Field Notes
Notes on native plants, water-wise landscaping, and yards that actually give back.
Summer 2026
Oregon Receives Grant To Nativescape Along State's Highways
ODOT just landed $150,000 in federal funding to plant native seed mixes along Oregon's highways — the same nativescaping principle we talk about for backyards, scaled up to thousands of miles of roadside.
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Summer 2026
How to Help Birds Survive a Heat Wave (Hint: It's Not Just Water)
Birds cool down by panting, and that burns through their water fast. Here's what actually helps during a heat wave — and why native plants matter more than people think.
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Summer 2026
What Really Helps Bees Survive Heat and Drought? Experts Say Native Plants Beat the Viral ‘Hydration Station’ Trend
A bee conservation scientist debunks the sugar-water “hydration station” trend making the rounds online, and explains what actually keeps wild bees alive during heat and drought — real, native, blooming plants.
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Summer 2026
The New York Times Investigated and Made the Case for Native Plants
The New York Times spent days on an ecologist's Pennsylvania property — the restoration that inspired the term “Homegrown National Park” — and came back with real numbers for what native plants actually do.
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