It would be ironic if you replaced non-native plants with native plants and all of the animals disappeared. Never heard of that happening though. Often people see more but it depends on what was there before.

Personally I've done it because it looks better to me. I guess some people like buckthorn but to me it is a nuisance...no fall color, insignificant flowers, black berries that give the birds the runs, and full of thorns. I'll take viburnums, redbuds, dogwoods, etc. over buckthorn any day.

Oops--I'd better clarify! We proceeded very quickly to remove all buckthorn from our property. Sorry that wasn't clear.

I am glad to see that you are taking the time to observe just what is happening BEFORE you make any significant changes to the environment. Not all the "weeds" may be "weeds" from the non-native perspective. Especially thistles which, native or not, are often considered to be weeds because of their habit of growth.
What is important is replacing with plants whose flowering and seeding cycles appropriate the plants being replaced as the birds, etc. are adapted to that timetable as they move through the area.
Also note that some native plants, particularly bienniels, may be very desirable for seed production for birds but may be weedy-like in appearance. Some Oenothera species can be such.
One suggestion I would aim for first is working out an area where it would be safe for birds and the small animals to find water, to drink and to bathe in.

Here is a link that might be useful: water elements for birds

Very good observations and I second the thought to move slowly. And I like terrestial man's comments to observe even more and replace based on similarities.

I just recently noticed the native thistles in my area (on the side of the road, their leaves are less prickly and have white undersides). Other plants that attract gold finches for me are Salvia coccinea, Agastache (Hyssop) and Rudbeckias. Those tiny birds perch on those slender stems and work the seeds out somehow!

The birds in the thickets are enjoying the protection of the plants. Be sure to include similar shrubs to provide cover - plants like evergreen plants like wax myrtle, native juniper, and dense plants like hawthorn and native holly. The birds are there because they need the habitat not because they like the plants necessarily. Replacing them with native plants will add other benefits like food and insects.

Plants that attract pollinators for me include mountain mint, hypericums, clethra, hollies, goldenrod.

Sounds like a journey - but a good one.

To add to previous suggestions...

My seed-eaters love the echinacea. I very rarely collect much in the way of seeds from them since the small finches get to them first. The helianthus clan are also great for pollinators and seed eaters. Both of these have much garden appeal as well. Monarda is also a good pollinator plant with much garden appeal. Any rudebeckia as well. Asclepias, eupatorium, silphium, and more would provide flowers and/or host plant material. Solidago and asters are great late season flowers.

The grey dogweed (almost weedy here) provides dense and protected areas for small birds to roost. Hawthorns as well.

Cornus, crataegus, sambucus, rubus, and prunus all produce fruits. Numerous native species and some with great appeal to wildlife with regards to fruits and flowers.

FataMorgana

I've been converting my property to almost exclusively native for the past two years. Sounds like a similar situation. One rule I followed was that I only did large-scale pulling when I was ready to immediately replace the area with something native. One example is when I pulled a ton of english ivy and pachysandra. I replaced with native ground covers and also spread leaves and hedge trimmings and brush to still provide cover while the natives took hold. Rock piles and seasoning log piles provide additional cover for toads and chipmunks. I put up two bee boxes which were both filled within weeks. With trees, I always replaced a non-native within a matter of days.
My property is bordered by rows of non-native spirea and privet. The birds rely on both for cover, so I only replace these a shrub at a time.
Hope you continue and follow through. I couldn't be happier with mine, but I think one of the keys was replacing any disruption as quickly as possible and to keep up on pulling.

Excellent observations, GM. It is important to view our love with native plant communities-and their exotic counterparts-with the same level of scrutiny we do everything else. Afterall, an honest explanation for buckthorn's amazing expansion on the scene, to use that species as an example, would have to make mention of it's suitability as bird food for much of its success.

I'd say a go-slow approach would be best, once the BT is vanquished, combined with the development of a list of plants you'd actually like to see there. In other words, bring some inspiration back into this project to help guide your actions. If, for example, you really like arrowwood viburnum-I sure do-this liking for that plant may help you to justify the removal of some exotic or other, even though, as you've seen, that exotic plant is doing some good.

+oM

Any overgrown area will be attractive to birds, as many species use the thick vegetation for cover or nesting. Doesn't matter whether the vegetation is native or not. Some species of wildlife will benefit when plants like Buckthorn and purple loosestrife invade and monopolize natural habitat. However biodiversity will suffer and other native species of flora and fauna will be marginalized by the mono-culture of invasive plants.

When I moved here 9 years ago, this 1.25 acre parcel was infested with terrible woody invasive plants - Norway maples, Buckthorn, shrub Honeysuckle, Oriental Bittersweet, etc. I have been progressively removing the invasives and replacing them with gardens or native shrubs, but it has been overwhelming and slow going. Still have about 1/4 of the parcel in back which is terribly overgrown, and I try to keep it controlled by eradicating the fruiting specimens at a minimum. Even if I removed all of them, there are still plenty more invasive plants growing on neighboring properties (and I cut those too in some cases), which means birds and wind will spread them back here. :(

There are so many native and non-invasive non-native plants that benefit wildlife, that it should be reasonably easy to replace the worst invasives with better plants, without too much disruption to the wildlife.

I've so enjoyed reading all the responses to my post--I was a bit afraid I'd be criticized for suggesting that I have some concerns about eradicating all the non-natives on our property. I also thought perhaps I should have posted under The Wildlife Garden, but this forum seems to have more traffic.

Yes, it certainly is a journey, and I absolutely love it. We (DH and I) prefer doing everything ourselves; I work full-time-plus; and therefore we have no choice but to proceed slowly with our garden.

