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Natalie Evans ☀️🌱

@nature.with.natalie

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Firm believer in the power of being kind. Picking up trash and planting trees at @okcbeautiful. 💚 Certified arborist. Loves plants & people & planet.

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Here’s a little tree chemistry lesson to take you back to middle school. 🧠🍁 Fall colors are finally in Oklahoma, but how do these colors appear in the first place? 🍂

#oklahomagardening #nativeplants #trees #arborist #fall by @nature.with.natalie

Sorry for the jump scare! Talk about some niche nightmares. 😳😱

#halloween #spookyseason #arborist #gardening #nativeplants by @nature.with.natalie

Life lately. Growing a whole lot of good. 💚🌱 by @nature.with.natalie

Municipal ordinances in OKC restrict vegetation over 12” that is not a tree, shrub, or plant grown for human consumption. Unfortunately, this restricts many plants that are both beautiful and beneficial - providing essential ecosystem services for insects and wildlife. Fortunately, there is work being done on a local level to update these codes, and a growing understanding of the benefits of native plants for our environment and communities.

#plantnative #oklahomagardening #nativeplants #monarchs #savethemonarchs by @nature.with.natalie

🌿 Meet Natalie Evans, Executive Director of OKC Beautiful & our latest Instagram Takeover guest! With a background in community development, sustainability, & neighbor-level engagement, Natalie is helping make Oklahoma City a more beautiful & sustainable place.

Follow along on Stories THIS FRIDAY as she shares a behind-the-scenes look at her work! 🌳@nature.with.natalie @okcbeautiful by @nature.with.natalie

Two trees of the same species planted on the same day. But, 22 months later, they look quite different. The tree that has barely grown looks to have received some common maintenance issues, including over-pruning for uniformity of shape rather than good structure, herbicide spray, and volcano mulching.

#arborist #treecare #urbanforestry #tree #planttrees by @nature.with.natalie

I’m SO grateful for some rain. But, these patterns of intense drought followed by heavy rainfall presents challenges for our stormwater infrastructure. Our cities are designed to move water out as quickly as possible, often with hardscape infrastructure that is limited in capacity. There are nature-based solutions to help mitigate impacts of extreme rainfall, which paired with gray infrastructure, can provide community benefits as well as helping to absorb and filter rainwater.

There are some cool resources if you’re interested in learning more about green infrastructure:

💧 @drylandwaterharvester
💧 @stormtoshade
💧 @solarpunkart
💧 @weareevergreenaustin
💧 @kendra_mn_nature

#okwx #oklahomagardening #raingarden #nativeplants #greeninfrastructure by @nature.with.natalie

Nature provides in really unique ways. A fun example is the luffa gourd. (Yes, like a shower luffa!) It produces an abundance of gourds, and the inside dries out to be a spongy, airy material. Perfect as a natural sponge and cleaning material. 🫧🧽🌱

#luffa #oklahomagardening #gardening #clean #plants by @nature.with.natalie

So many spaces throughout our communities could benefit from native landscaping. It may seem simple, but the addition of native plants reduces extreme heat, helps migrate flooding and stormwater runoff, provides beauty, and reduces mowing and maintenance.

This incredible local example is installed and maintained by the @metropark.okc neighborhood. Want to support this project? Follow them for details on future volunteer maintenance days!

Want to be a part of or lead future comparable projects? DM me! There are lots of ways to get involved locally to install and maintain native planting projects.

#nativeplants #oklahomagardening #community #plantnative #savethebees by @nature.with.natalie

Nature doesn’t choose who partakes in its abundance. Why should we? This conversation took place while standing under the beauty and productivity of three mature pecan trees that were planted decades ago, long before the tender could possibly know who would partake of the bounty of pecans each year. And I hope to be the same kind of steward - one who creates abundance and beauty for generations to come.

#urbanforestry #arborist #oklahomagardening #nativeplants #community by @nature.with.natalie

There are two arguments I often hear against converting turf grass to native plants.

1. That turf grass areas are needed for kids to play, dogs to run, etc.

2. That native plants look “messy” or aren’t as beautiful as manicured spaces.

But, there are a lot of spaces across our communities where turf grass is the default, but doesn’t fulfill a functional or beautification purpose.

Rights of way between sidewalks and streets are great examples. Rarely are those spaces used for play or recreation, and native plants serve a beautification purpose (as well as mitigating stormwater runoff and so many other benefits).

Here’s a great example of a ROW native planting project, just five months into establishment. ✨

#nativeplants #oklahomagardening #pollinatorgarden #savethebees #monarchs by @nature.with.natalie

Yes, mums are a beautiful fall decoration. BUT, there is a native plant alternative that has a super similar aesthetic AND provides a late season nectar source for pollinators, is a host for 100+ species of Lepidoptera, supports native specialist bees, and more. AND, you don’t have to buy them every year, because they’re perennial.

#oklahomagardening #nativeplants #aster #mums #fall by @nature.with.natalie