On40Acres

Native Plants & Food Webs

Infographic comparing Ginkgo (non-native) and Valley Oak (native) trees, with bird-feeding statistics: a review of 165 urban ecology studies found native plants better in 120 of them, and a Sacramento Valley oak study found migratory birds used oaks 74% of the time despite being only 15% of canopy.
Not all trees are equal. One native oak can provide far more habitat value than many non-native trees.

How do locally native plants support our food webs and ecosystems?

  • California native plants support far more caterpillars than non-native ornamentals.
  • Most songbirds feed their young caterpillars and other insects.
  • Fewer native plants → fewer caterpillars and insects → less food for birds, bats, lizards…
  • Urban rewilding is a new and innovative approach to recovering species in decline.