Native Plant Network

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Native Plant Network Since 2007, the Network has sought to promote our region’s unique native plant heritage.

The Native Plant Network (formerly the Connect to Protect Network) is a citizen science program that enlists South Florida residents to plant native plants in their yards, providing habitat for our native bees, butterflies and birds. Members provide information about the wildlife that uses their gardens, and send seeds back to the Network. The program is run by the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden’s Conservation Team. The ultimate goal of the Network is to create corridors and stepping stone gardens that connect isolated fragments of natural habitat. These corridors and stepping stones can be created or restored on rights-of-way along freeways, on privately owned lands, and on public lands such as school yards and parks. Planting native species and managing non-native, invasive plants will increase the probability that bees, butterflies and birds can find and transport seeds and pollen across developed areas that separate our nature preserves. Meeting our goals of connecting habitats will require widespread participation and many plants that are native to South Florida habitats like pine rockland, rockland hammock, and coastal strand. Because many of these species are uncommon in the nursery trade, we ask members to provide seeds of certain species back to the Network so we can grow more. An invitation to join and more information can be found on our website: www.fairchildgarden.org/ctpn

10/10/2026
10/03/2026

🐦🌿 A Celebration of Birds & Their Habitats!

Join Miami-Dade County DERM’s Environmentally Endangered Lands (EEL) Program, the James A. Kushlan Bird Conservation Program at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, and Tropical Audubon Society for a FREE morning of birding, learning and hands-on conservation at A.D. Barnes Park and Preserve!

📅 Saturday, October 10, 2026
🐦 Bird Walk: 8:00 AM
⏰ Event: 9:00 AM–12:00 PM
📍 A.D. Barnes Park and Preserve
3401 SW 72nd Ave., Miami, FL 33155

🐦 Start the morning birding with TAS!
Tropical Audubon Society President José Francisco Barros will lead the 8 AM bird walk, helping participants spot and learn about some of the resident and migratory birds that depend on South Florida’s green spaces.

🌱 Then dig deeper into the plants that sustain our wildlife! Learn more about the important connections between our native flora and fauna with short talks by TAS Education Director Daniel “DJ” Mlodozeniec and FTBG’s Wildlife Biologist Noah Frade.

⛏️ Finish the morning by putting conservation into action with a hands-on habitat restoration project of removing invasive plant species threatening the vital tropical hardwood hammock.

🌿 FREE EVENT — registration encouraged!

Come prepared for a morning outdoors: Wear comfortable walking shoes and a hat, apply sunscreen, and bring water. Binoculars are recommended.

🔗 RSVP: https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/92c885f89dc84a719106650f714e3270

Whether you’re an experienced birder, a native plant enthusiast or simply curious about South Florida’s wildlife, come spend the morning with us! Together, we can conserve and restore the habitats that birds, pollinators and people all depend on. 💚

HabitatRestoration EnvironmentallyEndangeredLands EELProgram SouthFloridaConservation

10/02/2026

Let’s celebrate birds and the places they call home! 🐦

Join us at A.D. Barnes Park and Preserve for guided bird walks, guest speakers, and a habitat restoration project. Together with Miami-Dade County’s Environmentally Endangered Lands (EEL) Program, Miami-Dade County Department of Environmental Resources Management , Native Plant Network , VoLo Foundation and Tropical Audubon Society, we’ll explore how local preserves support wildlife and contribute to Miami-Dade’s climate resilience.

Register here: https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/92c885f89dc84a719106650f714e3270

Scenes from the Nursery Fairchild Garden of late. Lots of happy people & plants! Some of these are being grown for con...
09/05/2026

Scenes from the Nursery Fairchild Garden of late. Lots of happy people & plants!
Some of these are being grown for conservation projects (Consolea corallicola, Euphorbia trichotoma) while the rest are going to schools, plant sales, and homes of new NPN members! Shown are Crotalaria rotundifolia, Phyla nodiflora, Coccothrinax argentata, Schizachyrium sanguineum, and Amyris elemifera.

Thanks to our longtime member Manny for sharing this picture he took of last week’s rainbow, seeming to encircle his pin...
08/30/2026

Thanks to our longtime member Manny for sharing this picture he took of last week’s rainbow, seeming to encircle his pine rockand garden. Fabulous habitat! 💚

08/25/2026

🌾 Late summer is one of our favorite times of year because it’s when all the grasses start to bloom. If you don’t have native grasses in your yard, you don’t know what you’re missing! Their blooms are beautiful, they remind you that the season is changing (even in subtropical South Florida), and they create habitat for lots of little critters. The grass shown here is Elliott’s love grass, Eragrostis elliottii. We are growing the plants in the nursery to collect seeds, and after the seeds are harvested, the plants will become part of one or more restoration projects or NPN plantings.

08/20/2026

NATURE LOVERS’ HOUSE FOR SALE IN WEST KENDALL.

Our longtime members Marc and Eliana are selling their home. We’re happy to spread the word for them . . . especially because they’ve shared so many beautiful photos of their 100% Florida Native yard!

They COMPLETELY TRANSFORMED this space over the past 11 years. And they insist that if they can do it, anyone can!

Although the landscape is what makes this property truly special, the home itself is wonderful as well. It is a three-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bath home built in 1980 with excellent “strong bones.” Many major components have been recently updated, including the roof, air conditioning system, ductwork, full impact windows and doors, attic spray foam insulation, security camera system, appliances, thoughtfully-designed closet spaces and more. There’s a brick fireplace open on both sides, a beautiful chimney, and high ceilings in the main living area. The stairs and second floor have authentic oak hardwood floors. The home has been exceptionally well maintained, and its effective age is significantly younger than its actual age. It’s comfortable, cozy, spacious, organized, quiet, and has been a great place to live.

List price $760,000

ℹ️ TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS HOME, PLEASE CONTACT [email protected]

😎 To learn more about gardening and landscaping with native plants in the Miami area, make sure to follow us!

08/19/2026
08/14/2026

🌱 This month, we are seeing some exciting changes behind-the-scenes of the Native Plant Network: We are beginning to shift production to our new north nursery! 🌱 More space will help NPN to continue to grow, while also enabling the production of more native plants for other Fairchild-led South Florida projects, including habitat restorations and native landscaping projects. 🌱 🌱 Thank you to our friends at Miami-Dade Parks Department and Environmentally Endangered Lands Program for helping to make this dream a reality!

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1901 SW 134th Ave
Tamiami, FL

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