Decrease Lightning Strikes and Four More Surprising Benefits of Native Plantings

You’ve probably heard about a few of the common benefits of including plants in your landscape, like their ability to improve biodiversity and provide food for important wildlife like pollinators. But plants can do much, much more — from protecting against lightning strikes to feeding the community. And ensuring that the plants installed are native to the region increases these benefits even further. This blog post explores the surprising range of native plants’ advantages, adding to the list of reasons to install native plants in your next garden or habitat.

Strike out lightning

In urban areas that lack green space and plant cover, pavement and other non-natural materials will absorb and retain heat from the sun. This phenomenon, known as the urban heat island effect, has only been exacerbated by climate change and increased industrialization and urbanization.

Because of the higher temperatures of the urban heat island effect, more energy is utilized to cool the area, resulting in increased air pollution. Hotter temperatures and large amounts of air pollution create — quite literally — a perfect storm, as it has been documented that locations with this combination of factors experience more frequent lightning strikes. Native plantings, specifically urban forestry, help to address the urban heat island effect and mitigate particulate air pollution, thereby addressing two of the major contributors to increased risk of lightning strikes.

WHC has been putting this information to good use with energy company Energy Transfer in southeastern Texas cities like Port Arthur, Beaumont and Orange. This location’s increased temperatures and its proximity to Houston, the co-called “Lightning Capital of Texas,” make it more lightning-prone. This year on Arbor Day, WHC partnered with Energy Transfer and several local schools to plant 120 native trees that will not only increase tree canopy but also help reduce lightning strikes.

Hold back the flood

Large amounts of impervious surfaces, like parking lots and sidewalks, lead to runoff from rainfall. With little natural ground into which runoff can soak, heavy rainfall easily leads to flooding. Not only is flooding detrimental to infrastructure, but it also affects local watersheds by altering hydrology and introducing pollutants.

That’s where native plants come in, as they are particularly well-suited to manage and absorb stormwater runoff. Many native plants are equipped with long, complex root systems. These deep roots are able to absorb large amounts of rainfall and runoff, allowing it to infiltrate the soil rather than cascading across impervious surfaces.

An added benefit of native plants’ root structures is that they help prevent erosion by stabilizing the soil. Not only do native plants absorb excess runoff that could erode the terrain, but they also support the soil health and stability of an area, keeping the landscape intact for years to come.

Sprout savings

Because native plants are adapted to the conditions of a specific location — including the temperature, rainfall, soil, wildlife usage and more — they are incredibly resilient.

Due to their suitability to their native range, native plants generally demand less maintenance than ornamental plants. This means less money and time — as well as fewer natural resources — expended on plant care. For example, native plants require less need for fertilizer application, pesticide usage and irrigation than non-native plants. In fact, native plants use four times less water than a traditional lawn, illustrating a great financial reason to convert a manicured lawn into a thriving native plant ecosystem. The strength and resilience of native plants also cuts down on the need to replace dying or ill-suited plants.

Additionally, the hardiness of native plants means they have an increased capacity to protect against the encroachment of invasive species. In an established native plant ecosystem, invasives may have a harder time taking root, which helps prevent the costly and time-intensive process of eradicating invasive vegetation.

Make people happier and safer

Plants are good for the mind. Research has shown a positive correlation between improved mental state and exposure to nature, with one Mental Health Foundation survey finding that 70% of adults in the U.K. saw an improvement in their mood when they are close to nature. Providing access to nature by bringing native plants into schools, workplaces and centers of community helps people feel better — and getting community members involved in plant care has its benefits, too, from increased exercise to decreased stress levels.

Plants may even go further to support people’s well-being, as an interesting study presents a correlation between increased vegetation and lower crime rates. Researchers at the University of Illinois compared aerial photos and police reports in Chicago to find that locations with lots of foliage and tree cover had 48% fewer property crimes and 56% percent fewer violent crimes than areas lacking plant cover. Since the publication of this research, studies in Philadelphia and Cincinnati have come to similar conclusions.

While a full explanation of this connection between trees and lower crime is still unclear, experts suggest it may have something to do with an increased sense of community that comes from seeing that local areas are well-taken care of. Regardless of the reasons why, it’s clear that native plants make a positive impact on the community’s mental health and well-being.

Produce a healthy harvest

Yes, native plants are the top choice when it comes to meeting the critical food needs of native wildlife — but native plants can also serve as an excellent food source for people. Particularly in locations seen as “food deserts,” healthy, affordable options can be difficult to obtain. Edible gardens comprised of native plants can help to close the food gap by making fresh produce available for the community.

Edible gardens provide local, in-season fruits, vegetables and nuts — from walnuts and serviceberries to wild onions and paw paws. They can vary in size, so even a small area like a rooftop, vacant lot or office park courtyard could host an edible garden.

In addition to the obvious benefits of providing food, edible gardens also offer an opportunity for community involvement and education. Partnering with local community centers, schools, youth-serving organizations or food banks can help ensure that an edible garden has gardeners to tend to it and beneficiaries who can enjoy the harvest.

These lesser-known benefits of native plants illustrate their wide-ranging capabilities, so the next time you’re looking for some plants to include in your workplace or backyard garden that will have a great impact on the environment — and beyond — pick native plants.