It's time to rethink pretty and to reprairie suburbia

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Why Natives?

Less than 3% of the original tallgrass prairie remains, making it more threatened than the Amazon and Indonesian rainforests         combined. 70% of all U.S. grasslands may be gone by 2100.

Kids today will see 35% fewer butterflies and moths than their parents did 40 years ago, and 28% fewer birds, mammals,            amphibians, and fish. Read more.

90% of insects who feed on plants are specialists, needing a particular plant to raise their young.

We have 50% fewer birds than 40 years ago. 230 North American bird species are at risk of extinction within decades. 96% of       songbirds feed only insects to their young. Native plants support 35x the number of insects.
       
More than 1/3 of fresh water in the U.S. is used to water lawns. 5,000 acres per day are converted to lawn.

Urban Greening

By 2050 over 70% of Americans will live in urban areas, places with greatly diminished green space.

Plants clean air and water, reduce storm runoff, and cool structures. Plants also remediate and rebuild soils.

Views of complex nature increases the mental and physical health of school children, office workers, and patients in hospitals.

Well-designed landscapes raise home values and spur community engagement.