Now your business, school, city, place of worship, golf course, etc. can show off its native planting contributions and be part of the Homegrown National Park grassroots movement to restore habitat and regenerate biodiversity.
The New HNP Biodiversity Map features allow users to create an Organization that can be managed via their individual user accounts.
This means an Organization can display its own native plantings AND invite employees and/or members to work together toward a common native planting goal.
See the end of this article for a chance to have your organization featured in an upcoming story!
Example Of the New Organization Feature
Why the HNP Biodiversity Map™ Is Soooo Sexy
In the realm of conservation, countless individuals, groups, businesses and corporations tirelessly contribute to the cause of regenerating biodiversity. Despite their valiant efforts, the overwhelming scientific consensus is clear: it's not enough, and it's not happening fast enough. This realization sparked a transformative idea - what if there was a community-centric hub that not only captured but measured and accelerated these activities?
Enter the concept of a platform designed to be the epicenter of biodiversity regeneration, the Homegrown National Park Biodiversity Map.
This tool doesn’t replace what individuals and groups are doing, but amplifies and consolidates all of these actions and creates a dynamic visual, pinpointing where actions are thriving and where they are desperately needed.
It's about celebrating the dedication of those who have been in the trenches for years as well as inspiring newcomers. It's made to demonstrate that every effort, no matter how small, is significant and valuable. This is a space where experience isn't a prerequisite; the only requirement is a willingness to take action.
This is more than just a platform; it's a clarion call for unity, signaling that we're all in this together, and there's a new relationship with our planet waiting to be forged.
The mantra 'START A NEW HABITAT®' isn't just a slogan; it's a rallying cry for simple actions with profound impacts.
And our firefly isn’t just a logo. When you see the rewards of your native planting, you will light yourselves and others up.
The Origin Story
The HNP Biodiversity Map was initiated in 2021 by Michelle Alfandari, co-founder of HNP and a marketing and strategic business development professional. Her story makes her a sort of “poster child” for the HNP movement, a remarkable journey from inexperience to innovation. With no prior gardening experience and unfamiliar with the concept of biodiversity, Michelle was profoundly inspired by a presentation from Doug Tallamy. His straightforward yet powerful advocacy for planting native plants and removing invasive plants to solve the biodiversity crisis sparked in her the realization of a scalable, brilliant solution.
Recognizing the necessity for a centralized platform to capture and catalyze this burgeoning movement, now known as Homegrown National Park®, Michelle envisioned the Biodiversity Map. It would showcase collective actions and foster connections among participants, embodying the movement's spirit. It would be a metric of individual and collective action and the power of grassroots. By focusing on private land, individuals and organizations can act with speed—no permission needed—making the HNP movement potentially the quickest measurable solution to the biodiversity crisis.
The inception of the Map was made possible through the unwavering support and expertise of several “early adopters”. Caroline Oros from Insomniac Digital was instrumental in developing the Map's initial version, bringing a wealth of technical and graphic design insight. Dale McDonald, founder of Plantin’ Seeds, generously sponsored the foundational phase and launch of the first version of the Map. Caroline Alexander made significant contributions to the launch of HNPark.org and integrating the Map's online presence on the HNP website.
The first launch of the Map in January 2020 was populated by hundreds of individuals, non-profits, and groups who enthusiastically supported (and still do) the Map as the hub of all restored habitat on private land.
Further development of the Map could not have been possible without the support of many of you, including the corporate world. With Doug expanding his speaking engagements to corporations, significant donations came from Cell Signaling Technology (CST) and Teva Pharmaceuticals. CST provided funding and played a pivotal role in our recognition by nominating us to '1% for the Planet', where we are now listed as a certified environmental organization. TEVA broadcast Doug’s talk to all their locations, incentivizing employees to plant native. Both CST and TEVA’s donations went towards identifying organizations (from non-profits to corporations) on the Map.
Schedule a Presentation with Doug Tallamy
Doug Tallamy's presentations always enhance the momentum behind the Map and the broader HNP initiative. His engagements at Teva Pharmaceuticals and Cell Signaling Technology inspired further support and collaboration. For corporations and businesses of all kinds interested in deepening their knowledge on regenerating biodiversity and how they and their companies can contribute, we encourage you to book Doug Tallamy for a presentation. To arrange for Doug to share his expertise with your business, corporation, or group, please Schedule a Lecture Here to initiate the process.
We hope you’ll join us on this journey as we continue to plant new features and grow the Biodiversity Map, lighting the planet up with hope and ecological health.
The New Biodiversity Map Features
A few examples of how your organization can benefit:
- A business or corporation displays its corporate campus plantings and encourages employees to associate their home native plantings.
- A place of worship displays its native plantings and encourages the congregation to join a planting goal with their home habitats.
- A school displays its campus plantings and teachers, staff, students and parents can all associate their home native plantings with the school’s initiative.
An organization account also allows Biodiversity Map users to:
- Add a logo and descriptions
- Link to an organization's website and Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn accounts
- Photo Galleries, organized by planting site. Show off your habitats!
Setting Up An Organization Account
Who should set up an organization account?
The person who will be the primary Administrator for the organization. Other Biodiversity Map users can be added as Managers (can manage planting sites and settings) or additional Administrators (full control over the organization). However, we recommend you limit the number of users fulfilling these roles to avoid having too many gardeners in one bed!
- First, you’ll need to have a user account on the Biodiversity Map. If you don’t yet have a user account, Get Started On the Biodiversity Map Here. If you need assistance setting this up, please Refer To These Instructions.
- Once you have your user account set up, use the Organization Account Instructions to create your Organization, and then manage your organization’s settings, plantings, and members.
You can also view the instruction video below:
Association with an organization works both ways. Once your organization is set up, you’ll be able to invite members who already have Biodiversity Map user accounts, and those same users can request membership in your organization.
If you need assistance, please reach out to [email protected]
Joining An Organization
Follow these steps to add your plantings to an organization:
- Create a user account on the Biodiversity MAP or Sign In to your existing user account.
- Click your account name in the upper right and select My Settings from the dropdown menu.
- Scroll to the bottom of My Settings, enter the name of the Organization into the search field in the Memberships section, and then click “Request to Join!”
- Once you’ve been accepted as a member of the Org, open your My Settings window and scroll down to the Sites & Planted Areas section.
- Open the planting site you’d like to associate with that Org and select the Org from the dropdown menu beneath the desired planted area.
More Inspiration To Come
In the coming months, we'll showcase examples of some of the early adopter organizations that are lighting up the Biodiversity Map! Subscribe to the Newsletter to be the first to hear these stories.
Calling All Business, Corporations and Other Organizations
Make Your Contributions Known!
If your organization plants native, we'd love to help you get on the HNP Biodiversity Map and possibly feature you in an upcoming story! We’re still at the dawn of this movement, so there's an opportunity to be the "first" in your community, lighting the way for others to join you.
Contact us if you are an owner/leader or have a connection with someone in an influential role in any of the following:
- Business or Corporation
- Town or City
- Non-profit
- Place of Worship
- Tribal Entity
- Golf Course
- Garden Group or Native Plant Group
- Land Trust
- Other?
