Editor's Note: Spring 2025
National Wildlife magazine’s editor presents a garden of stories on growing wildlife habitat
- By Jennifer Wehunt
- NWF News
- Mar 26, 2025
A western wood pee-wee hunts for insects among Pecos sunflowers in New Mexico.
WHETHER IT’S A BALCONY, a yard the size of a postage stamp or so much acreage that your back 40 has a back 40, you can steward the land you’ve got to support the surrounding ecosystem. Welcome to our annual spring issue, for everyone interested in gardening for wildlife.
That principle—gardening for wildlife—is rooted in attracting pollinators that fuel entire food webs. And attracting native pollinators begins with planting native plants. Don’t miss our president and CEO’s call to support monarchs, new evidence on how tall grass benefits butterflies, a stunning ode to fireflies and even a wing-themed crossword. Maybe you’re seeking guidance for your own homestead. Apartment dwellers and senior-living residents, check out our story on gardening without a yard. Community gardeners and city planners, give our article on edible urban canopies a gander and find out how to throw your lot in with fellow green thumbs.
It wouldn’t be National Wildlife® without gorgeous pictures—in this case, photos that make you want to be knuckle-deep in soil. Please don’t miss our stories on Black herbalism and Pecos sunflowers. And for a read that will stay with you long after you put this magazine down, turn to our feature on long-term pesticide impacts. For a final note of inspiration: how one artist sees seeds. May your own spring blossom with hope and possibility.
Jennifer Wehunt is the editorial director of National Wildlife magazine. Share your thoughts on the magazine by emailing nwfeditor@nwf.org.
