Natives Go Mainstream

 

Wildlife in my Yard

I love seeing the topic of using native plants get into more mainstream news sources. Margaret Renkl and Margaret Roach both occasionally use their columns in the New York Times to opine about native plants and their impacts. Columns about native plants get into regional papers too, like the Atlanta column of Charles Seabrook in the AJC and in smaller papers like this interview with me in the South Forsyth County newsletter to promote our native plant society chapter’s upcoming plant sale.

On even smaller scales, you have individuals who post about using native plants on hyperlocal neighborhood sites like Nextdoor and on social media like Facebook and Instagram. Small personal avowals and recommendations help spread the word way more than you might think so keep showing people your beautiful native plants and the wildlife that passes through your garden.

An earlier Instagram post from my yard

Back on the national scale, a TED talk came out this week from an ecological horticulturist (a person who designs beautiful landscapes that contain thriving wildlife habitat). This talk has been widely shared this week and already has over 300K views. The 12-minute talk is not unlike what many of us might say if we were chatting with an interested acquaintance (“Hey, did you know that ‘we must incorporate habitat everywhere, especially in the cities’?”).

It’s a great short listen and you’re sure to get some sound bites that you can use yourself (“lawns should be like area rugs”) and some good success stories to quote. You can also explore resources on her website (RebeccaMcMackin.com) and subscribe to her newsletter.

Locally, keep sharing your passion in your circles. We all can make a difference and amplify the message. [Just ask the guy at the phone store who listened to me talk for 30 minutes this week about why using native plants makes a difference while we were waiting for my phone data to transfer – all those plant photos, you know!]