ReWild Crozet

We are transforming the landscape of our town by planting native pollinator gardens and creating pollinator habitat corridors on public and private land in Crozet.

Why?

So many of us live in Crozet for access to nature and we treasure our local trails and parks. We take a walk in the woods and life just feels…better.

But when we return to our neighborhoods - especially those in new developments - the sensory experiences that make the woods feel so alive suddenly disappear.

It doesn’t have to be that way.

* * *

Humans are dependent on pollinators for our survival, but pollinator numbers have been declining precipitously.

In the olden days, there was plenty of “wild space” around and humans could - and did - replace vital pollinator habitat with lawn. Now we no longer have enough “wild space” to provide sufficient pollinator habitat, so if we want to survive as a species, we need to start replacing lawn with plants that provide pollinator habitat.

What are the best plants for pollinators?

What can help our yards and neighborhoods feel alive?

The same thing:

Keystone Native Plants!

spiderwort

How?

A web of keystone native pollinator gardens throughout Crozet will create wildlife corridors for pollinators and other critters, like birds and spring peepers, that are:

  1. compatible with high density housing

  2. bring joy to the humans who live here.

ReWild Crozet will remove whatever barriers exist for potential gardeners and assist with:

  • Education - why and how

  • Site Assessment

  • Plant Selection & Sourcing

  • Garden Design

  • Garden Installation

  • Garden Care

  • Funding

  • Troubleshooting

Who

You!

  • Hosts: provide sites, such as backyards, school yards, parks, or businesses. A site can be as small as a single container or as large as you’d like: a full yard, an HOA common space, etc.

  • Stewards: people who care for a specific garden. In a home this will typically be the resident, but if the resident needs assistance, we will do our best to match them with a Steward.

  • Planters: volunteers to help plant and install the gardens. Let’s make it easy for each other!

  • Ambassadors: volunteers who can help educate their neighbors and friends as to why and how to have a native plant garden. Ambassadors can also be called on to help troubleshoot when a Host or Steward has a question.

  • Scientists: ecologists, botanists, ornithologist, entomologists - we need your big beautiful brains for in depth talks and workshops.

  • Artists: inspire us with your art, and help us make our own, so we can see, integrate, and connect more deeply with our gardens.

  • Photographers: help us document our garden projects and show the world how beautiful, varied, unique, and vibrant native plant pollinator gardens can be!

  • Researchers: We’ve got UVA, PVCC, and JMU within an hour. There are so many opportunities for academic research.

  • Monacan Tribal Members: A native plant project is not complete without native people. What can we learn from our local tribe, as well as global indigenous thought leaders?

  • “Old Crozet” Crozetians: Our well loved community stands on the shoulders of generations who worked hard to make this the caring community it is. And yet its rapid development came at such a loss for so many. We cannot undo what has been done, but how can we honor the memories and relationships as we move forward?

  • “New Crozet” Crozetians: Y’all got a bunch of boring high potential yards - blank slates to make something beautiful!

new oak leaves emerging in spring
blue mistflower and black eyed susan

The Vision

We see a Crozet filled with wildflowers, and a distinct sense of place.

That sense of connection to nature we get on our trails, we now also get in our yards.

Our schools - from daycare to high school - have native plant pollinator gardens for students and staff to enjoy.

We stop to check out a chrysalis at the garden in front of the library, and when we sit at Mudhouse we love the view of containers with blooms up in the balconies at English Meadows.

In the spring and fall, we have Save the Monarch Garden Parties when we gather to plant milkweed.

Butterfly Days, a festival at Crozet Park, has art made featuring native plants and pollinators, how-to garden workshops, and ecology talks for folks of all ages.

Kids playing in the creeks can tell you all about what is growing there, who lives there, and why.

And all throughout town are people who know each other a little better, breathe a little deeper, and love Crozet a little more.

Our Values

This work takes us into sacred space: people’s homes & public areas we share.

~ We do not take this honor lightly. ~

Living out our mission of Building Community for People, Plants, & Pollinators is not just about what we do, or why we do it, it’s how we do it:

  • Compassion

  • Non-judgment

  • Respect

  • Kindness

  • Humor

  • Learning Alongside

  • Lightheartedness

  • Meeting People Where They Are

  • Welcome

  • Belonging

  • Relationship

  • Creativity

  • Can Do Attitude

  • Innovation

Our Services

We are the bridge between “No Garden” and “Great Garden.”

How can we help?

  • We are to be your go to source for all the education you need to plant, install, and care for your native plant pollinator garden. Original Online Content - Referrals to Outside Resources - Real People for Real Conversations

  • We can help you assess your site, needs, desires, and dreams, and sort through your choices.

  • What do you want your garden to look like? We can help match you with beautiful pre-planned gardens (yes, they exist) or help you design something unique to your site.

  • You’ve got the dream and the design. We can help you haul supplies, prep a site, plant, or whatever other physical tasks and chores you need help with to get your garden going.

  • You’ve got a garden! Hooray! Now what? We can teach you how to care for your native plant garden once installed. Run into problems? We’ll help you troubleshoot.

  • Faith Carria Joy

    FOUNDER, VISIONARY

    Faith grew up indoorsy in New England, and fell in love with native plant gardening when she moved to California as an adult. She lives with her college sweetheart husband and two kiddos in a new build development in Crozet, where they are slowly turning the sterile lawn and uninspiring shrubbery into a native plant oasis. She sees gardening through the lens of healing, both people and planet. She is usually having an idea and roping her husband into making it happen with her.

  • Bruno Coelho

    FOUNDER, VISIONARY’s HUSBAND

    Originally from Brazil, Bruno discovered native plant gardening alongside Faith, in California. He is passionate about climate change solutions and likes to geek out over EVs and solar panels. His career and education are in Economics and Data Science. When he’s not wrangling his kids, you can find him playing bike polo or mountain biking. Some of his favorite garden memories are of his grandmother’s small town garden in Brazil, filled with the smell of mangoes and the sound of toucans.

  • You!

    CHANGEMAKER, AWESOME HUMAN

    You would love to see a Crozet filled with native plants, fireflies, butterflies, non-stinging bees, songbirds, wildlife, and humans who know, love, and connect with the nature in their backyard every day.

Contact us

Do you have a garden site?

Would you like to volunteer, partner, or share wisdom, resources, and tips with us?

We are all learning from each other, and we can’t wait to hear from you!