Roadmap to Habitat Impact

In 2008, I attended a presentation by a University of Delaware professor who shared the story of restoring a newly purchased property in Pennsylvania. Rather than maintaining hay fields and former farmland, he began replacing them with native trees and plants. In a surprisingly short time, Dr. Doug Tallamy was documenting the incredible insects, birds, and other wildlife that had returned to this growing ecosystem. I bought a copy of his book, Bringing Nature Home, and was hooked.

Doug’s vision, described in this book, truly struck home. “When we all take part, we create the connected habitats that life depends on.”

With my young children in tow, I began making day trips around Maryland in search of native plant nurseries and started incorporating native plants into my own landscape.

At just three and five years old, my boys became enthusiastic wildlife gardeners, amazed by the butterflies, birds, bees, and even turtles that began showing up in our yard. Because of this connection, I became a Master Naturalist, continued researching native plant supply networks, and eventually founded my own business to help bring native plants and sustainable landscape design to others throughout the Mid-Atlantic region.

Fast forward to 2014, I was hired to lead the National Wildlife Federation’s (NWF) Certified Wildlife Habitat® program to help scale the movement nationally.

I share this story because it is just one of thousands that demonstrates the profound influence Dr. Tallamy has had on people across the country. Every day, he inspires new people to transform traditional landscapes into thriving habitats. He remains one of the movement’s most passionate advocates, traveling extensively to meet with communities eager to replace lawns with vibrant native plant ecosystems.

Dr. Tallamy has long championed and advised NWF’s 53-year-old Certified Wildlife Habitat program, helping shape its scientific foundation. His groundbreaking research with Kimberly Shropshire on plant-insect interactions serves as the backbone of NWF’s Native Plant Finder and Keystone Plant Lists.

To expand this vision and reach even more people with the message that native plants can help restore biodiversity, Dr. Tallamy co-founded Homegrown National Park®.

Today, it is with great excitement that the National Wildlife Federation continues to strengthen its partnership with Dr. Doug Tallamy and Homegrown National Park. NWF’s Native Plant Habitats team and the team at Homegrown National Park have entered a more intentional partnership to grow our shared grassroots movement and transform private properties into vital ecological corridors that support wildlife and biodiversity.

As Homegrown National Park Executive Director Tim Snyder notes:

“Every native plant counts, but it counts more when we see it together. The National Wildlife Federation has helped so many people create habitat. Homegrown National Park gives people an opportunity to map their habitat alongside everyone else’s, so a single backyard becomes part of a living network for insects, birds, and pollinators to thrive.”

How You Can Help

Put Your Habitat on the Map

Share your native plant habitat on Homegrown National Park’s interactive Biodiversity Map. From a single container garden on a balcony to hundreds of restored acres, every habitat counts. By helping to map these spaces, you can help visualize our collective conservation impact and the growing network of habitat across the country.

Many National Wildlife Federation Certified Wildlife Habitat owners are already represented on the Homegrown National Park Biodiversity Map, including Dr. Tallamy himself, whose property recently became the 350,000th Certified Wildlife Habitat.

Connect Locally

Get involved with a habitat organization in your state through NWF’s Affiliate Habitat Network. More than 30 state affiliate organizations are committed to expanding Certified Wildlife Habitat® and Community Wildlife Habitat™ programs and helping local communities restore habitat where they live.

Certify Your Habitat

Already on Homegrown National Park’s Biodiversity Map but not yet certified? Take the National Wildlife Federation’s Habitat Quiz to discover whether your property qualifies as a Certified Wildlife Habitat and learn simple ways to improve your space for wildlife.

Share Your Story

As we celebrate the collective impact of this movement, we’d love to hear your story. How did you first discover the power of native plants? What changes have you made in your own landscape? What wildlife have you welcomed back?

Every habitat starts with a single step, and every story has the power to inspire someone else to begin. Share your journey and the impact you’re making for wildlife here.