Nature's Best Hope (2019) by Douglas Tallamy.  A wonderful book at any time but especially so in light of the coronavirus pandemic.  Doug Tallamy, Univ. of Del. professor and naturalist, shows clearly and simply what each of us can do to support our native native pollinators and birds in our own back yards and parks.  Let's get started! 

Click "download" to see the beautiful cover of this book.

Much-admired author Doug Tallamy shows how everyone with access to a patch of earth can make a significant contribution toward sustaining biodiversity and why it matters so much.

"While flowering plants provide pollinators with foods, insects also require suitable shelter for nesting and overwintering."  Meticulous fall clean-ups leave the garden neat as a pin and remove the critical winter protection our native pollinators need.  https://xerces.org/sites/default/files/publications/18-014.pdf

Protecting our native pollinators through the power of citizen science.

A manicured lawn might look nice, but messy is better for birds and bugs.

The Audubon Society says:  leave this year's dead flower stalks with their seeds pods.  Winter birds need them.  Let some leaves remain on your garden beds and mulch (mow over) those on your lawn.  Leaf litter is free fertilizer and provides essential cover for tiny insects and invertebrates that wild birds eat.  Build a brush pile to provide cover from pedators and weather. Skip the chemicals.  They cause harm throughout the food web.  Download the article to learn more.

Constructed landscapes can provide excellent habitat for many butterflies and other beneficial insects. For butterflies, a complete habitat includes both nectar sources for the adults and larval host plants for the next generation. There are many good sources of information about which plants to use. 

by Annie S. White

A landscape rich with a diversity of flowering plants is both beautiful and helps support the thousands of species of bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and other pollinating insects we have in the U.S. However, planning your pollinator-friendly landscape does not end with your plant list. The layout of your gardens, layout of your plants, and your maintenance practices all affect pollinators. Here is a set of considerations for choosing the best types of plants for pollinators, plus how to use them to create the best pollinator sanctuary possible.

 [3 videos] Last updated on Jul 24, 2020

... to explore issues surrounding the development of urban agriculture in Cambridge [and] to propose a comprehensive urban agriculture ordinance that will take into account a broad range of urban agricultural activities.

who teaches Compost 101, blogs about compost and other gardening topics, and has been an EcoFest contributor.  The related Facebook page is called Allium Fields. He also knows a lot about energy efficiency.  

Conference, webinars, events and free monthly newletter help you develop landscapes that consider the ecology of a site and create gardens that enhance the surrounding environment for the benefit of humans and all other life in the ecosystem. Newsletter archives contain over 15 years of valuable information. - See more at: http://www.ecolandscaping.org/#sthash.Qn2tXzJl.dpuf

Experienced writer and teacher Sue Reed is a registered landscape architect. Her work focuses specifically on environmentally sound, energy efficient and sustainable landscape design. She has helped hundreds of homeowners create comfortable, livable and beautiful landscapes that save energy.  

Motto:  Every garden matters -- every landscape counts.

Annual free talk series, Evenings With Experts free talk series, good on-line resources, annual native plant sale. 

Landscape For Life shows you how to work with nature in your garden, no matter where you live, whether you garden on a city or suburban lot, a 20–acre farm, or the common area of your condominium.

Interesting look at the percentage of land area by state covered by turf grass, the volume of water and chemicals used to care for lawns (home, municipal and golf courses), social pressure to keep lawns looking their best, and some alternatives.

Invasive plant lists, management recommendations

The latest in sustainable agriculture and organic farming news, events and funding opportunities.

The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at The University of Texas at Austin, uses native plants to restore and create healthy, beautiful landscapes. They seek to inspire the conservation and application of native plants through their gardens, campus, research, education and outreach programs. In doing so, they improve water quality, provide habitat for wildlife and enhance human health and happiness. Excellent database.

Recently renamed, now Native Plant Trust

"The Region's Expert on Native Plants—from the Wild to Your Backyard" 

The Society is based at Garden in the Woods, a renowned native plant botanic garden in Framingham, Massachusetts, that attracts visitors from all over the world. From this base, 25 staff members and more than 700 volunteers work throughout New England to monitor and protect rare and endangered plants, collect and bank seeds for biological diversity, control invasive species, conduct research, and educate the public. 

• welcomes everyone who cares about food, where it comes from and how it’s grown
• excellent winter and summer conferences