The Quiet Revolution Happening in Backyard Gardens — and Why Birds Are Noticing

The Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour, founded in 2005 by Kathy Kramer in the East Bay, has grown to its largest year yet with 74 participating gardens, reflecting a broader mainstream shift toward native plant gardening. Homeowners like Stefanie Pruegel and Valerie Matzger have transformed their yards into wildlife habitats using California native plants, attracting growing numbers of birds and insects while forgoing pesticides and fertilizers. The movement is driven by concern over declining bird populations and habitat loss, with research highlighting the ecological importance of native plants in supporting the insects that birds depend on.