One of the best ways to support nature is to plant California native plants in your landscaping. When you have a yard, patio, or balcony, live in a house, townhome, or apartment, there are many ways to support local wildlife species.
Here are some ideas of why and how to Nurture Nature where you are.
Here is a how to do it! A Step-by-Step Guide to Nurture Nature
Another good place to start is planting the right tree in the right place. It will bring benefits for you and nature.
Nurture Nature Resources:
Growing California Native Plants at Home
Books
Nature’s Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation that Starts in Your Yard, Doug Tallamy
The California Native Landscape: The Homeowner’s Design Guide to Restoring Its Beauty and Balance, by Greg Rubin and Lucy Warren
Webinars
Nature’s Best Hope, A talk by Doug Tallamy 11/14/2020
Native Plant Gardening Resources– The single most important factor in successfully gardening with native plants is to choose plants that naturally occur in your area.
Most important website for local native plants CALSCAPE.ORG https://calscape.org/
Choosing Your Plants
CalScape Garden Planner
California Native Plant Society (CNPS) Planting Guides
CNPS Easy to use guide
https://www.cnps.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/planting_guide-san_diego_chapter-web.pdf
CNPS Native Plant Garden Design Basics
Easy plants to grow
https://www.laspilitas.com/groups/native-plants-san-diego.html
Best native plants for butterflies- Tree of Life Nursery List
http://sierraclubncg.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Butterfly-host-plants-1.pdf
Tree of Life Nursery Beginner Blogs
List of resources and articles https://www.laspilitas.com/nature-of-california/plant-articles
Fire resistant Native Plants file:///H:/2022%20Gardening/Native%20Plants%20Comprehensive-Fire-Resistant-Plant-List.pdf
Nature’s Hotdogs https://www.audubon.org/news/an-ode-natures-hotdogs-moth-caterpillars
Rethinking Resilience to Wildfire https://theodorepayne.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Brochure_RethinkingResilienceToWildfire_Spreads_SM.pdf
Native Plant Advocacy
California Native Plant Society, San Diego Chapter
Greening Your Homeowners Association
https://www.nwf.org/Home/Magazines/National-Wildlife/2022/Feb-Mar/Gardening/HOAs
Guide to Passing Wildlife-Friendly Property Maintenance Ordinances
https://www.nwf.org/MayorsMonarchPledge/Resources/landscaping-guide
Sierra Club North County Group has a great set of Fact Sheets on what individuals can do to nurture nature, reduce our impacts to climate change, and increase our own resilience in the face of a changing climate.