Depending on the location I leave the weeds be. When it messes the balance of the eye, I try to fix it (which is a total b*tch but good for the brain actually), but I also have a field of weeds next to the garden and let that one run for the ecosystem. You can see the bees flying back and forth from that field to the crops and that is a good thing.
Lately here the Dutch policy in the greens has also been to let it slide more, to get back more bees and other flie-ers. I hope it helps, might be a little late to the party.
Keep the Distel. It has character
All these alarmists in the media get too much recognition.
Sure, the environment is worth protecting.
But, of course it's not too late at all.
All these insects and plants are incredibly resilient and given a chance, they would repopulate the place in no time.