Book invites kids to turn native gardens into national park

By KATHERINE ROTH
Associated Press

First, Doug Tallamy wrote an influential book urging home gardeners to replace lawns and invasive plants with native trees and plants. Now, in time for Earth Day, Tallamy is back with another version of his message. This time it’s for kids. The new version of “Nature’s Best Hope” is aimed at middle schoolers. Tallamy’s message is that kids or anyone can take little steps at home to bring back birds, bees and other essential pollinators. You can plant native plants in a yard, on a patio or even on a windowsill. He envisions all the little pollinator-friendly patches sewn loosely together into a Homegrown National Park.