Native plants can help solve problems, both in your yard and in the ecosystem. Put into practice at Read Mountain Middle School, a retaining wall planted with native plants is part of a solution to a soil compaction and erosion issue, as well as larger environmental concerns.
“Years of students running up the hill instead of using the stairs has compacted the soil,” says intern and project leader Molly Austin. Working with Mountain Castles Soil and Water Conservation District, a retaining wall was constructed at Read Mountain Middle School and filled with topsoil donated by The Landscape Store 
in Troutville, Virginia. “Rainwater couldn’t soak into the ground and instead it ran down the hill, which ultimately formed a ditch. The wall will not only provide a buffer for the runoff, but it allows for another part of the solution.” Once the wall was built, a new space for landscaping was created. The resulting flower bed was planted with native plants donated by Wood Thrush Nursery, located in Floyd, Virginia. “The plant roots will help prevent soil runoff, and when it does rain, they’ll help soak up the water instead of allowing it to run down the hill,” says Austin.
However, the native plants are doing more than holding the soil in place. They are also filling an important role in the local ecosystem; the ecosystem is a network of relationships between living organisms and their environment. “When you replace native plants with exotic alien species, you’re removing a piece of the puzzle,” says Austin, a senior in Virginia Tech’s environmental horticulture program. Not just any plants can fill the role of our native plants; many animals are specifically adapted to the plants that have historically grown in this region and require native species to thrive. “By planting native species you provide a sustainable source of food for our native wildlife,” says Austin.
Homeowners can benefit from native plants, too. Because native plants are adapted to local soils and local climates, they generally require less maintenance than other plants once they’re established – which means less work for the homeowner and more time enjoying the flowers.
Supplies for the retaining wall were funded by Mountain Castles SWCD. Explore more native plant resources.