Jody and I started Native Nurseries in 1980, specializing in the sale of native plants. We had attended forestry school, studying wildlife ecology, followed by working at a nature center in Gainesville. During those years we observed many unique relationships between native plants and wildlife – from insects to birds and mammals– and founded our business on those observations. Every native plant seemed to have some relationship with a native animal.

In 2007, entomologist and ecologist Douglas W. Tallamy from the University of Delaware published his first book, Bringing Nature Home, that presented years of research in an eloquent and understandable manner on just how dependent native insects are on native plants, forming the base of a complex food web. Just like that, everything that we had been teaching and promoting based on our own observations, was verified and supported with scientific data.

In Nature’s Best Hope (2020), Tallamy takes his ideas based on his research one step further, encouraging readers to turn their yards into conservation corridors by planting native plants, particularly ones that he considers keystone species, ones that large numbers of Lepidoptera (butterfly and moth) species utilize as food. These caterpillars are then eaten by birds, spiders, lizards and other wildlife. We can increase biodiversity in our community just through the simple act of planting native plants in our yards and parks. He see this as a way an individual can combat the huge loss of biodiversity world wide due to development. Most suburban landscapes are dominated by large areas of lawn and non-native ornamental trees and shrubs that have little to no value to wildlife.

In this book, Tallamy shows you how to get started on your own ecological landscape. This is a fast, interesting, mind opening read! Watch Tallamy’s YouTube videos to learn even more. You may also enjoy his latest book, The Nature of Oaks.