Our content focuses on the eastern U.S., or more specifically the Eastern Temperate Forest, Level I ecoregion as indicated on the map below.

Because different parts of the country (and world) include different ecosystems with different:

• native plants and animals,
• climates,
• soils,
• challenges when it comes to creating, managing, and maintaining habitat.

Plus, what is native in one part of the country / world, may be invasive somewhere else.

We focus on the eastern U.S. because this is where we live. These are the plants, animals, climates, soils, etc. that we know, understand, and have firsthand experience with.

Even within the eastern U.S., there’s a lot of variation but there are more similarities within the eastern U.S. than between say Kentucky and Colorado or California. The fact that most of the eastern U.S. is in the same Level I ecoregion illustrates that fact. (See map in the first FAQ.)

Yeah, we could research the ecosystems that are found in other parts of the country and make content talking about the plants and critters that live there, but it would lose the firsthand, real life, been-there-done that experience. At that point, how would what we share be different from what you can get from Googling a subject or asking AI?

We want to go deeper with you and serve you in the best way we can. That means focusing on the ecosystems and regions that we know. It also means letting someone else serve other parts of the country / world – hopefully someone who is as familiar with their region as we are with ours. We believe this will provide everyone with the most valuable and helpful content possible.

Unfortunately, no, we don’t. If you find someone, please let us know so that we can share that information with others who ask us this question.

We use the term “backyard” very loosely. Front yard, side yard, patio, “back 40,” or your backyard proper – it doesn’t matter to us. You can create pollinator and wildlife habitat anywhere.

We call it “Backyard” Ecology because backyards tend to be a little more informal, and for someone who is just starting out, we thought the backyard might be a little less intimidating. So, we start in the backyard and then expand out to take over the world 😉. Ok, maybe not… but am I the only one thinking about Pinky and the Brain now?

Great question! We define a native plant as a plant which is naturally found in a region and has developed complex ecological relationships with the other organisms found there. Now, the big question is how do we define “region.”

In the context of our videos, podcasts, and blogs, we are generally defining “region” as the eastern U.S. / Eastern Temperate Forest ecoregion with the caveat that the species may not be native to everywhere in that large of a region. When you are talking to the masses, that’s kind of the way you have to do it. (That’s why we always try to show maps indicating which parts of the larger region those plants are actually native to.)

When we’re talking to individuals, we typically define region by state or ecoregion (Level III or IV). Ecoregions are best, but let’s face it, most of us don’t know our ecoregions. We’re much more familiar with geopolitical boundaries like states and counties. So, we keep it simple and will often use those in our discussions.

We do some on-site consulting for those who live within our local area. If you’re interested in learning more about that, then you can check out our nursery’s website. However, travel costs often make on-site consulting too expensive for those living further away.

Even for those living closer to us, an on-site consultation may not be the best choice either because you’re working in too small of an area to justify the cost or because you need more help than a single visit can provide. As another option, we recommend checking out the Backyard Ecology™ Community.

Through the Backyard Ecology Community™ we provide ongoing, personalized, coaching, and support at a much deeper level than we can with a single consultation. It’s also a much more economical option unless you live within a county or two of us – you’ll likely be able to get a year of support in the community for less than the cost of an on-site consultation.

The two options aren’t mutually exclusive either. An on-site habitat consultation could help jumpstart your project and then the coaching within the Community could provide you with the ongoing guidance and support you need for the long-haul.

The chart below provides some of the pros and cons of each option. If you’re still not sure which is the right choice for you, contact us and we’ll help you figure it out. We want you to get the help you need and we’re not going to try to talk you into something that we don’t think is right for you.

Yes! We enjoy giving virtual presentations, in-person presentations, keynotes for conferences, and being podcast guests. If you’re interested in having us present at an upcoming event or inviting us onto your podcast, please contact us so we can discuss it.

When you contact us, please provide us with as much information as possible about the event / your podcast and who you would like to invite (Shannon, Anthony, or both of us). You don’t have to know all the details, but the more you can share with us, the better we’ll be able to determine how we can best help you.