Biodiversity Archives – Neighborhood Greening

January 2, 2025leslieBiodiversity

The coyote has long been thought of as an animal of the American West. This was true during the pre-Columbian era when the coyote primarily roamed the Southwest and Great Plains of the United States. Today, however, its ever-expanding range stretches across all of the lower-48 states (and Alaska) and much of Canada, as well…Read More

February 19, 2024leslieBiodiversity, Sustainability

You know this is lichen.  You’ve seen it everywhere your entire life. That’s because there are over 14,000 species of lichen in the world. Yet, what do you know about lichen? Here’s a secret: it’s one of the most fascinating organisms on Earth. And you’ve barely noticed it.Read More

December 26, 2023leslieBiodiversity, Native Plants, Pollinators

“Native flowers are absolutely the best food source for native pollinators, and the pollinators know it.Read More Throughout the millennia, the astounding beauty of the butterfly has inspired the imagination, the arts, literature, and poetry. Attracting these magnificent creatures into our own yards requires three basic ingredients: larval host plants, nectar plants, and sheltering habitat.Read More

October 30, 2023leslieBees, Biodiversity, Gardening, Pollinators

Let’s suppose you’re shopping for hot sauce. You probably have a favorite brand. You may be very firm about it. Let’s say you’d definitely buy Tabasco, but you’d rarely buy any other brand.Read More

June 10, 2023leslieBiodiversity, Butterflies, Gardening, Insects

Butterflies are likely the most beloved and recognizable group of insects because of their striking wing coloring and patterning. Butterflies are a subset of moths in the order Lepidoptera. Because our North American butterflies are active during the day, and no species is a pest to the average person, they get more respect than their…Read More

March 2, 2023leslieBiodiversity, Community, Organic

An Interview with Mainor Ortiz Ortiz, by Sara Nelson Sara Nelson: In 2016 I began a series of trips to Costa Rica with the intention of learning rainforest field botany. However, after apprenticing with a brilliant herbalist, chocolate maker, and Scottish Costa Rica transplant named Ancel Mitchell, my focus veered towards understanding the dynamics of…Read More

February 23, 2023leslieBiodiversity, Community, Native Plants

In the spring of 2020, we were in the first stages of the pandemic and religious services at my church had been suspended. Entry to the church was limited, making any effort to do interior maintenance impossible.Read More

September 26, 2022leslieBees, Biodiversity, Birds, Butterflies, Gardening, Insects, Lawns, Native Plants, Pollinators, Soil

How you can help wild animals come in for a soft landing.Read More