Native plants. Native plants provide food, shelter, nesting areas, and breeding areas for native wildlife. Gardening with native plants at home is a great way to support biodiversity. Here is a list of some of the most commonly available native trees, shrubs, and groundcovers.

Invasive species. Invasive species crowd out and out-compete native species, causing their demise or disappearance. Removal of invasives can generate great environmental benefits, but it must be done correctly to avoid making the problem even worse. Management of invasive plants requires a specific strategy for each species. Mass Audubon offers a good overview about invasive plants in Massachusetts.

The Newton Conservation Commission has a policy on herbicide and pesticide use and an invasive plant control policy.

Local Geology. Geology is the foundation of local topography and all other natural systems (soils, water resources, plants, etc.) Learn more about local geology in this document. (Please note that this document is over 50 years old, and the science dating rocks has improved dramatically since it was written. The age of the bedrock and ledge is currently thought to be between 570 - 595 million years old, putting their formation in the late Precambrian age. Also, as roads and property ownership have changed over the decades, some "stops" listed in the document may not be accessible.)