During our July 2025 meeting, Wild Ones Chesapeake Bay (WOCB) members Robin Madel and Sue Williams present “Increasing Biodiversity One Yard at a Time” and discuss turning residential gardens into more biodiverse native plantings. Topics include ecoregions, critical areas, and considerations for choosing native plants.
Robin Madel is an environmental educator who has been helping people understand the environment and their impact on it for many years. She is a Calvert County Watershed Steward and has participated in the installation of three rain gardens. She’s a member of WOCB and does outreach in our northern region. She’s also a founding member of the Southern Maryland Native Plant People Facebook Group. She has a master’s degree in environmental science and engineering and bachelor’s degrees in civil engineering and geology.
Sue Williams is a former secondary science teacher with a Master of Arts degree in Environmental Science. She is also a Master Gardener, Master Naturalist, founding member of Southern Maryland Native Plant People Facebook Group, and founding member and secretary of Wild Ones Chesapeake Bay.
During their presentation, many resource links were shared; they are listed below:
Critical Area Commission Briefing
Critical Area Planting Guidelines
Ecoregions of North America – bplant.org
Ecoregions of Maryland – bplant.org
District Of Columbia Interactive Ecoregions Map
Biodiversity for the birds – Dr. Doug Tallamy, Univ of Delaware
Using Sociability Rankings For Successful Natural Garden Design – Monarch Gardens
Maryland Native Plant Society – Native Plant Nurseries
Maryland Native Plants for Consumers – Maryland’s Best
The “Maryland Native Plants for Consumers – Maryland’s Best” is part of the new Maryland Native Plants Program. We recommend using the new resources available from the Maryland Native Plants Program for choosing native plants and certified native nurseries. Learn more about the MNPP by visiting our recent blog.
