For Earth Week, a conventional lawn in Madison is transformed into a family’s nature preserve
Backyard habitats are a great place to look for butterflies such as this great spangled fritillary, on top of bee balm. Photo courtesy of Jaclyn Ryan.
April 23, 2025—People love pollinator gardens, and with good reason — they’re colorful, full of life, ever-changing, and a delight to look at and listen to. On the third day of our Earth Week series, we’re featuring a tale of how one family in Madison transformed their typical lawn-dominated yard into a biodiversity showplace.
The previous two days of this Earth Week series can be found here.
Backyard Nature Preserve
Jaclyn Ryan
Madison
Over the past several years, we’ve transformed our 1.5-acre property in Madison into a thriving sanctuary for native wildlife, creating a space where plants, animals, and insects can flourish. The backyard habitat project reflects our family’s dedication to restoring biodiversity and reconnecting with the natural world around us.
It all started with a simple idea: replace turf grass and invasive plants with native species that support pollinators and other beneficial wildlife. Today, our property hosts over 100 native species of trees, shrubs, and flowers—many of which were propagated from seed or found and relocated onsite. These plants provide essential food, shelter, and breeding spaces for pollinators, birds, and insects facing growing habitat loss.
A major part of our work has involved converting lawns and non-native groundcovers into sustainable landscapes. We replaced grass with native plantings and paths made of untreated wood chips, allowing for low-maintenance, chemical-free gardening that puts the needs of wildlife first. This shift has helped reimagine what a beautiful yard can look like—natural, functional, and ecologically rich.
This Zabolun skipper visited the Ryan family’s property. Photo courtesy of Jaclyn Ryan.
Our efforts have earned several certifications, including recognition as a Certified Wildlife Habitat by the National Wildlife Federation, a Monarch Waystation through Monarch Watch, and a Certified Habitat Garden by the Wild Ones Native Plant Society. Raising and tagging monarch butterflies has become a special part of our summers, and it’s deeply rewarding to contribute to their migration efforts.
Our nesting box is a safe space for Eastern Bluebirds to raise their young. Our gardens are designed to support native bees and butterflies—great-spangled fritillaries, Zebulon skippers and pearl crescents among them—by including nectar-rich flowers and host plants, offering year-round food sources.
One of our newest additions is a rain garden, planted in a part of the yard prone to pooling water. It helps manage runoff naturally and supports moisture-loving species, adding to the diversity of our habitat.
Beyond the ecological benefits, this project has become a powerful learning experience for our children. They’ve witnessed the life cycles of monarchs, tracked bird migrations, and helped care for the plants and animals that now call our backyard home.
