Field Notes — SmartScape

A small bird drinking water from a bird bath

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.

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.

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.