Inspired by scientist Doug Tallamy's concept of the Homegrown National Park, my wife and I began making simple, inexpensive changes to make our fairly ordinary suburban yard into a friendlier habitat for wildlife of all kinds. This doesn't require expensive or complex landscaping — just a steady, incremental commitment to plant thoughtfully for wildlife. This project has steadily enriched our home environment, and perhaps just as importantly, we've learned to appreciate the myriad of large and small wild animals already there, right outside our doors.
Patrick J. Lynch is the author of many field guides, the most recent of which is A Field Guide to the Mid-Atlantic Coast, published by Yale University Press in April 2021. His previous books include A Field Guide to North Atlantic Wildlife: Marine Mammals, Seabirds, Fish, and Other Sea Life; A Field Guide to the Southeast Coast & Gulf of Mexico: Coastal Habitats, Seabirds, Marine Mammals, Fish, & Other Wildlife; A Field Guide to Long Island Sound: Coastal Habitats, Plant Life, Fish, Seabirds, Marine Mammals, and Other Wildlife; and A Field Guide to Cape Cod: Including Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard, Block Island, and Eastern Long Island.