Corporations and other businesses can be leaders of the native plant movement. Please see the short article at the bottom of this page and share it as widely as possible.
Outreach of the month – help us celebrate your employers or favorite companies.
Does the company you work for (or one where you have a contact) take steps to include native plants, remove invasives, and create habitat on its own property? We would love to highlight those organizations on our website. They also would be eligible for an Audubon-at-Home visit with the goal of receiving certification as a wildlife sanctuary. Email plantnovanatives@gmail.com.
Speaking of corporations…
Our Corporate Outreach team has been busy solidifying its plans. Can you help? We need both volunteers to do the work and introductions to the right people in local companies. The two major ways that corporations can participate in the regional native tree campaign are 1) Plant and preserve native trees and habitat on the land where they have a presence, and 2) Support our local parks, which need money to rescue trees from invasive vines.
Do you know ArcGIS? Volunteer needed
Some time ago we started a project with the help of an ESRI employee to map plant lists in parks, so people could easily see what grows naturally near their properties. She hasn’t had time to finish the project, and we hate to drop it. If you are thoroughly familiar with how ArcGIS programming works and could take on this project, we would love to be able to finally publish it. Email plantnovanatives@gmail.com.
Conference for landscape professionals coming up
Please encourage any professionals you know to attend our fifth annual native plant conference on August 22. Details are here. One of the appeals is that it is restricted to people who earn their living in the landscaping industry: landscape designers, landscape architects, crews, growers, nurseries, landscape maintenance staff, property managers, builders, etc.
Zooms in Spanish – please spread the word
The third talk in our series in Spanish will be about sustainable gardening basics. Recordings of previous talks can be seen on the Spanish playlist of our YouTube channel.
Todo sobre las plantas nativas: Zooms en español ¡Gratis! Regístrese para obtener el enlace de Zoom.
· Miércoles 30 de Agosto, 7-8pm
· Las Bases para un Jardín Sustentable
· Próximamente más fechas
Report your native tree and shrub plantings
Please help Northern Virginia meet its tree-planting obligations by reporting your tree and shrub plantings here. So far 12,803 have been reported!
Report your tree rescues
Millions of trees are at risk from invasive non-native vines. You can help save them on your own land or by volunteering on public land. So far, 10,026 tree rescues have been reported in Northern Virginia. Please add your report here.
Next Steering Committee meeting – via videoconferencing – All are welcome. Tuesday, September 12, 10:00am-noon. Check our Event Calendar for future meetings.
This month’s newsletter article to share – Please use this link for social media.
The corporate world embraces native plants
Most corporate properties have pretty “standard” landscaping, meaning the plants do very little if anything to support the local ecosystem. More and more, though, we are seeing innovative landscape designs on commercial properties that demonstrate the potential for corporations to be leaders in the effort to save the natural world, starting on their own land. While they are at it, they are creating beautiful and welcoming spaces for their clients and employees.
One example of this approach is the work done at the recently-opened Kaiser Permanente medical centers in Springfield and Woodbridge (Caton Hill). Both properties are richly landscaped with trees, shrubs, grasses and perennials that are almost entirely native to Northern Virginia. (The few exceptions are non-invasive.)
According to Alton Millwood, director of Planning, Design and Construction at Kaiser Permanente Mid-Atlantic, “The landscape design at Caton Hill Medical Center focused on allowing the natural environment to be a part of the community’s wellness plan. There is an abundance of research showing that exposure to nature can lower our heart rate, alleviate mental distress, speed recovery rates, and even alleviate symptoms of mental disorders. This is why Kaiser Permanente felt it was important to keep natural woodland areas on the project site and invite people into those space with trails and areas to sit and relax. Additionally, the native plants used on the site help to create a healthier environment by providing food and habitat for birds and other wildlife, conserving water, and reducing noise and pollution associated with mowing. It only made sense that if we were going to involve the natural environment for our own health that we would do what we could to improve the health of the environment.”
Another goal of the project was to help Northern Virginia region meet its stormwater goals to protect the local streams and the Chesapeake Bay. The planting beds and the rooftop meadow decrease the amount of runoff from impervious surfaces. Design considerations included using a variety of native plant species to provide four-season interest, using low-maintenance plants that will not require long-term watering, and choosing species that will grow to the appropriate size for their locations so that important sight lines remain open and safe.
The reaction of employees and patients alike has been extremely positive. “Many members and staff have taken advantage of the outside seating, walked through the Gardens and Health Park to immerse themselves in nature and its healing benefits, and observed the rooftop meadow flowers in full bloom, with birds and pollinators busy in their tasks.”
Asked what would be his advice to other corporations, Alton replied, “Using sustainable design practices such as planting native plants is good for people and the environment – it is a win-win. For corporations, sustainable design can impact their bottom line, too. Native plants are more likely to live long and thrive in our environment. They require less maintenance, less fertilizer and pesticides, and less water. All this adds up to savings for the owner. Hiring a like-minded design professionals can help you create places like Caton Hill Medical Center that help benefit our community and the local ecosystem.”
More photos of this and other corporate or small business landscaping projects can be found on the Commercial Landscaping page on the Plant NOVA Natives website.
