This website provides information to help people care for nature in their yards and along their neighborhood streets by
- removing invasive plants
- planting native trees and other native plants
- enhancing habitat through ecological yard care practices
We are located in Takoma Park MD. We hope people in surrounding jurisdictions will also find our website useful.
Why Your Yard Matters
Yards can provide native habitat to support biodiversity
Nature is under severe stress worldwide due to the loss of biological diversity — precipitous declines in species numbers, in too many cases to the point of extinction. Biodiversity loss and climate change are two sides of the same coin, although the consequences of each unfold over different time spans.
In our region, the main driver behind the loss of biological diversity (“biodiversity” for short) is native habitat destruction.
We can address this cause of biodiversity loss literally in our own backyards. Simple actions can turn our yards and streets into native habitat that provides native species with food, water, shelter, and space to complete their life cycles.
Since American yards contain more acreage than all our national parks combined, homeowners can potentially have a major impact on saving nature.
Learn more about why biodiversity matters and how our yards and streets can help stem its loss…
Three Key Actions to Take in Your Yard
Welcome nature into your yard and alongside your street by taking these three actions:
1–Remove Invasives, 2–Plant Natives, and 3–Enhance Habitat.
Click the green bar, or use the website menu, to access additional information on each action.
- what invasive plants are — and the harm that they do
- what are the common invasive plants in Takoma Park and how to remove them
- stories from Takoma Park residents about why and how they removed invasive plants from their yards
- which nurseries and retailers sell genuine native plants suitable to our area
- which native plants suit the light, water, and other conditions in your yard
- who to hire to ease the burden of creating habitat in your yard
Learn about yard care practices that maintain and improve the quality of the habitat in your yard
Featured Content
When FONTT member Elizabeth took up gardening 10 years ago, she focused on improving the soil. Her garden, sheltered by mature trees, is now lush with native perennials.
Talk by Lisa Kuder, Native Plants and Landscape Specialist with the Maryland Extension Service. Access recording and slides.
FONTT and the UMD Insect Zoo returned to celebrate their FIFTH ANNIVERSARY at the TPSS Coop Earth Day Celebration, April 12th.