The 2025 Native Plant Backyard Challenge (NPBYC) has wrapped up another impactful year, reaching 117 households across central Ohio to transform portions of residential yards into native plant habitat! The NPBYC empowers Columbus residents to plant native every year through giveaways, educational workshops, and community support. By promoting native plants, the program continues to help households make ecologically responsible choices in their gardens that support local biodiversity!

This year’s success was amplified through collaborations with 10 local organizations, including our program sponsors Columbus Audubon and Franklin Soil and Water Conservation District. With their generous support, we were able to provide additional resources to participants and extend our outreach efforts to a wider audience. We also worked closely with Ohio Native Concepts LLC, Franklin County Pollinator Pathway, Wild Ones, Mid-Ohio Food Collective, and many others to provide outstanding educational classes and workshops throughout the year. Each partnership brought a fresh perspective to the program, from rain gardening 101 to native habitat site maintenance to matrix planting to native food forests. The collective effort of the NPBYC not only supports wildlife, but also a growing community that is invested in the health of Ohio’s ecosystems!

As the Native Plant Backyard Challenge continues to grow (literally!), it serves as a model for how local action can have a large impact – right in your own backyard!

To learn more about the program and how you can get involved, click here.