A water feature is a key part of the plan for this area. It contains a natural vernal pond, and we want to enhance and expand that area, choosing appropriate native plants for the area close to the water.

I think it's hardest for me to think of replacement native plants which would bloom here (zone 5) in April/early May. I clearly remember kneeling on the ground last spring, pulling dandelions and other "weeds", even as pollinators were feeding on them, and thinking--this doesn't make sense--I'm taking food away from them, in order to create a garden for them??! Later in the season, they can feed from our viburnum, echincacea, eupatorium, rudbeckia, monarda,swamp milkweed, etc. but early-season native nectar sources in my garden, in its current state, are pretty sparse.

Terrene--good to hear from you! I've read much from you over the last couple of years and always admire what you are doing on your property.

There are many beautiful spring wildflowers but flowering trees are probably the biggest sources of food for the spring pollinators. Prunus, Malus, Amelanchier, Tilia, Crataegus, Cercis, Cornus, and so many others are spring bloomers. Bloom times vary so visit local parks and hike some trails in the spring. What is blooming at your location during that time? Do some research and see what fits the bill for you.

On a sunny spring day, the flowering trees I have sound like a beehive - all a buzz and filled with happy pollinators. These trees are beautiful parts of the landscape as well.

FataMorgana

Well gardening musician, it's nice to know someone is reading my posts, hehe. I'm really enjoying creating a more native habitat although as you say it's slow going and I'm doing most of it myself with the occasional help of friends with chain saws or a tree crew.

Having a vernal pool sounds fabulous. All I have are bird baths. I would love to make a pond, but won't live here long enough to make it worth it.

Two really nice native perennials that are early bloomers and used by pollinators are Dicentra eximia and Mertensia virginica (virginia bluebells). I have started bluebells from seed, but they take about 3 years to bloom. This past Spring the first ones bloomed and they are even more beautiful than the pictures I'd seen.

The bees also like some of the non-natives bulbs like Crocus and Daffodils.

I hear ya about the irony. Native....or non-native when the native animal/insect population is drawn to them equally. Last spring I bought a small (12 inches tall!) wafer ash (Ptelea trifoliata) at a wildflower sale to attract giant swallowtail caterpillars one day. Well, one momma GST did find my wafer ash and soon I had 6 ravenous caterpillars. GST caterpillars feed on plants in the Rutaceae family which, when it comes to natives, would include prickly ash and wafer ash....both trees that are impossible to find at any local nursery. Prickly ash is probably something most homeowners remove anyway. So how on earth do those butterflies manage to stay alive in the midwest? They will eat citrus leaves (a tropical....not something you would find in the midwest...although Poncirus trifoliata survives in this zone). They will eat rue...an herb from Europe! Luckily I had a hardy orange for them to chomp on when they ate all the leaves off the wafer ash. But then they disappeared....I'm thinking a 'possum got them overnight or something. :-/ They had been wandering off once the wafer ash was leafless but they were very easy to find when I looked for them and then put them back on the hardy orange. Cycle of life, I guess. But it is ironic that sometimes the non-native plants are the ones that keep the natives going. What I learned...I'm buying more wafer ash for next year since apparently, it is very delicious to GSTs but I am also going to plant rue even though it's not a native because it is a good food source backup for butterflies. Nothing is cut and dry, you know?

Whew... Thanks.

>But it is ironic that sometimes the non-native plants are >the ones that keep the natives going. What I learned...I'm >buying more wafer ash for next year since apparently, it >is >very delicious to GSTs but I am also going to plant >rue even >though it's not a native because it is a good >food source >backup for butterflies. Nothing is cut and >dry, you know?

Wonderful, sir. Thank you. And true.

>Sometimes the non-natives are the ones that keep the >natives going.

Rue grows fast, and is hardy.

Best of luck with the GSTs.

It is encouraging that native lepidoptera (butterflies & moths) can adapt to non-native host plants. When they do this I've heard them called a "switcher". The Eastern Black Swallowtail would be an excellent example - it does have native host plants, but most of these grow in wetlands because historically this region was heavily forested and they don't use any tree species. The agricultural era with all its plants in the carrot family was a boon for them. Now they mostly use non-natives like parsley, fennel, dill, rue, queen anne's lace, etc.

I'm glad that some species can adapt, but that doesn't mean that as human development and invasive species encroach, that many other species won't be threatened.

Great thread. Great responses.

I commend you for your interest in natives and your concern about disrupting the wildlife that are utilizing this neglected patch.

As was already stated, the overgrown, neglected area did provide cover and may have been one of the few sources of nectar for the pollinators you witnessed. Even a lawn with dandelions provides more for wildlife than a lawn of pure grass. I'm wondering how many *different* pollinators were in your weedy patch. Providing more natives would attract more biodiversity than those that can make use of your overgrown patch. I'm glad you've read Sara Stein and Tallamy...and that you are not giving up on your vision. :) Thank you for a great, interesting thread.

I, too, have been taking things slowly on our two acres. When removing things like Japanese honeysuckle, I create brush piles...and normally remove them in the winter when there are no leaves anyway...hopefully reducing my impact on the shelter which they provided.

Also, in regards to things that goldfinches eat, I recently learned that they love the seeds from sycamore trees.

I too, am torn when I pull up dandelions. Bumblebees like the nectar, rabbits like the new leaves, and song sparrows and goldfinches like the seeds. However, I think it makes the (small area) of lawn look messy, so I still do it. I figure I'll never get it all anyway, seeing how every time my neighbor mows, he sends hundreds of seeds floating over the fence. : )
For native substitutes, similar in appearance to invasives, have you tried Brooklyn Botanic Garden's "Native Alternatives to Invasive Plants"?