My name is Anthony Peterson and just like most of you I want to leave the world better than I found it.  Like many of you, I am feeling more and more guilty as I realize the atrocities that human’s have perpetrated against all of the other species on this planet.  IF YOU PLANT IT, THEY WILL COME is my way of taking responsibility for my role in this and making a tiny difference with my own life. My dream is that this concept will go viral and spread like kudzu and together we can make a huge difference across this country and around the world.

The idea of planting native flora on private and public lands is not mine, and is not new.  Genius scientists like Douglas Tallamy have been promoting this concept for years now.  Read more about his work at bringingnaturehome.net.  You can also find information on Tallamy’s Homegrown National Park movement at https://homegrownnationalpark.org/.  Dr. Tallamy has also written some excellent books that give a lot more detail than I will share here about how we got where we are with our diminishing biodiversity and the idea that hit home with me: 

Gardeners are a big part of the biodiversity problem

We can also be a big part of the solution.  

I’ve been a gardener for about 50 years. Gardening has always felt innocent and natural to me. The knowledge that residential lots and public lands have evolved into sterile wastelands of lawn and alien plants was a revelation to me. The idea of adding native plants to my yard seems like the perfect way to combine my love for gardening and for nature. In addition, I plan to start and procure hundreds of native plants to share with neighbors and friends. I’m going to encourage my neighborhood to move their lawns to:

50% Native!

You can follow our efforts on this blog as I track my own journey and my efforts in spreading the word throughout my Haller Lake neighborhood and beyond.