About Rus-in-Urbe
At Rus-in-Urbe we are fully committed to urban rewilding. We make careful decisions before we make changes to our landscape, and we always prioritize our wild neighbors in all our planning. The Latin phrase "rus in urbe" means "country in the city" and every change we make is devoted to bringing more natural scenery and wild things into our city location.
Our property is a one-acre example of what a family with limited time and budget can do to help birds, wildlife, and the environment in general. We have proven that if anyone has even a modest parcel of land it can be transformed from a typical lawn bordered by other typical lawns into a lush landscape of natural vegetation -- even if that space, like ours, is surrounded by a densely populated metropolitan area.
We have "rewilded" and brought a great deal of nature into our lives without major expense or the use of heavy equipment or hazardous chemicals. Our power tools are affordable, lightweight and easy to use consumer grade 40-volt battery-powered chainsaws, cultivators, pole saws and string trimmers. Our hand tools include long-handled rope pruners, loppers and simple hand-held pruners. To avoid spraying herbicides we use tarps to kill grass and unwanted vegetation.
We have "rewilded" and brought a great deal of nature into our lives without major expense or the use of heavy equipment or hazardous chemicals. Our power tools are affordable, lightweight and easy to use consumer grade 40-volt battery-powered chainsaws, cultivators, pole saws and string trimmers. Our hand tools include long-handled rope pruners, loppers and simple hand-held pruners. To avoid spraying herbicides we use tarps to kill grass and unwanted vegetation.
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It has taken some effort, but we have invested less time and money by returning the property to its natural state than we would have spent if we had maintained our "green desert" of grass. And the rewards have been priceless: Not only is Rus-in-Urbe truly a "Country in the City" home offering seclusion and privacy for a family of three, it also provides food and cover for animals from squirrels and rabbits to foxes and deer. Over the recent years we have seen 112 species of birds on our one-acre of natural habitat; we question if our neighbors have even seen 112 birds in their sterile surroundings.
Our task has been made easier by following the advice of organizations such as the National Wildlife Federation, The National Audubon Society, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the National Fish & Wildlife Service and the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources. If you have even a tiny yard--or just a patio or balcony-- we encourage you to do what you can for birds, pollinators, wildlife and nature in general by following the advice of these organizations.
Click through the links on our 'Resources' page and you will find the same helpful hints for creating your natural habitat that we used to create ours. Enjoy your "rewilding" experience, especially the part about not having to mow.
Our task has been made easier by following the advice of organizations such as the National Wildlife Federation, The National Audubon Society, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the National Fish & Wildlife Service and the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources. If you have even a tiny yard--or just a patio or balcony-- we encourage you to do what you can for birds, pollinators, wildlife and nature in general by following the advice of these organizations.
Click through the links on our 'Resources' page and you will find the same helpful hints for creating your natural habitat that we used to create ours. Enjoy your "rewilding" experience, especially the part about not having to mow.
