How to Create a Homegrown National Park in Your Backyard!
What if the key to preserving biodiversity was in our own backyards?
Doug Tallamy, entomologist, ecologist and conservationist, believes that each of us has the power to make a significant impact on the environment - and it all starts with the plants we choose to grow. Through his research and findings, Tallamy has sparked a continent-wide movement under the banner of Homegrown National Park, which aims to restore ecosystems and boost biodiversity by transforming yards, gardens, and public spaces into conservation corridors that provide wildlife habitat.
“Native plants are the most powerful tool in our conservation tool box; without increasing their use and protection, we will fail in our conservation efforts ... We can restore biodiversity and ecosystem function one person at a time – please plant natives and get on the Homegrown National Park map.”
Quick jump to sections:
Who is Doug Tallamy?
Since 1982, Douglas (Doug) Tallamy has been teaching as a professor in the Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Delaware. He has authored over 100 research articles examining how plant and insect interactions impact food webs and biodiversity, and four bestselling books that make this research accessible to all readers. Tallamy’s research underscores a critical point: without native plants, native insects and wildlife will disappear. He urges homeowners to take conservation into their own hands by adding native plants to their outdoor spaces, no matter how big or small they may be.
In his 2020 book Nature's Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation That Starts in Your Yard, Tallamy shares how his personal experience with landscaping on his own property led him to explore the broader environmental impacts of non-native plants and expansive lawns. He discovered that these landscaping choices do not provide adequate support for native Lepidoptera species (butterflies and moths), and in turn, the animals (like birds) that depend on them. Tallamy's research highlights how such practices contribute to the decline in biodiversity, and he proposes that the solution lies in transforming our yards and communities into native plant habitats - bringing biodiversity to our balconies, schools and home gardens.
Tallamy urges homeowners to change what we ask of our landscapes. No longer can they just serve an aesthetic purpose. In order to help mitigate the biodiversity crisis, all landscapes must
support a diverse community of pollinators
provide energy for the local food web
contribute to watershed management
capture and remove carbon from the atmosphere.
And yes, landscapes can still look nice while working to provide these essential ecosystem services!
“In the past, we have asked one thing of our gardens: that they be pretty. Now they have to support life, sequester carbon, feed pollinators and manage water.”
What is Homegrown National Park?
Homegrown National Park (HNP), co-founded by Doug Tallamy, is an American non-profit initiative dedicated to restoring biodiversity and lost habitats by offering a simple, science-based solution that anyone can implement: plant native species and remove invasive ones. By doing so, we are essentially building mini nature reserves all over the country (now expanded to include Canada!).
By encouraging people to replace invasive and non-native plants with native ones, more habitat will be created for pollinators and other beneficial insects that will in turn support more plants and animals and help restore balance to local ecosystems. In addition to supporting wildlife, these localized efforts can have a significant impact on broader environmental challenges; balanced ecosystems provide services we all rely on - clean air and water, flood mitigation, crop pollination and carbon storage. Collectively, these small actions can help mitigate climate change and restore ecosystem services.
What’s truly inspiring about HNP is the idea that every garden, no matter how small, has the potential to become a thriving habitat for wildlife. By simply replacing a portion of your lawn or non-native plants with native species, or adding containers of native plants to your balcony, you can create a space that attracts pollinators, provides food for birds, and supports beneficial insects like ladybugs and hoverflies.
Ultimately, the HNP initiative is about shifting our perspective. It’s about recognizing that conservation doesn’t only happen in parks - it happens in our neighborhoods, backyards, and even the smallest green spaces. By planting native species, we can create environments that not only support wildlife but foster a deeper connection to the natural world around us.
American lady caterpillar on pearly everlasting. Bumble bee on blue lobelia. Tri-coloured bumble bee on New England aster. Carload of native plants. ©A.Brennan
How can we participate in the Homegrown National Park movement?
