Our landscapes would certainly be poorer without them. But the effects of introducing exotic species are often not readily apparent. Kudzu, introduced in the 1920s as a fast-growing, ornamental vine, was thought to be a godsend. It was planted all over the state to control horrific erosion and loss of topsoil due to poor farming practices. The rest is history.
Humans can alter the landscape in many ways.
Large losses of acreage to development such as shopping malls and airports are front page news. The loss of an acre here and an acre there largely goes unnoticed but has a cumulative negative effect. When residential development occurs, most of the existing vegetation is removed and the topsoil is scraped away in order to build the dwelling. The builder usually provides a basic palette of foundation plants dictated by availability in the marketplace, and a prescribed square-footage of lawn is installed. While many plants easily attract butterflies and birds into the garden, the Georgia Wildlife Federation always recommends the use of native species when possible.