Maine towns push to swap turf lawns for wild native habitats

SUN JOURNAL • August 27, 2026

Portland is the latest Maine community to encourage residents to replace manicured turf grass with native habitats. By rewilding suburban and urban yards, communities aim to protect vital coastal watersheds, foster disappearing pollinators and boost human well-being. For decades, the chemically treated lawn stood as the ultimate symbol of American suburban conformity, according to Andrew Tufts, manager of Maine Audubon’s Bringing Nature Home program. Today, entomologists like Doug Tallamy urge landowners to plant native species to save collapsing insect and bird populations.