Creating Urban Habitat

It’s often said “beauty is held in the eye of the beholder.” Urban homeowners have taken the common assumption that a appealing yard consists of manicured and mowed green grass, shaped shrubs and trees accompanied by annual flowers and dyed mulch.

For years this has been the standard for modern landscaping but studies show that due to the sustained desire of this landscape numerous species of wildlife are in decline due to removal of habitat in urban settings. The mass overuse of fertilizer has led to devastating effects within the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Indirectly, the elimination of suitable urban habitat and growing development has reduced habitat for almost all species of wildlife.

Though our approach, we help you reverse these effects and embrace the wild values of a less traditional yard. Native plants support native wildlife. Keeping biomass on site retains natural nutrients in a sustainable way. Urban forestry leads to habitat creation instead of habitat elimination.

We advocate for reducing the mowed areas of your property as much as possible. Within these areas, just mow once a year in the early spring. We also advocate for minimal tree removals, provided the tree is native and not posing a risk to valued property. Its also important to prioritize planting native plants as much as possible in gardens or cultivated areas.