A few nurseries specialize in native plants and carry a greater selection than traditional nurseries. Plants should never be collected from the wild unless the area is being cleared for development. Identify areas of unused lawn that could be naturalized for less maintenance and better wildlife habitat. Look for opportunities to expand the size of existing natural areas. Look for ways to make corridors for wildlife by connecting natural areas with hedgerows.
Hedgerows are narrow bands of vegetation like the ones found between farm fields.
Where feasible, try to re-create components found in natural habitats. For instance, a woodland includes small herbaceous plants, small shrubs, large shrubs, small trees and large trees as well as decaying logs, dead brush and leaf litter. Incorporate as many of these features as possible into a woodland habitat project. Arrange your native plants in aggregate groups or groves rather than individual plants surrounded by mowed lawn. Aggregate plantings resemble the natural plant communities that wildlife use as habitat.