How Your Yard Can Restore Biodiversity: Insights from Doug Tallamy
Simple shifts in garden care can turn lawns into thriving habitats for local wildlife.
For decades, entomologist and conservation advocate Doug Tallamy has educated gardeners and homeowners about their crucial role in fighting the biodiversity crisis. Through his books, lectures, and the Homegrown National Park initiative, Tallamy advocates restoring ecosystem balance with simple changes right at home. Here, we break down his most impactful advice into practical steps that anyone can implement today.
Table of Contents
- Why Biodiversity Matters
- Common Barriers to Action
- First Steps: Transforming Your Yard
- Doug Tallamy’s 10 Critical Actions for Biodiversity
- The Importance of Keystone Plants
- Rethinking the American Lawn
- Removing Invasive Species
- Supporting Specialist Pollinators
- Light Pollution and Wildlife
- Letting Leaves Lie
- Stopping Mosquito Fogging
- Ecological Principles for Gardens
- Homegrown National Park Movement
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Why Biodiversity Matters
Biodiversityâthe variety of life in all its forms, from microbes to mammalsâis essential for ecosystem health. It drives ecological services such as:
- Pollination of food and native plants
- Pest control by beneficial insects and birds
- Soil regeneration and carbon sequestration
- Clean water filtration and flood mitigation
When plant and animal species decline, these functions falter, threatening food security, climate stability, and our own well-being.
Home landscapes are uniquely positioned to support local biodiversity, since private land (yards, gardens, unused lots) comprises much of the green space in North America and Europe.
Common Barriers to Action
Many people wish to help nature but feel powerless to make a difference. Tallamy frequently encounters these concerns:
- “It’s too late to make a difference at my small scale.”
- “I donât know where to start.”
- “Nature is something that only exists in parks and wilderness, not in my backyard.”
However, research shows that individual yards, when managed thoughtfully, have powerful cumulative effects on local and even regional biodiversity.
First Steps: Transforming Your Yard
Transitioning your yard into a thriving ecosystem doesnât require a total overhaul. Tallamy recommends starting with small, incremental changes:
- Reduce the area of traditional turf lawn
- Begin planting native shrubs and perennials
- Remove invasive ornamentals as you spot them
- Cease unnecessary chemical applications
Each positive change improves habitat qualityâno matter the yardâs size.
Doug Tallamy’s 10 Critical Actions for Biodiversity
Tallamyâs advice can be distilled into ten core actions any homeowner or gardener can take to maximize ecological benefits:
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- Reduce the size of your lawn: Replace excess turfgrass with native planting beds and meadows.
- Plant keystone native species: Focus on native trees and perennials critical for local wildlife food webs.
- Remove invasive species: Routinely eliminate aggressive, non-native plants from your property.
- Retain leaf litter: Let autumn leaves remain where they fall to support soil health and habitat for overwintering insects.
- Minimize outdoor lighting: Swap out white bulbs for yellow, LED-based or motion-sensor options to avoid disrupting nocturnal species.
- Stop routine mosquito fogging: Avoid broad-spectrum pesticides and use targeted approaches for mosquito control.
- Plant for specialist pollinators: Choose plants that meet the needs of bees and insects with narrow host requirements.
- Remove unnecessary chemical inputs: Cease using synthetic fertilizers, herbicides, and fungicides.
- Create vertical habitat structure: Add shrubs, understory trees, and layered plantings to mimic natural habitats.
- Advocate for biodiversity: Share your progress, encourage neighbors, and participate in local ecological initiatives.
The Importance of Keystone Plants
Tallamyâs research has revealed that a small subset of native plantsâknown as keystone plantsâprovide the majority of food and habitat for insects and, by extension, birds and mammals.
Top keystone woody plants for North America:
- Oaks (Quercus)
- Willows (Salix)
- Cherries & plums (Prunus)
- Birches (Betula)
- Poplars & cottonwoods (Populus)
Keystone herbaceous plants:
- Goldenrods (Solidago)
- Asters (Symphyotrichum, Eurybia)
- Sunflowers (Helianthus)
- Blazing stars (Liatris)
- Milkweeds (Asclepias)
Planting these species dramatically increases the abundance and diversity of caterpillars, which are the primary food for nesting birds and other wildlife.
Rethinking the American Lawn
The traditional, manicured lawn dominates U.S. residential landscapes, covering an estimated 40 million acres. However, turfgrass provides almost no ecological valueâno pollen, nectar, or caterpillar food, and it requires costly mowing, chemicals, and irrigation.
