Resilient Yards

The Resilient Yards Program

The goal of Resilient Yards is to continue to promote landcare practices that bolster South Portland’s community and ecosystem resilience. Volunteer coaches offer personalized guidance, advice, and support to South Portland residents to transition their yards into resilient landscapes. Once paired together, coaches and participants discuss site needs, set up scheduling, and install gardens at each site. We provide each yard with free compost, mulch, and a set of 8 native plants. Native plants require less maintenance, support biodiversity, and build ecosystem resilience. The program also builds social resilience, as South Portland neighbors connect through sharing advice and resources.

Program Impact

Since we launched our inaugural 100 Resilient Yards program in 2023, we have helped 230 Resilient Yards participants, who, with the support of 65 volunteer coaches, have planted a total of 1,352 native pollinator plants in yards across South Portland.

Resources

The Native Plant Trust's Gardening for Pollinators Guide offers resources to help you get started, plant, and expand your gardens.

Check out our Resilient Yards local resources one-pager to learn more about where to access resources in South Portland.

We worked with Maine Audubon to choose pollinator plants available in the 2024 fact sheet and the 2025 fact sheet.

For more information, please contact Robyn Landes at rlandes@southportland.gov