Nurturing Nature: The Impact of Native Plants on Kansas City’s Urban Gardens and Farms

INC’s Nadine Donovan (left) and SCP team members Joshua Lawrence, Sue Bartelette, Tina Wurth, Chyler Hughes and Nadia Navarrete-Tindall (right) welcome the public to Earth Day Festival.

Lincoln University Cooperative Extension (LUCE) partnered with the Ivanhoe Neighborhood Council (INC), a not-for-profit community improvement organization based in Kansas City, Missouri, to offer a three-part native plant workshop. Facilitated by LUCE’s Specialty Crops Program (SCP), this series spanned several weeks and concluded on April 20, 2024. Attendees discovered how native plants contribute to landscaping, support pollinator populations, enhance biodiversity and promote both food security and potential income.

Participants learned how native plants contribute to biodiversity and support pollinators such as butterflies, birds and bees.

Sue Bartelette, a landscape designer for the Specialty Crops Program, educated participants about landscape design and native plant selection during the workshop’s first session, held virtually on February 22, 2024. Bartelette explained that native plants are naturally adapted to their local environments, leading to minimal maintenance needs. “Missouri native plants have deep roots and don’t require additional watering once established,” Bartelette says. “These roots not only secure the soil but also contribute to its formation. Choosing the correct native plant eliminates the need for fertilizers or specialized soils.”

SCP landscape designer Sue Bartelette shares insight on garden planning following the construction of the garden retaining wall during the workshop’s second session.

The next workshop session, held on March 9, 2024, provided practical steps for garden preparation and planning. This lesson was interactive and conducted in person at INC’s headquarters — Nutter Ivanhoe Neighborhood Center in Kansas City, Missouri. The center showcased how participants could create similar garden and farm setups using native plants both for culinary use and to nurture native pollinators. Attendees transformed the dormant gardens by removing invasive species and landscape fabric, creating aesthetic retaining walls and preparing the soil for the upcoming native plant installation.

On April 20, 2024, LUCE’s Specialty Crops Program’s workshop concluded at INC’s celebration — Earth Day Festival― at the Nutter Ivanhoe Neighborhood Center. SCP members led interactive, hands-on activities for planting methods and provided native plants to create sustainable gardens at the neighborhood center. This final gathering aimed to deepen community understanding of native flora and its crucial role in supporting essential pollinators like bees, butterflies, and birds that support biodiversity. Participants were also encouraged to incorporate more native species into their gardens and farms as native edibles.

SCP Extension State Specialist Nadia Navarrete-Tindall teaches the public about native plants at her exhibit during the Earth Day Festival.

"Through our outreach and education efforts, we advocate for the cultivation of native plants as specialty crops,” SCP State Extension Specialist Dr. Nadia Navarrete-Tindall says. She highlighted that these plants are not only nutritious food sources but also offer the potential for value-added products that can generate income. During the Earth Day Festival, the Specialty Crops Program hosted a native edibles food tasting and provided participants with recipes such as goldenglow pesto and wild plum jam. Navarrete-Tindall reported that this festival was part of a broader series of training and food tasting sessions, including Finca Fest 2023 and workshops where dishes prepared with native edibles were served — further engaging the community with the benefits of local, sustainable food sources.

Nadine Donovan, a key figure at the Nutter Ivanhoe Neighborhood Center, highlighted the broader goals of INC’s work. "Our mission extends beyond just providing access; it’s about educating the community on the benefits of healthy eating," she says. Donovan plays an integral role in INC’s community health programming and continues to emphasize the transformative role the center and organization play in addressing food accessibility issues, particularly in an area once considered a food desert. Currently, INC operates a farmers market, managed by Donovan, which primarily features local growers as vendors from the Ivanhoe neighborhood, located on Woodland Avenue — aptly nicknamed the Woodland Greenway due to its concentration of 10 urban farms.

Workshop participants plant native edibles and flora provided by SCP at Nutter Ivanhoe Neighborhood Center.

SCP Outreach Events and Logistics Coordinator Tina Wurth, who extends urban agriculture awareness in Kansas City, Missouri, networked with INC to create the partnership. Funding was provided by a specialty crops grant written by Dr. Navarrete-Tindall and gifted through the Missouri Department of Agriculture (MDA) to support this initiative aimed at educating local communities, especially those underrepresented, about sustainable agricultural practices and the ecological benefits of incorporating native, edible plants into their gardens and small farms. The funding facilitated a series of educational activities enabling participants to practically apply their new knowledge in creating environmentally friendly and productive garden spaces. This partnership between LUCE and INC not only strengthened community ties but also empowered residents with the tools and understanding necessary to enhance their local environment and promote biodiversity in urban settings.

Other LUCE exhibits included animal science programs like aquaculture, small ruminants and poultry, along with the Innovative Small Farmers Program (ISFOP).

For more information on LUCE’s Specialty Crops Program or future native plant workshops/food tastings, please contact Dr. Nadia Navarrete-Tindall at navarrete-tindalln@lincolnu.edu or (573) 681-5060.