Rebuild biodiversity from the ground up, one school at a time!
The name Homegrown National Park® (HNP) was coined by cofounder Professor Doug Tallamy to describe a new culture where everyone makes a difference in our habitats. “Our National Parks, no matter how grand in scale, are too small and separated from one another to preserve (native) species to the levels needed. Thus, the concept for Homegrown National Park, a bottom-up call-to-action to restore habitat where we live and work, and to a lesser extent where we farm and graze, extending national parks to our yards and communities.”
A native plant is a species that naturally occurs within a specific ecosystem (without human intervention) and shares an evolutionary history with the other species in that area. These relationships make them crucial for the health and productivity of that ecosystem. Without them, ecosystem services collapse, threatening the systems our communities depend on to survive.
The mission of Homegrown National Park is to catalyze people to plant native and remove invasive plant species at home and in their communities, one of the most impactful actions anyone can take to restore and protect the natural habitats that support all life. Their vision is a world where the restoration and protection of native habitats is mainstream, the default behavior of everyone and every organization.
The Homegrown National Parks Schools Program brings hands-on biodiversity education into middle schools and gives students a meaningful way to make a difference. Through outdoor learning, native planting and community based propagation, students learn how to restore biodiversity where they live, learn and play, whatever their grade level!
Want to know more?!
- Website: https://homegrownnationalpark.org/
- Starter Guides: https://homegrownnationalpark.org/get-started-planting-native/
- Homegrown National Parks Schools Program: https://homegrownnationalpark.org/schools-program/
- Reasons to Plant Native: https://homegrownnationalpark.org/get-started-planting-native/
- Biodiversity Map: an interactive, community-based visual tool that tracks the total area occupied by native plants:
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HomegrownNationalPark/photos
- Newsletter: https://homegrownnationalpark.us2.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=ce919e78833f25cf86f5047ac&id=fef523e58d