The good news is that anyone can contribute to the restoration of local ecosystems by adding native plants to their outdoor spaces - from rural acreages to apartment balconies and community or school landscapes.
Here’s a few tips to get started:
1. Start small
You don’t have to overhaul your entire landscape overnight. Choose a manageable section to focus on - this could be an existing patch of invasive plants, a portion of lawn or some empty containers.
If you don't have private outdoor space, consider contacting a community park or school and presenting the idea of volunteering your time to install native plants.
Make a long-term plan to work on different sections and watch how quickly wildlife returns - you’ll notice bumble bees, monarchs, small native bees and a greater variety of birds right away!
Keystone plants and the number of species that depend on them.
2. Include keystone plants
Keystone plants are native plants that are critical to the food web and are necessary for the survival of great numbers of wildlife species. These plants generate a network of beneficial relationships and support dramatic increases in biodiversity.
Tallamy’s research has identified the 14% of native plant genera (including oaks, goldenrods and asters) that support 90% of butterfly and moth species (Narango et al., 2020). These Lepidoptera species go on to support 96% of the bird population (Tallamy & Shriver, 2021)! It’s plain to see that without these keystone species, ecosystem balance is impossible. Check the resource section below to find out about keystone plants in your region.
3. Spread the word
Part of the power of HNP comes from raising awareness and encouraging others to take action. Once you’ve started making changes, share your journey with others - document your progress and get on the HNP Biodiversity Map! The map showcases all the incredible work being done by individuals and organizations across the US and Canada. Inspire your neighbours to make changes to their property by posting an informative sign.
Signs posted by Sweet Brier Farm to invite neighbours into discussions about native plants and the HNP. Photo courtesy of Dan Neel, Source: Homegrown National Park Facebook group.
4. Keep learning
Once you begin to invite wildlife back into their habitats, you’ll be sure to meet many species you’ve never noticed before.
Take lots of photos, participate in citizen science programs like iNaturalist, Bumble Bee Watch, or become a Butterflyway Ranger for the David Suzuki Foundation.
Sign up for webinars to learn about these species that you’ve identified - there are many past recordings accessible on websites such as Nature Conservancy Canada, Wildlife Preservation Canada, and of course, Homegrown National Park.
Follow informative pages on social media like Reconnect, Ottawa Wildflower Seed Library, Canadian Coalition for Invasive Plant Regulation, and so many more.
Attend a community event that is centered around sharing native seeds, building rain gardens or removing invasive species.
Mining bees are specialist feeders and this one feeds on goldenrod species. ©A.Brennan
In the end, Homegrown National Park isn’t just about planting native plants in your yard; it’s the creation of a ripple effect where each individual effort builds toward a collective change. Doug Tallamy’s belief that nature’s best hope is us, reminds us that we, as individuals, have the power to restore balance to the natural world.
So, take that first step - whether it's replacing a few ornamental plants with native ones or advocating for change in your community - and be part of the movement that helps ensure a thriving, biodiverse future for all.
Contact us to see how you can get on the map!
Resources:
Canadian Coalition for Invasive Plant Regulation - Blog
Citizen Science - iNaturalist, Bumble Bee Watch, David Suzuki Foundation
Homegrown National Park - Home Page
Homegrown National Park - Local Plants and Services
National Wildlife Federation - Keystone Plants by Ecoregion
Ottawa Wildflower Seed Library - Welcome Page
Pollinator Partnership Canada: Native Plants by Ecoregion
Timber Press - Nature’s Best Hope
Watersheds Canada - Blog
Wildlife Preservation Canada - Webinars
References:
Narango, D. L., Tallamy, D. W., & Shropshire, K. J. (2020). Few keystone plant genera support the majority of Lepidoptera species. Nature communications, 11(1), 1-8.
Tallamy, D. W., & Shriver, W. G. (2021). Are declines in insects and insectivorous birds related?. The Condor, 123(1), duaa059.