National conservationist to speak on improving yards to help nature

JAMES CITY — To Doug Tallamy, the sight of a pristine green lawn is downright ugly.

An “ecological wasteland,” to be precise — offering no value to wildlife and guzzling up water and pesticides.

Tallamy, a nationally prominent conservationist set to speak at Jamestown High School on Thursday, would much rather see less-tamed yards with native trees and plants that support pollinators and insects such as caterpillars, an ideal food for growing baby birds.

Instead of property owners viewing their land as an individual possession, Tallamy has encouraged a different concept: the “Homegrown National Park.” His grassroots plan would shrink lawn sizes, weed out invasive species and restore natural ecosystems to create small conservation spaces across the country.

“This is for everyone, not ju