The Native Gardens for the Neighborhood award recognizes and celebrates Oak Park residents who are using their Parkways and front yards to plant native gardens, support biodiversity, improve air and water quality, and support the Village’s goal of 30% green infrastructure and enhanced park management.
Who: Owners or occupants of single family or multi-family homes in the Village of Oak Park who have the authority to plant gardens in the front yards or parkways.
What: Plant a native garden in a public-facing section of the property.
Why: Wild Ones West Cook is the local chapter of Wild Ones, a national non-profit organization whose mission is to promote native landscapes through education, advocacy and collaborative action. With a vision of native plants and natural landscapes thriving in every community, we believe that a healthy planet starts with native plants. Dwindling biodiversity is a threat to the foundation of life on earth, and in the last century alone, we’ve lost millions of acres of diverse ecosystems to urbanization. Planting native plants helps protect and restore biodiversity, improve air and water quality and provide wildlife with quality food and shelter. WOWC aims to encourage Oak Park residents to plant native plants, showcase examples of native gardens, and support the Climate Ready Oak Park goals.
How: Fill out this application by September 15.
Submit nomination here