Alternatives include:
- Converting part of the yard to native plant beds, borders, or mini-meadows
- Creating paths or “stepping stones” of lawn amid larger wildlife-friendly plantings
- Transitioning unused lawn areas into shrub thickets or wildflower patches
Quick Table: Benefits of Reducing Lawn Area
| Traditional Lawn | Biodiverse Plantings |
|---|---|
| Requires frequent mowing | Low maintenance once established |
| No food for pollinators | Supports abundant birds and insects |
| Often uses pesticides/fertilizers | Healthier, chemical-free soil |
| Consumes more water | Drought-resilient options available |
| Minimal wildlife value | Vital refuge for native species |
Removing Invasive Species
Non-native invasive plants outcompete local flora, disrupt food webs, and rarely support specialized local insects. Tallamy urges routine checks for invasives such as:
- Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii)
- Burning bush (Euonymus alatus)
- Norway maple (Acer platanoides)
- English ivy (Hedera helix)
- Multiflora rose (Rosa multiflora)
When invasives are removed, opportunities for native regeneration and diverse habitat flourish.
Supporting Specialist Pollinators
Roughly 35% of native bee species require specific plants for nesting and feeding. Likewise, many butterflies, such as Monarchs and Swallowtails, rely on “host plants” for their caterpillars.
Easy ways to help specialist pollinators:
- Plant milkweed for Monarchs
- Grow fennel, parsley, and dill for Swallowtails
- Include pawpaw, spicebush, and oaks for other specialist species
- Avoid destroying caterpillar host plants when tidying up
Light Pollution and Wildlife
Outdoor white lights attract and disorient nocturnal insects (especially moths), disrupting critical nighttime behaviors. Tallamy suggests switching to warm yellow bulbs, motion-activated lighting, and dimming outdoor fixtures wherever possible.
Reducing artificial light at night restores the natural cycles that many insects and birds rely on for survival.
Letting Leaves Lie
Fallen leaves are essential habitat and food for overwintering insects, amphibians, and soil microbes. Rather than raking or bagging leaves, let them naturally decompose as mulch beneath garden beds and trees, or use them to insulate overwintering plants.
Stopping Mosquito Fogging
Mass spraying for mosquitoes (“fogging”) often kills not only the intended pests but also important pollinators and other insects. Tallamy recommends:
- Eliminating standing waterâmosquitoes breed in stagnant pools
- Using Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti) dunks for biologically safe mosquito control
- Encouraging bats, dragonflies, and birds that prey on mosquitoes
Ecological Principles for Gardens
Research distills home landscape design for biodiversity into four guiding principles, endorsed by Tallamy:
- Manage water sustainably: Reduce runoff, retain rain with permeable surfaces, and use rain gardens.
- Support pollinators: Prioritize continuous blooms throughout the growing season, including early- and late-flowering natives.
- Sustain the food web: Provide keystone host plants so insects can thrive, feeding birds and mammals.
- Sequester carbon: Increase woody and perennial cover, minimize frequent disturbance (mowing and digging).
The Homegrown National Park Movement
The Homegrown National Park initiative, launched by Tallamy, is a grassroots movement to restore biodiversity by collectively transforming millions of acres of private land with native plants.
Core ideas:
- Every yard counts: Small changes, multiplied nationally, can rebuild wildlife corridors and local food webs.
- Anyone can participate: No property is too small. Even pots and containers can support native insects.
- Add your yard: Share your native plantings and habitat improvements in the Homegrown National Park map to inspire others.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: I only have a tiny yard or balcony. Does this still make a difference?
A: Yes! Even small native plantings provide crucial habitat “stepping stones” for pollinators, birds, and insects. Container gardens count, too.
Q: I donât want to lose my lawn completely. Are there middle-ground options?
A: Absolutely. Consider “editing” your lawnâmaintain paths, play spaces, or a tidy patch for recreation, and convert the rest to productive planting beds or a less-mown meadow.
Q: What if my neighborhood or HOA resists change?
A: Start conversations by sharing the wildlife value and lower maintenance benefits of native gardens. Suggest phased, attractive designs that blend in with neighborhood aesthetics. Tallamyâs website offers great tips for engaging with HOAs and neighbors.
Q: Where do I find information on keystone plants for my region?
A: The National Wildlife Federation, local native plant societies, and the Homegrown National Park project all provide region-specific keystone plant lists.
Q: If I let leaves sit, wonât that invite disease or pests?
A: When leaves are layered thinly and allowed to decompose naturally, they improve soil health and rarely cause problems. Avoid deep piles on turf, but use leaves freely in beds and under shrubs.
Getting Started Today
- Pick one section of your yard to convert to natives this year.
- Replace a few outdoor bulbs with yellow LED options.
- Skip a week of mowing to see what wildflowers appear.
- Take “before” and “after” photos to share progress and inspire others.
- Join regional native plant groups or online communities for support and advice.
By making even small choices in your home landscape, you are participating in an urgently needed restoration of the worldâs ecologyâone yard at a time.
References
- https://www.gardenista.com/posts/doug-tallamy-how-can-i-help-biodiversity/
- https://ento.psu.edu/news/10-steps-you-can-take-to-support-local-biodiversity-2013-advice-from-dr-doug-tallamy
- https://www.greenjaylandscapedesign.com/blog/applying-doug-tallamys-four-ecologically-crucial-things-you-should-do-to-the-home-landscape/
- https://awaytogarden.com/the-garden-as-habitat-with-doug-tallamy/
- https://homegrownnationalpark.org
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