In the last 24 years, Judy has moved approximately 16 times for her husband’s military career. But her family has finally settled down in a lovely house with a yard near Annapolis, Maryland. Now Judy is hoping to transform her outdoor space into something that’s beautiful and environmentally friendly. On this episode of How To!, Doug Tallamy explains why, now more than ever, we need people like Judy to plant native species in order to revive our ecosystem. He has some surprisingly easy tips for replacing your grass (take that, lawn mower!), finding plants that pollinators will love, and even getting rid of those pesky mosquitoes.
Resources:
Homegrown National Park
Nature's Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation That Starts in Your Yard
Audubon Native Plants Database
National Wildlife Federation Native Plant Finder
SEEK by iNaturalist
The Life and Death of the American Lawn
If you liked this episode, check out “How To Squash Your Fear of Bugs (and Other Phobias)”
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Podcast production by Derek John and Rosemary Belson with help from Katie Shepherd.
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