I’m reading a fascinating book, “Nature’s Best Hope,” by entomologist Douglas W. Tallamy (2019, Timber Press, Inc.). It suggests remedies to our disappearing natural habitats and the wildlife that depends on them.
Tallamy proposes a revolutionary idea: transform our private yards into a massive, interconnected network of viable habitat across the country that he calls the “homegrown national park.” When you consider that roughly 60% to 80% of the land in the U.S. is privately owned, the concept is compelling and inspiring.
The Crisis of the Food Web
The core argument of “Nature’s Best Hope” is rooted in the specialized relationship between plants and insects. Most people view insects as pests, but they are actually the “little things that run the world.”
Many insects are specialists, meaning they can only eat plants with which they share an evolutionary history. For example, the Monarch butterfly requires milkweed. When we fill our yards with non-native species—like Callery pear or Japanese barberry—local insects lose their source of food. In a yard full of non-native plants, the food web collapses fewer caterpillars, which means fewer birds (as a single clutch of chickadees requires thousands of caterpillars to reach maturity).
By gardening with lawns and non-natives not suited to our regional environments, we inadvertently create “ecological dead zones.” (Some insects, like native bees, do adapt to Mediterranean-style plants like Spanish lavender, which can complement native plantings.)
What We Can Do
Tallamy suggests we garden with a new purpose. Here are actions we can take:
Shrink the Lawn – Turf grass offers zero ecological value and requires massive amounts of water and chemicals. Tallamy suggests cutting your lawn area in half. Replace that space with productive native plant beds that can support local wildlife.
Rethink Lighting and Insects – Outdoor security lights are a major contributor to insect decline, as they exhaust and kill nocturnal pollinators. Switch to yellow LED bulbs, which are far less attractive to insects, or use motion sensors so lights are only on when needed.
Prioritize Keystone Plants – Tallamy’s research shows that a small number of native genera, or “keystone plants,” do the heavy lifting for the ecosystem. To provide a massive boost to your local biodiversity, nurture or plant:
Oaks: Oaks (Quercus) are the #1 keystone species in the West. They support an astounding number of insects, birds, and other wildlife.
Willow and cherry: Native willows (Salix) and Western chokecherries (Prunus virginiana) are top-tier caterpillar hosts for Western butterflies and moths.
California lilac: Ceanothus is a critical keystone genus that supports dozens of butterfly species and serves as a vital nitrogen-fixer for our soils.
Late-summer bloomers like California fuchsia (Epilobium) and goldenrod (Solidago): These provide nectar for migrating hummingbirds and pollinators when everything else has gone dormant.
Gardening as an Act of Hope
Gardening according to the principles in “Nature’s Best Hope” changes the definition of a “beautiful” yard. It’s no longer perfectly manicured and bug-free; it’s a yard teeming with life. By choosing native and select Mediterranean plants, reducing our lawns, and seeing our properties as part of a larger ecosystem, we become nature’s best hope. Your yard isn’t just a plot of land; it’s a vital link in the chain of life.
Rachel Oppedahl is a UCCE Master Gardener of Tuolumne County.
