Why Grow Native?
Native landscaping offers a range of valuable benefits that go far beyond aesthetic appeal by promoting biodiversity conservation and creating suitable habitats for endemic species. In contrast to the exotic plants now almost exclusively used in conventional landscaping, native plants are fully adapated to provide sustainable ecosystem benefits to native wildlife, water quality, and soil health. By incorporating native plants into our gardens and landscapes, we can provide food and shelter for pollinators, birds, and other organisms. By cultivating rare and threatened native species that are increasingly at risk of extinction, we can ensure the future survival of not only these beautiful, irreplaceable organisms, but also the interconnected lifeforms that depend on them for survival.
North American native plants are well adapted to local conditions and can thrive with minimal irrigation, reducing the need for excessive water use. Their complex seasonal interactions and deep root systems also help suppress noxious weeds, minimize soil erosion, and improve water infiltration, all of which enhances water quality and reduces runoff. Emphasizing native species in landscaping practices not only conserves water resources but also contributes to the overall resilience of the landscape, particularly in the face of climate change, extreme weather events, and increasing pressure from novel, man-made environments. By additionally prioritizing locally-adapted native food and medicine plants in our landscapes, we can also simultaneously contribute to food security, cultural revitalization and understanding, and strengthening ecological literacy in our communities.
By actively enganging in habitat restoration through native plant gardening and landscaping, we not only contribute individually to preserving ecological balance and restoring healthy ecosystems, we can also provide inspiration to our communities, beautify our neighborhoods, provide eachother with educational opportunities, and foster a sense of connection to our immedite environment. This hands-on approach allows people to experience the benefits of nature firsthand. Whether the goal is restoring a weedy urban street corner or many acres of rangeland, every seed planted promotes a deeper appreciation for the natural world and encourages a more sustainable and ecocentric approach to the land and life.
