top of page

Resources

We have gathered resources about the importance of native plants that we have found helpful for understanding their role in supporting biodiversity and healthy ecosystems.

 

Based on these lists and other resources about native plants, we have developed garden planning and care resources including a garden design worksheet and guides to local natives plants to help people plan and care for their native plant gardens to provide habitat for pollinators.​

Native Plants are Keys to Sustaining Biodiversity

​There are many different lenses through which we can look the role of native plants in supporting biodiversity.

​

More information about the role of native plants in sustaining biodiversity can be found from the organization Home Grown National Park.

Native Plants & Stormwater Management

Native plants have deep roots, often between 3 and 8 feet deep, but sometimes up to 15 feet deep​. These roots infiltrate rainwater, reducing stormwater runoff, improving water quality, and allowing the plants to develop strong drought tolerance once established.

Removing Invasive and Ecologically Damaging Species

Many plants that may look like wildflowers in a natural setting are introduced species that are ecologically damaging. These species are able to become invasive within this ecosystem because there are no insects, fungi, or pathogens that have evolved to keep them in check and in balance with other plants. These plants also have very limited connections within their new ecosystem. It typically takes insects several hundreds of years to adapt to eat plants that have been introduced from other continents, and while birds can typically eat berries from introduced trees and shrubs, they generally have very different nutrient profiles and do not provide enough fat for North American birds.

bottom of page