Restoring Ecosystems: The Vital Role of Native Plants in Your Yard.
Why Native Plants Matter: Restoring Balance to Our Ecosystems
The landscapes we design and maintain have far-reaching consequences—not just for our well-being, but for the environment and the ecosystems around us. Native plants, which have evolved over thousands of years in specific regions, are essential to the health of these ecosystems. Unfortunately, the widespread preference for manicured lawns—the largest irrigated crop in America—and the introduction of non-native plants in our landscapes have severely disrupted these natural systems, leading to a staggering loss of biodiversity. By choosing to plant native species, we can help restore the delicate balance that nature has cultivated over millennia and foster healthier, more resilient ecosystems.
Native Plants: Perfectly Evolved for Your Yard’s Environment
American Goldfinch Perched on Purple Coneflower
It has taken thousands of years for the plants we call “native” to develop traits perfectly suited to their regions. Native plants have evolved to thrive in local climates, adapting to temperature and precipitation patterns, soil conditions, and migratory cycles. They’ve become essential partners to the insects and animals that rely on them for food and habitat—just as these plants rely on those species for pollination and other vital functions.
The plants in your yard are not merely decorative (though many native species are stunning in their own right)—they form the foundation of complex ecosystems, existing in perfect harmony with their environment. The introduction of non-native plants, driven largely by human activity, is a very recent and rapid development in evolutionary terms. From an ecological standpoint, these species have been introduced in the blink of an eye.
The uncomfortable truth is that local ecosystems simply can’t keep pace with such rapid change, and they cannot sustain themselves on the large swaths of ecological wastelands created by typical American lawns. Insects, birds, and wildlife that have co-evolved with native plants over millennia are unable to adapt fast enough and the results are devastating.
The Crisis of Biodiversity Loss: Starting at the bottom of the food web
We are now witnessing an unprecedented loss of biodiversity. Insects that once thrived on native plants are struggling to survive as non-native species dominate our landscapes, from backyards to public parks. When native plants are replaced, insects lose their food source and habitat, setting off a chain reaction that affects the entire ecosystem. As insect populations plummet, so too do the birds, amphibians, and small mammals that depend on them.
Sharp Decline: Western Monarch Butterfly Population Plummets by Over 97% from 1997 to 2019.
Consider this: approximately 90% of plant-eating insects are specialists. This means they can only consume the native plants they’ve evolved alongside over millennia (source: Native Plant Trust). When non-native species take over, these insects lose their food source and die off. Monarch butterflies are a prime example. Monarchs lay their eggs exclusively on milkweed, a native plant that is toxic to most species but vital for monarch caterpillars. Monarchs have developed a specific adaptation that allows them to safely digest milkweed, which also protects them by making them less appealing to predators.
As suburban sprawl replaces milkweed habitats with ecologically sparse turf grass lawns and non-native plants, monarch populations have declined sharply.
Birds Feel the Loss Too
This loss of insects ripples across the food web, and has devastating consequences for bird populations.
The vast majority of terrestrial birds (96%) raise their young on insects. A single nest of chickadees requires about 7,500 caterpillars to successfully raise their young (source: PBS). When native plants disappear, so do the insects—taking with them the birds that rely on them for survival.
The scale of this loss is shocking: nearly 30% of birds in the U.S. and Canada have disappeared between 1970 and 2019 (source: Cornell University.)
The Environmental Toll of Non-Native Lawns
Non-native lawns are also incredibly resource-intensive. Maintaining traditional lawns requires vast amounts of water, pesticides, and fertilizers, all of which take a toll on the environment.
Every year, American homeowners apply approximately 70 million pounds of pesticides to their lawns, largely for aesthetic reasons (source: Audubon). These chemicals don’t just vanish—they leach into groundwater or runoff into nearby rivers, lakes, and drinking water supplies. Fertilizers, particularly nitrogen-based ones, are equally harmful, with 40-60% of the nitrogen running off into surface waters, further polluting ecosystems (source: Our World in Data).
Pesticides kill 67 million birds per year in the U.S.
The problem is compounded by the amount of water needed to keep non-native lawns green. On the East Coast, 30% of residential water use goes to watering lawns; on the West Coast, that figure jumps to a staggering 60% (source: EPA).
Pesticides used on lawns don’t just kill unwanted pests—they also kill off beneficial insects, like butterflies and ladybugs, and contribute to the deaths of 67 million birds annually in the U.S. (source: Chicago Bird Alliance).
Air pollution is another hidden cost. Gas-powered lawnmowers produce alarmingly high levels of emissions. Just one hour of mowing generates as much pollution as driving 340 miles (source: UMich).
Making an Impact: Why Your Yard Matters
New England Aster
Here’s the good news: you can make a huge impact with what you choose to plant on your landscape. While your yard may seem like a small plot of land, the choices we make in our landscapes, collectively, can help reverse biodiversity loss. Every native plant you introduce supports local insects, birds, and wildlife, helping to restore the natural balance that’s essential for healthy ecosystems.
By replacing resource-intensive, non-native plants with native species, you not only reduce your environmental footprint but also contribute to the survival of species that are struggling to adapt to the rapid changes brought about by human development.
Reversing the Trend
We often think of biodiversity loss as something happening in distant rainforests or oceans, but the reality is that it’s happening right in our own backyards. Every time a non-native plant replaces a native species, it chips away at the intricate web of life that sustains local ecosystems. But by making intentional choices about the plants we grow, we can begin to restore what’s been lost.
Conclusion: A Simple, Powerful Choice
The introduction of non-native plants has disrupted a delicate ecological balance, one that took millennia to develop. This disruption is accelerating biodiversity loss at an alarming rate, as insects and animals cannot adapt quickly enough to the rapidly changing landscape. But by choosing to grow native plants, you can help restore that balance.
Your decision to plant native species goes beyond aesthetics or convenience—it’s about creating a world where biodiversity flourishes, ecosystems are resilient, and the natural web of life remains intact. In an era of environmental uncertainty, this is one of the most powerful and impactful actions you can take.
Choosing native plants isn’t just about saving water or reducing chemical use—it’s about ensuring that the world we leave behind is one where life, in all its forms, continues to thrive.
Common Blue Violet
