Landscaping decisions shape biodiversity, water use, fire behavior, and climate resilience — whether we realize it or not. Most non-native plants are not “bad.” Many are beautiful. Some are well-behaved in garden settings. But plant choices are not neutral. When we introduce plants from other regions, we change ecological relationships that have developed over thousands…
Archives for 2026
California Native Plants: Biodiversity, Water Savings & Climate Benefits
Biodiversity & Ecology California hosts approximately 6,500 species, subspecies, and varieties of native plants that occur naturally in the state. Many of these are found nowhere else on Earth. (California Dept. of Fish & Wildlife) Of these native plants, more than 2,000 taxa are endemic — meaning they evolved here and occur nowhere else on…
Cultivating the Next Generation of Native Plant Stewards
Learning by Doing at the Environmental Nature Center At the Environmental Nature Center (ENC), our horticulture internship program is designed to do more than teach plant care — it immerses emerging professionals in the living systems that shape healthy landscapes, resilient ecosystems, and meaningful community spaces. Recent Horticulture Intern Victoria Stover exemplifies what this program…