Go Native: Transform Your Yard for a Healthier Landscape

Lawns cover an estimated 40 million acres in the United States, four times as much land as used to grow fruits and vegetables.

Turfgrass lawns became popular in the United States in the 1870s and have since become the dominant idea in residential and commercial landscape design regardless of the surrounding natural biome. From the forested northeast to the desert southwest, people in the United States toil to grow a few species of turfgrass, keep it mowed a few inches tall, and exclude all other plant species. Allowing, encouraging, or establishing native plants instead of or in addition to turfgrass provides valuable habitat for many more species, safeguarding biodiversity.

Edible gardens of native plants provide food and habitat.

Two That Matter Most

To know how well you are meeting the need for habitat with native plants, these two indicators matter most:

• How much pesticide you apply to your land.
• How many native plant species are growing on your land.

Sustainable Practice: Landscaping 101

Planting Native Species