Part 1: Why are they essential? — Part 2: How to install? — Part 3: How to manage?

Helen’s flower (Helenium autumnale). Blooms mid -late summer

‍ ‍

• Why?  Because native plants support insects, birds and other wildlife

  Native plants are the foundation of the food web. “They have evolved alongside insects, birds and other wildlife and many of those species cannot survive without native plants. So when you plant natives you are not just adding greenery you are restoring the base of the food chain in your yard.[1]

  96% of adult birds rear their young on insects [2]. If insects don’t have food and cannot survive then neither will the birds that depend upon them.

• Why? Because 80-90% of land in the eastern U.S.A is privately owned. As land owners the onus is on us to restore our properties with native plants. Planting native plants will help to reverse insect loss, avoid massive crop failure, and protect water quality.

Thanks for taking part and doing your part.

CONTACT US for help with your project

[1] Evans, Heather and Zoe Evans 2025 Wildr/Design it Wild,  Turn That Patch Into a Plan Hosted by Wild Ones.

[2] Tallamy, D. W. (2020). Nature's best hope: A new approach to conservation that starts in your yard. Timber Press. 

[3] White, E.L., M. D. Schlesinger, and T.G. Howard. 2022. The Empire State Native Pollinator Survey (2017-2021). New York Natural Heritage Program, Albany, NY. (PDF, 19.6 MB)

[4] New York State Announces New Actions to Protect Pollinator Populations, 2018. NYS Department of Environmental Conservation

Part 1: Why are they essential? — Part 2: How to install? — Part 3: How to manage?