Reviewed by: Lacey Spear
How you can become a champion for native plants and trees in Alabama
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“Think Globally, Act Locally.” About 50 years ago, this catchphrase appeared on bumper stickers and t-shirts everywhere.
The message was simple. If you want to become a champion for planet Earth, begin by concentrating your efforts on your own home, backyard, neighborhood and community.
How do you start?
In this series, we explore how YOU can make the world a little bit greener, healthier and more beautiful here in Alabama.
Our first story focuses on something we all can do — transform our yards and community into a native tree and plant paradise.
We sat down with three local conservationists to learn how to turn our gardens into sanctuaries for pollinators.
Why do native plants and trees matter?
This past January, UAB School of Public Health hosted Dr. Doug Tallamy—the founder of a national organization called Homegrown National Parks.
His hour-long presentation called “Nature’s Best Hope” is a must-see. The bottom line of his message: Some of Alabama’s most beautiful wildlife; birds, bees and butterflies, all depend on native plants for their survival.
The beauty of natives goes way beyond a pretty flower. Natives draw and nourish local life that will make your garden come alive. The buzzing, fluttering, singing activity is a joy to behold.
Needed: 6000 caterpillars
About a year before the UAB presentation, Tallamy spoke to an audience at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. Laney DeJonge, co-owner of Rojo—the popular local restaurant and watering hole on Birmingham’s Highland Avenue – was there.
His speech inspired her.
“Tallamy opened my eyes to the fact that we need insects. Planting native plants promotes those pollinators and insects that we need to feed our birds. I’m always telling people about how it takes 6000 caterpillars for one chickadee nest to survive.”
~ Laney DeJonge, co-owner of Rojo
Over the past year, DeJonge and her friends started a local group called Homegrown Habitat to support the mission of Tallamy’s Homegrown National Park group.”We first direct people to Doug Tallamy’s website, which asks them to commit to planting and supporting native plants in their yards and community. Additionally, we have ‘acted locally’ by working with the City of Birmingham to plant natives in the Highland Avenue medians with pro bono design plans from Lea Ann Macknally of Macknally Land Design.
“In most cities, you have either horticulture departments or people who are hired to plant around town. We are encouraging people to reach out to their city leaders and get them to plant more natives. If the city is doing it, others in the community may be inspired to plant natives in their own yards.”
~ Laney DeJonge, co-owner of Rojo
Speaking for native trees — old and new
Francesca Gross with Birmingham’s Cool Green Trees is The Magic City’s “Lorax.” She speaks for the trees like the iconic Dr. Seus character.
“As you rush out to buy the flowers and trees for your yard, consider the value of native plants. Their influence on our lives goes much further than a horticulture trend.
The health of your family and less fortunate families depends on what we do now. Today, a full healthy tree canopy improves air quality, reduces stormwater flooding and affects mental and physical health, unlike any man made design. Private and public places attracting native birds, butterflies and native bees bring us strong farms and vegetable gardens.”
Gross provided three easy tips on how to get started:
- Keep the trees we have. Invest your time in a good tree ordinance in your city to limit the removal of old trees. A 30-year-old tree is at its peak for holding water that reduces flooding and turns CO2 into plant tissue.
- Plant more native trees and shrubs in your yard. Even better, plant three as close friends so their roots can intertwine and hold one another up in a storm.
- Contribute to hands-on climate action by planting trees with Cool Green Trees in the Urban Heat Islands of Jefferson County. We’ve mapped them and aim to keep planting in parks, schools and streetside for a better, cooler future. Sign up for tree planting here.
To get into the native plant mindset, we have to change the way we think about plants. Instead of buying whatever is available at our local big box store or nursery, ask if they carry natives. Better yet, shop at a local native plant sale hosted by a botanical gardens or native plant group.
In the Birmingham area, Gross recommends Ruffner Mountain/Turkey Creek Preserves and the Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens.
Both groups have native plant sales in April;
- Ruffner Mountain — Sales every Saturday in April
- Friends of Birmingham Botanical Gardens Spring Plant Sale — April 11th for members + April 12-13 for the public.
In addition, check out these sales in other areas of the state:
Huntsville: Huntsville Botanical Gardens – April 11 for members +.April 12-14th for the public.
Montgomery: Capital City Master Gardener Association – April 13th.
Auburn: Davis Arboretum – March 30th
Tuscaloosa: George Wood Chapter, Alabama Wildflowers – April 6.
Mobile: Mobile Botanical Gardens – March 14-16
In true Lorax style, Gross expresses the urgency of planting native trees and plants.
“We don’t have a minute to spare for our health and for our future. It’s easy and it’s beautiful.”
Storytelling: Bringing back natives through social media
Another leading advocate for natives is Kyle Lybarger from Hartselle, Alabama. A graduate in Forestry from Alabama A&M, Lybarger discovered the importance of native plants while managing a timber project.
He noticed how after a timber harvest, much of the land, with a little help—such as removing invasives and exposing the land to sunlight—would create the conditions that reverted the land to native prairie or grassland. (Check out the 2019 Bham Now story on this topic).
“I discovered the majority of Alabama was once a grassland. I can’t find a single place in the state where I’m not within half a mile of something that was historically grassland.”
~Kyle Lybarger
A storyteller, Lybarger did what many of us do in the digital world today — he made videos and posted them on multiple social media channels.
“I just started making videos, preaching about how important natives are to landscaping and integral to biodiversity on private properties. It just blew up from there.”
~ Kyle Lybarger
Blew up is an understatement. At last count, Lybarger has over 420K followers on his Instagram (@nativehabitatproject). His Native Habitat Project YouTube channel has 256K subscribers.
We asked him: Where should someone start if they want to become a native plant and tree champion? He provided the following suggestions:
- Download plant ID apps and use Alabama Plant Atlas – Several easy to use Plant ID apps are available. They include: Picture This, Lady Bird Johnson App and iNaturalist The Alabama Plant Atlas compliments INaturalist because it is going to tell you everything that’s native to your county. Many times you’ll even be surprised to find plants on the roadside that haven’t been documented in your county.
- Find a legacy tree, collect seeds and plant locally – Discover “legacy trees” in your community. You can often find them at churches or in older neighborhoods.
“If you’re going to plant a tree in your yard, plant good seeds from those trees because they deserve to be growing in your front yard!”
Lybarger also suggests collecting native seeds from around your community along roadsides. If that doesn’t work, visit a local plant shop that sells native plants.
“It is all about saving those genetics in your area,” he told Bham Now.
Become a native plant champion today
Are you ready to become a native plant and tree champion? Get involved locally by joining a friend group like Ruffner Mountain or Friends of Turkey Creek and Birmingham Botanical Gardens. Check out their native plant sales.
Remember when you make a difference locally, you are doing your part to make the world better. You also get the immense benefit of creating a habitat that supports not just plants but wildlife that adds beauty for our enjoyment and food that we depend on.
Next in the series
Building on our theme Think Globally, Act Locally, we will examine how picking up litter in a neighborhood can transform an entire community — the residents and the environment.
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