IMBY stands for ‘In My BackYard’. It is intended as a positive initiative, opposed to NIMBY 'Not in My BackYard' where projects of public interest are considered necessary and relevant, as long as they are not in our own surroundings. We are currently facing a biodiversity crisis. The nature reserves in Belgium occupy less than 3% of our territory and cannot possibly cope with this crisis alone. Gardens cover 10% of the total land area in Belgium. If everyone were to adopt a few biodiversity-friendly measures in their own garden - no matter how small - this would contribute to a larger green network where nature stands a chance.

Two and a half years ago we moved from an apartment in the heart of Brussels to a house with a garden in the countryside in Andenne, in the middle of the Condroz. This region appealed to us because of its beautiful landscapes, gentle slopes, forests, grasslands with lots of wildlife. The biodiversity crisis and, by extension, the climate crisis can seem insurmountable. Yet everyone can make a difference through small interventions in our daily lives.

Start with yourself seemed a good starting point to us... so we got on with it. With great enthusiasm we set out to transform our uninspired and rather monotonous garden, consisting of the classic lawn with a few fruit trees and a forest edge full of rubbish, into our own natural oasis where it is good for people and nature to live. There is still a lot of work to do, but the creation of a natural pond, a mixed hedge, a flower meadow, more fruit trees and berries and a functional vegetable garden already make a difference. It is incredible how these small interventions have attracted a wealth of biodiversity to the garden. We sometimes wonder how all these critters spontaneously found their way into our backyard. Admittedly, our beautiful surroundings are bursting with potential, so that obviously helps.

With IMBY we want to share our experience. Our knowledge has grown considerably and we both follow professional trainings (at Inverde & Cercle des Naturalistes de Belgique). You could say we are completely into wildlife gardening mode. It's amazing how time spent outside in nature and away from the screen counts double and how much fun it is to observe all that grows, blooms, crawls, lives and flutters around here.

Have we stirred up your curiosity and do you want to know what you can do in your garden, on your terrace or balcony to attract more biodiversity, be sure to follow this blog or our instagram and facebook account and help spread the word. Thanks in advance and enjoy the natural gardening!