to take to ensure that the presence of wildlife isn’t a danger to you.

Removing Dead Animals

Finding a dead animal in your outdoor space is saddening and you’ll likely to want to remove the body before it starts to decay. But you never know how this animal died – it could be carrying disease. So, call in professionals to remove the animal rather than tackling the task yourself.

Discouraging Large Animals

If you happen to live in an area where particularly large animals may make their way onto your land, you may be understandably scared. But it’s important to remember that these animals are only trying to survive and maintain a good quality of life. While they would rather spend time away from people, they may be forced into human settlements in search of food, as we’re building on their homes, removing their homes and food, and taking up more and more space for ourselves. So, be kind and understanding. There are humane ways that you can discourage these creatures from stepping foot on your property. Remember that the main attraction bringing these animals to your home is likely to be food. Invest in BEAR-RESISTANT “CE SERIES” TRASH CANS AND RECYCLE BINS. These will prevent bears and other large animals from accessing your trash, which to them is an easy and convenient food source.

Check the Health of Your Trees

Trees tend to be pretty sturdy. But particularly rough weather conditions can see them become battered or damaged. It’s a good idea to regularly check the health of your trees. Falling trees can pose a real hazard and you need to ensure that your trees are healthy and standing strong to avoid accidents and injuries. Never assume that a tree will fall immediately after a storm or bout of bad weather. Some remain standing as they are supported by a thread and fall at a later date. Branches can also come loose and remain high in the boughs until slightly disturbed and fall later too! If you are unsure of how to check the health of your trees yourself, you could call in a professional specialist to help.

These, of course, are just a few potential hazards that you might find in your backyard. There are plenty more out there, but this tends to be a good place to start! Incorporate the steps towards making your backyard a safe environment sooner rather than later. Not only will this make the space secure sooner, but it will minimize work too!

Author

Eric is the creator of At Home in the Future and has been a passionate fan of the future since he was seven. He's a web developer by trade, and serves as the Director of Communication and Technology for a large church in Nashville, TN (where he and his family are building a high tech home in the woods).

3 comments

  • I came across your blog post (it’s really helpful, btw) and it made me think about my back yard. I am not sure what to do with it, but I know that I want to invest in a good quality lawn mower for next year so as not to spend time mowing so often. What are some of the best brands?

  • I just read your article . I thought it was a really great post! I know that when we’re not looking at our landscape, it can be difficult to notice things. Makes sense with the long grass! Great advice and thanks for sharing this blog post with us!

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