May 6th

By Mutt Mulligan

Survey: More Americans garden to benefit wildlife & pollinators

May is the National Wildlife Federation’s 8th Annual Garden for Wildlife Month. It’s a way for Americans to help their local wildlife by making their yard or garden wildlife-friendly and creating a Certified Wildlife Habitat(R). In accordance with the annual event, the National Wildlife Federation conducted a survey in partnership with the University of New Hampshire Survey Center to measure American’s behaviors about gardening to benefit wildlife and the planet.

The survey indicates that more Americans are purposefully planting for wildlife. Here are a few key findings.

• Over the last three years, 64.1 million American adults (one in four) purchased a plant because it was beneficial to pollinators. People who identified as Latino or Hispanic represented the highest numbers purchasing wildlife beneficial plants.
• In 2019, 36.8 million people (one in seven) purchased plants native to where they live.
• Adults between 18-34 years old, self-identifying as African American, Black, or Caribbean, are more likely to spend more on organic lawn and gardening products and materials than other groups.

To learn more about the benefits of the living landscapes in your yard and communities for pollinators, people, and the planet, go to TurfMutt.com.