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Douglas Tallamy, professor of entomology and author of "How Native Plants Sustain Wildlife in our Gardens," is getting the word out about the importance of re-establishing healthy local ecosystems. As a home gardener it is hard not to be seduced by nurseries, offering a beautiful array of plants that come from around the globe, but what you may not know is that it takes thousands of years for local birds and insects inhabiting your region to adapt to new plants. As food sources become scarce it is increasingly difficult for species of local wildlife to sustain themselves. This is not just a problem for wildlife, these animals and ecosystems are linked together in a much larger picture, a picture that we are also a part of. Thankfully, each of us can take steps to reverse this trend in our own yards. We do not have to remove all non-natives from our gardens overnight, but rather add natives back in. It is an exciting and rewarding process. You will find not only that wild life will increase but also that native plants need less soil amendment, watering and are easier to care for than exotics. Native plants and ecosystems are fascinating to explore and can be as wild or as formal you choose to make them. Special Thanks:
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