Iowa was once 70 percent natural tallgrass prairie, home to native plants such as purple coneflower and butterfly weed.
big blue stem.
However, less than 0.1 percent of grassland remains today. According to the Iowa Prairie Network, this significant decline is undoubtedly due to urban and agricultural development, such as road expansion and herbicide use.
Fred Meyer, a master gardener and professor at the University of Iowa, says that over the past 30 years, more people are planting ornamentals with species diversity in mind, rather than simply planting them for their beauty. He said that he started planting.
“We know there's a problem and we want to do something about it,” he said. “[We] We seek to improve our local ecosystems and understand how they function so that our landscapes can contribute to the planet.
their function is. ”
Meyer, who has been gardening for decades, says that working with native plants in his garden is more important because they have developed synergistic effects with each other to help them grow in his soil. He said there are advantages.
“because [these native plants] They've been here for thousands of years and they've adapted to our climate,” Meyer said. “They know what pollinators are around and what predators are going to come after them.”
As a result, native plants are easier for Meyer and other Iowa gardeners to maintain.
Additionally, the yields of native plants are much more environmentally beneficial than exotic species.
“Although exotic species available at local nurseries may produce lots of flowers, their flowers may not contain as much nectar or pollen as native species.”
Meyer said.
In 2006, Meyer founded Backyard Abundance, an environmental education nonprofit dedicated to educating the people of Iowa City about environmentally beneficial landscaping.
Meyer said these landscapes thrive on native vegetation. These plants play an essential role in our ecosystem as primary food for Iowa's native animals. Without them, wild animals cannot survive. But this domino effect starts small.
Meyer recalled a recurring situation many years ago when he was surprised by a large number of bugs appearing on his car's windshield in the morning. Too many insects were blocking the view.
But his insect problems have decreased significantly in recent years, according to the Iowa Sierra Club. Once an irritant, the decline of insects emphasizes their environmental necessity.
“[Insects] It provides all these ecological functions. Without them, bird populations would decline and we would ultimately suffer,” Meyer said. “If there are fewer birds, they are not dispersing seeds and functioning as an ecosystem.”
Cindy Parsons, co-director of Project Green, a Johnson County volunteer nonprofit, emphasized the need to grow more native species to attract more pollinators.
“If they were all there [non-native plants]there won’t be as many types of wildlife,” she said.
According to the National Park Service, a pollinator can be anything that helps transport pollen from the male part of a flower to another flower or to the female part of the same flower to ensure fertilization of the plant. Masu. This ensures the production of fruits, seeds and seedlings.
Lucas Beilby, co-president of the UI Horticulture Club DIRT, noted the university's commitment to grassland restoration projects that can only be accomplished by individuals with limited space.
Beilby is an avid supporter of gardening with native plants. He says incorporating native species in both landscaping and gardening can help prevent the spread of harmful invasive species.
Invasive plant species such as Yellow Star Thistle, Oriental Bittersweet, and Dames
Rockets and the like have the power to disrupt symbiotic, mutually beneficial relationships between species by multiplying in areas they should not have access to.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, native plants don't need fertilizers or many pesticides because they're already adapted to their habitat, some of which contain carcinogens.
Parsons said there is a shift toward plantings that mimic what grows naturally in nature, rather than aiming for the look of a well-kept botanical garden.
“An example of this is along Iowa Avenue just off Gilbert Street,” said Tyler Baird, forestry supervisor for the Iowa City Department of Parks and Recreation. [natural plantings] It includes all kinds of native species,” she said.
By studying the roots of our environment, we can not only keep it beautiful, but thrive for years to come.
Meyer also noted that humans tend to want to grow more of their own food during times of social upheaval, something that has been particularly prevalent during the COVID-19 pandemic. Stated.
“meanwhile [the pandemic], people didn't know where their food came from. “People tend to retreat back into the landscape,” he said.
According to the Mayo Clinic, gardening increases physical activity, reduces stress levels, and increases time spent in nature. This is not surprising, considering that tending to a garden, planting, and harvesting can bring satisfaction.
“When I want to relax and rejuvenate, I go to the garden,” Meyer says. “It's something instinctive within us. We don't always consciously know it, but we feel it.
It was unconsciously. ”
