Building a Future Where People and Plants Thrive
At Beal, rewilding is an intentional movement to restore relationships between people, plants, and place. Through purposeful, sustainable action, we are creating a more resilient landscape where nature, learning, and community can flourish together.
Rewilding is thoughtful stewardship that balances ecological responsibility, human wellbeing, and long-term sustainability. Our Land Use Plan provides the roadmap for putting this approach into action, guiding how we care for and shape the garden's landscape for the future. By listening, observing, and responding to the needs of the landscape, we can support regional biodiversity, improve ecosystem health, and create meaningful experiences for everyone who visits.
Sign next to the pollinator garden at Beal Botanical Garden proclaiming "Something Wild is Happening Here." Photo credit: David Price.
How We Are Rewilding and Why it Matters
Things are already changing in the garden. We are growing more native plants, removing invasive species, and reducing turf grass to create healthier, more diverse habitats. We are also embracing the garden's location along the Red Cedar River and within the floodplain, harmonizing with these natural systems rather than working against them. This means creating more opportunities to experience the river and water, while allowing the landscape to respond to seasonal changes and support greater ecological resilience.
These shifts encourage us to think differently about what a botanical garden can be. Rewilding creates a landscape that supports and inspires learning, from research and teaching to everyday discovery. It strengthens the garden as a place for the MSU community to pause, gather, explore, and connect, no matter where you are in life. It deepens our understanding of nature as an essential part of personal wellbeing, creating opportunities to slow down, notice what is around us, and experience the benefits of connection with the natural world.
Every action we take is guided by a simple belief: when landscapes thrive, communities thrive.
Frequently Asked Questions
Rewilding creates a garden that is more welcoming, resilient, and engaging for everyone. As the landscape evolves, visitors will experience greater plant diversity in our collections, improved accessibility, and new opportunities to learn, reflect, and connect with nature. Rewilding brings visitors closer to our collections by more accurately representing the variety of ecosystems within our region, inspiring care for the wilder spaces in our state and beyond.
Whether you are visiting to study plants, enjoy a quiet walk, or attend a community event, rewilding helps create a healthier environment where people and plants can thrive together.
In today's environment, doing nothing would lead to invasive species and ecological imbalance. Rewilding requires intentional, research-informed management to ensure healthy, sustainable ecosystems.
Traditional models often prioritize control and formal garden aesthetics. Rewilding shifts the focus to listening, observing, and responding to ecological systems. Instead of asking, "How should this look?" we ask, "What does this ecosystem need to thrive?" It blends science, research, and design to support responsive stewardship. Staff are still actively managing the garden with a focus on biodiversity, sustainability, and long-term health.
Environmental pressures such as shifting campus needs, climate change, invasive species, and soil degradation require taking a proactive management approach. Rewilding is about preparing the garden for the future, not just maintaining the past. Thoughtful change today helps prevent larger problems tomorrow.
Learn more about how our Land Use Plan is guiding our vision for rewilding.
Rewilding is not just about plants; it is about community. Healthy landscapes improve biodiversity, strengthen resilience to environmental change, and create places where communities can learn, gather, and recharge. By restoring our relationship with the natural world, we are building a garden that benefits visitors today while protecting this special place for future generations.
Rewilding strengthens long-term ecological health by:
- Supporting local and regional biodiversity
- Strengthening our commitment to native Great Lakes plant conservation
- Reducing resource-intensive garden practices
- Improving soil and ecosystem resilience
- Encouraging adaptive management
- Removing invasive and potentially invasive species
Connection with nature blends resilience, adaptability, and emotional health. Shared outdoor spaces encourage reflection, learning, and community engagement. By creating a less formally organized space, visitors will be able to interact more closely with our plant collections, provide space to foster connection with the natural environment, and allow for enhanced community engagement and educational opportunities.