Planting Natives

Planting native plants on your property, or in your local park, school, church, and workplace will increase the diversity of plants available to the local ecosystem. This increases the diversity of the insects, the pollinators, and in turn the birds and other animals. Your effort has big dividends. You’ll be preserving nature for future generations.

What Are Native Plants?

Native plants are species that existed in the Western Hemisphere prior to European colonization.

These plants are specially adapted to our region and have co-evolved over thousands of years with other native species like birds, insects, and mammals.

Homegrown National Park:

Small Efforts by Many People

83% of US land is privately owned. Planting native on ½ of that would restore biodiversity.

WHAT WE CAN DO:

1. SHRINK THE LAWN

2. REMOVE INVASIVE SPECIES

3. PLANT THE FEW NATIVE PLANTS THAT FORM THE BACKBONE OF LOCAL ECOSYSTEMS.

4. INCREASE THE ABUNDANCE AND DIVERSITY OF PLANTINGS.

5. REDUCE NIGHTTIME LIGHT POLLUTION

6. NETWORK WITH NEIGHBORS & begin building ecological networks.

7. BUILD A CONSERVATION HARDSCAPE

install window well covers so small creatures won’t be trapped.
Set your mower height no lower than 3“ to require less watering and protect small creatures.
Avoid mowing in the evening when many species leave their hiding places.
Install a bubbler and small water features.

8. CREATE CATERPILLAR PUPATION SITES UNDER YOUR TREES

Replace lawn under trees with groundcovers. Leave leaf litter under your trees.

9. AVOID SPRAYING & FERTILIZING LAWNS. Lawns rich in organic matter don’t need them.

10. EDUCATE your township, civic association or homeowner association. Often old rules were created when we didn’t know then what we do now.

Learn how to use apps to identify plants and the New York Flora Atlas to learn about native plants here.

Want more? Watch this webinar of a digital van tour of the many and different ecoregions of NY.

Native Pollinator-Plant Interactions: Designing Landscapes & Corridors To Support Regional Biodiversity

Landscape Interactions with Evan Abramson, Nov 2023

“Discover the key role that biodiversity plays in solving the climate crisis. Learn why pollinator habitat restoration is the single most important consideration in designing resilient landscapes in the Northeast. In this workshop, participants will explore scalable, replicable models of habitat design, restoration and maintenance; for professional practice, public education and stakeholder participation.”

Rebecca McMackin is an ecological horticulturalist who designs public parks and gardens in NYC, including Brooklyn Bridge Park. With biodiversity in mind, she chose to fill these parks with plants native to New York, and saw the incredible results this had on wildlife in the area. Watch her full Ted Talk to learn tips on how you can create gardens that support biodiversity, and hear about some direct positive effects of planting native!