For Doug Tallamy, nature conservation starts in your own yard.
His book Nature's Best Hope is this year's selection for the Peoria Reads citywide literacy program. This year's theme is climate and conservation.
Tallamy, a professor at the University of Delaware, says America's 44 million acres of grassy lawns are actively harmful.
"It is there because it's a status symbol, because it's convenient," he said of lawns. "But it is an ecological disaster."
Tallamy said every yard should be able to support life, help pollinators, sequester carbon and manage the watershed. And grass fails at all four.
So what to do instead?
"You can still have a really nice looking landscape that includes lawn, but much less of it," he said.
Tallamy suggests introducing native plants to the areas of the lawn you don't regularly walk upon.
He said this can be done in small steps rather than one big revamp if a homeowner finds the prospect daunting. But he says it's something well worth doing.
"It's fun, but it's also, you know, I talk about personal responsibility. We all need functioning ecosystems," Tallamy said.
The Peoria Public Library is hosting a virtual author event with Tallamy on April 17 from 7 to 8:30 in the evening. Registration is free.
