You Can Save the World in Your Own Yard
By: Betty Dworschak
Native Plants Are Crucial to Our Survival
Dr. Doug Tallamy, entomologist and wildlife ecology professor at the University of Delaware, has revolutionized our understanding of how native plants support biodiversity. His books, including Bringing Nature Home and Nature’s Best Hope, encourage us to view our yards as key spaces for conservation. He co-founded Homegrown National Park, a movement urging people to plant native species to combat the biodiversity crisis.
A Changing World
Historically, humans believed we could exploit the Earth without consequences. But scientists like Aldo Leopold and Edward O. Wilson revealed the interconnectedness of plants, animals, and ecosystems, highlighting the urgent need for biodiversity protection. Although national parks and laws like the Endangered Species Act helped, they’re insufficient. In fact:
The Insect Apocalypse is Here (New York Times, 2018)
North America has lost 3 billion birds in the last 50 years (Washington Post, 2019)
Two-thirds of wildlife has vanished since 1970 (WWF, 2020)
1 million species face extinction (UN Report, 2020)
The Importance of Insects
Insects are the foundation of the food web. As their numbers decline, so have birds and other wildlife. Without insects, many plants, including flowering species, would go extinct, collapsing ecosystems and the food web humans rely on. No bugs, no humans.
The Caterpillar’s Surprisingly Important Role
Caterpillars are vital for birds—most species rely on them exclusively to feed their young. To support caterpillars, we need the plants they depend on. While most insects cannot eat milkweed because the sticky sap in their stems glues their mouths shut, monarch caterpillars evolved with milkweed to avoid that fate by instinctively biting through the mid-vein of the leaf. These relationships are not unique in nature.
Most caterpillars—indeed, 90% of all plant-eating insects—are specialists. They can only develop and reproduce on the specific plants with which they share an evolutionary history (Forister, et al. 2014). Without those specific native plants, the corresponding insects cannot survive
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“We cannot make the world uninhabitable for other forms of life and have it habitable for ourselves.”
− Edwin Way Teale
How Can You Help?
The evidence is overwhelming: we are not doing enough to save nature. Insects and birds are disappearing at alarming rates, and an untold number of species have already gone extinct, many in our own lifetime. But there is a way we can save the world. Even the vast the national park lands we set aside as nature preserves is not nearly enough to meet E.O. Wilson’s target of preserving half of the planet for nature.
The key to saving nature (and ourselves) lies in our own yards. We must give up the idea that “nature” is somewhere separate from the places where we live.
To save nature, we must convert private land—our own yards—to native species. In America, 78% of land is privately owned. East of the Mississippi, that percentage rises to 86%, about 40 million acres. If we could restore just half of private land (20 million acres), reduce the size of our lawns and plant native species, it would surpass the size of America’s largest national parks combined.
Planting keystone native species like oak trees (especially white oaks which support more caterpillars than any other species), willows, asters and sunflowers is especially important. Light pollution also harms insects. We can reduce that impact simply by switching to yellow bulbs outside and installing motion-sensor lights
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Homegrown National Park
Doug Tallamy’s initiative, Homegrown National Park, encourages homeowners to plant native species to regenerate biodiversity. Its mission is to motivate millions of ordinary people to regenerate biodiversity by planting natives, removing invasive plant species, and building a culture sympathetic to the needs of conservation.
A simple shift from traditional lawns—which do nothing to support biodiversity—to native plants can help reverse habitat loss. Here are some resources to get you started:
Homegrown National Park (hnpark.org) has excellent information and help, both in promoting the mission and planting your own “monarch waystation.”
The Native Plant Finder from the National Wildlife Federation makes the task of finding plants native to your area less daunting.
The Georgia Native Plant Society (gnps.org) hosts monthly meetings about native gardening, organizes plant rescues, and provides a list of places where you can purchase native plants.
Dunwoody Garden Club and your local garden club offer education, friendship and support to homeowners seeking to improve their gardens. DGC hosted a free presentation by Doug Tallamy in October 2025.
We Are Nature’s Best Hope
We can all make a difference. Whether by planting native species in our yards, volunteering to remove invasive species, or supporting conservation efforts on public lands, everyone has a role to play in preserving biodiversity. We can change how we see the world and our connection to nature. We can educate others, because restoring biodiversity is everyone’s responsibility. So, let’s get going—because nature can’t wait.
Betty Dworschak
Any errors are her sole responsibility
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