Skip to content

Educational Resources


One thing about nature is that you can never know everything there is to know. There is always something new to discover and new questions to ask. We love learning, digging into the research to find out what new information scientists are discovering, and then sharing that new knowledge with others.

Below are some of the educational resources we recommend. Some are ones we produce. Others are resources that we use ourselves and recommend to others. Check back often, because we’ll be updating as we find or create additional resources that we think you might find valuable.


The Backyard Ecology Community

The Backyard Ecology Community is for busy homeowners in the eastern U.S. who want to confidently create and maintain their pollinator and wildlife habitat.

We created the community as a safe place to ask questions, learn, celebrate accomplishments, and help each other attract more pollinators and wildlife.

Become a member of the Backyard Ecology Community today and say good-by to…

🌱 trying to figure it all out on your own,

🌱 feeling frustrated and overwhelmed by information overload, and

🌱 struggling with generic, cookie-cutter solutions that never seem quite “right” for your situation.


Native Plants 101 Workshop: Select the Right Native Plants for Your Eastern U.S. Garden

This live, interactive, online workshop will help you confidently choose native plants that will work in your yard, look good, AND attract pollinators and wildlife.

Registration is required and includes workshop replay and bonuses.


Recent Backyard Ecology Videos

Loading…

Recent Backyard Ecology Blog Articles

  • Black-eyed Susan: A favorite nectar source for butterflies
    by Backyard Ecology on September 25, 2025 at 10:45 am

    Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) is a beautiful native plant that can be found throughout most of the eastern U.S. and makes a great addition to pollinator and native plant gardens. It can grow in a variety of sunny to mostly sunny conditions and will provide instant gratification in the form of bright yellow flowers the first year. Those flowers will benefit a wide variety of butterflies, bees, flower flies, and seed-eating insects. 

  • Native Plants that Attract Hummingbirds to the Eastern U.S. Garden
    by Backyard Ecology on August 28, 2025 at 10:30 am

    Growing native plants is the best way to attract and support hummingbirds. Here are 10 of my favorite ones to grow in eastern U.S. gardens.

Recent Backyard Ecology Podcast Episodes

  • The Science Behind “Leave the Leaves”
    by Backyard Ecology on October 9, 2025 at 10:45 am

    “Leave your leaves” has become an increasingly common mantra each fall. However, until recently little to no scientific research had been done to quantify impacts of leaving your leaves in a typical suburban yard. We discuss the results of that research and actionable steps that you can take in your own yard.

  • A Bad Naturalist’s Journey to Restore a Mountaintop Meadow
    by Backyard Ecology on September 11, 2025 at 10:30 am

    Paula Whyman, author of the book Bad Naturalist, shares her journey of trying to restore and manage a remnant prairie located on a Virginia mountaintop.


Books and Other Items

We often get asked about books, apps, and other equipment that we use and recommend. So, we created a whole page of recommendations on our Backyard Ecology website because we wanted to make it easy for you to find those resources.