By Andreana Jinjue Lin
“There are things we can do to turn this around.” — Doug Tallamy, Professor of Entomology at the University of Delaware and New York Times Best-Selling Author
On Sunday, March 9th, nearly 300 community members gathered in Mount Vernon Unitarian Church’s beautiful sanctuary, united by a shared commitment to taking collective action against the biodiversity crisis. This event with Doug Tallamy, part of FACS’s Tree of Life program, was hosted in partnership with MVUC’s Climate Action Team.
Watch the Recording: Homegrown National Park
In his presentation, Tallamy delivered a clear and urgent message:
“If we don’t practice conservation on private property, we’re going to fail, and failure is not an option.”
He spoke about Homegrown National Park, a national effort to turn yards, neighborhoods, and community spaces into thriving ecosystems. By replacing lawns with native trees, shrubs, and perennials—a.k.a. sustainable landscaping—we can create vital habitats for insects, birds, and other wildlife. His message was simple yet powerful, emphasizing how real change starts right with our yards.
The program was so well received that the audience gave him a standing ovation afterward.
Book Signing with Doug Tallamy: Nature’s Best Hope
Following the inspiring program, community members gathered to get their books signed. There was a great selection of books for sale by Doug Tallamy and Plant NOVA Natives:
- Nature’s Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation That Starts in Your Yard
- Nature’s Best Hope (for young readers)
- Bringing Nature Home: How You can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants
- The Nature of Oaks
- Native Plants for Northern Virginia (digital and hardcopy available here)
Community Partners & Vendor Exhibits
Before and after the main program, seven incredible co-sponsors shared their expertise in native plants and sustainable landscaping:
- Plant NoVA Natives
- Northern Virginia Bird Alliance
- Earth Sangha
- Native Plant Landscape Design
- Northern Virginia Soil & Water Conservation District
- Bio4Climate
- Friends of Accotink Creek
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Thank You, and See You Soon!
