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Jeff of Refugia urges Lower Merion homeowners to use native plants to rebuild habitat
Summary
At a township sustainability meeting, Jeff of Refugia described a neighborhood-scale "ecological greenway" and said small actions—planters and native front-yard plantings—can reconnect habitat and engage neighbors.
Jeff, of Refugia, told township sustainability volunteers that native-plant landscaping can restore habitat and also serve as an educational tool for neighborhoods.
"Like, your garden, even just, like, a small planter has an impact," Jeff said, arguing that small, visible projects help people understand what their yards can contribute. He said Refugia has applied the approach across Narberth and Lower Merion since 2015 and maps project clusters to show how individual properties form a connected network.
Jeff described a simple yard sign Refugia places on projects to identify native landscapes and pollinator habitat; he said the signs and a public ArcGIS map have helped people feel part of a community effort. "It immediately clues people into, like, oh, that's interesting," he said of the signage approach.
The presentation framed the Greenway as both conservation and outreach: Jeff said the model draws on Doug Tallamy's concept of a homegrown national park and can be scaled from small planters to larger front- and back-yard conversions. He offered to share plant lists and resources with local volunteer groups and township staff.
